A ‘Tapulicious’ addition to the coffee table

Cafe Flo turned into a well-heeled melee of celebrities and fashionistas who descended for the launch of Tapu's book.

KARACHI: The usually serene environs of Karachi’s upscale restaurant Cafe Flo was turned into a well-heeled melee of celebrities and fashionistas who descended on the venue for the launch of photographer Tapu Javeri’s new book.

The oddly titled Tapulicious (didn’t the -licious fever go out around the same time Destiny’s Child “Bootylicious” made its way off the charts?) is a coffee table book that features photographs that Javeri has taken over the past two decades since he started working as a photographer. While discerning readers will recognise the work from Javeri’s frequent exhibitions, his previous book I, Voyeur and from the pages of the now defunct magazine Xtra, as the book features portraits of icons such as Madam Noor Jehan, Iqbal Ban, and Reshma, interspersed with images of models such as Iraj Manzoor and Vaneeza Ahmed and designers like Ammar Belal.

The subjects of Javeri’s work were all in attendance, along with a smattering of socialites and members of his family. Designers Deepak Perwani, Maheen Khan, Safinaz Munir, Sadaf Malaterre, Huma Adnan, Nida Azwer, Feeha Jamshed, Adnan Pardesy and Syed Rizwanullah flitted around as did models Nadia Hussain, Ayaan, Fayeza Ansari and Iraj Manzoor, musicians Shahi Hasan, Omran Shafique and Komal Rizvi and stylists Humaa Taher and Rukaiya. The conversation, as the hors d’oeuvres disappeared into red-lipped mouths, was about new collections, gossip and admiring each other’s ensembles. Several women were clad in bright orange tunics from Perwani’s spring/summer 2010 collection, while one spotted at least three women carrying bags by Mahin Hussain.

Javeri defended the choice of title saying, “The book features people who I think are deserving ... and are ‘Tapulicious’.” It is only fitting then, that the book opens with the quote: “I click! Therefore, you are”.

This is Tapu Javeri’s third book, and according to the photographer, “I have been planning to do this for a really long time.”

While the event was sponsored by Pond’s, the book has been published by Still Waters. Publisher Kiran Aman told The Express Tribune that Tapulicious featured “people from all walks of life.” Still Waters, according to Aman, “has published books which represent the people of Pakistan, whether it was Revived or Raw Life or a contemporary poet’s book (Skin by Faraz Maqsood Hamidi).”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2010.