Amna Ilyas: The mysterious beauty of the fashion industry

Amna Ilyas doesn’t just walk into a room: she strides in the café with a leggy, coltish grace reminiscent of her catwalk, causing more than a few glances to shift interestedly in her direction. Her own gaze remains glacial, the practiced unseeing stare of the model who has to deal with attention by disregarding it. She throws her keys on the table, says hello in that worldly, husky voice, but then notices that we’re in the non-smoking section and makes me move to the smoking zone where she immediately lights up.



If I have been anxious about this interview thus far, I am now truly petrified. I spent hours last night deliberating over what to wear today and have drafted a list of impressive questions but will that suffice? Ilyas may not yet be a household name but with titles such as ‘Pakistan’s Couture Queen’ and ‘Best Pakistani Model’ being bestowed upon her, that is likely to change soon. She will be bursting onto the big screen this year, alongside the legendary Naseeruddin Shah in her upcoming debut film, Zinda Bhaag. A favourite at every fashion event, Ilyas is nominated for the Best Model at the upcoming Lux Style Awards and anyone who has seen her strut on the catwalk or pose for a shoot can tell why. Her talents as a model have been vouched for by renowned fashion photographer Fayyaz Ahmed who says, “Ilyas is one model I don’t think twice before working with; she is just effortless and professional in front of the camera!”

Between intermittent drags on one cigarette after the other, she talks about her experiences in the fashion industry. Like most models, Ilyas began her career when she was a teenager and now, at 22, has become one of the most sought-after models in Pakistan. Her irresistible ‘naughty but nice’ appeal has rendered her the sexy must-have model for designers such as HSY and Karma. Her famously slender legs are her USP, as are her dusky, sculpted features, and that indefinable something in her attitude. She exudes a bold, unconventional sexiness. While the boys go ga-ga over Ayyan’s rosy-cheeked, desi-girl charms, Ilyas’ urbane style finds a fan among women who instantly appreciate her fashion sense.

Today she is dressed in faded jeans and an understated white t-shirt which highlights her toned physique and tan skin. Ilyas is already causing a stir around the café and our table is getting more than its fair share of attention. She speaks animatedly about herself with exaggerated hand gestures and I can’t help but wonder how a model of such stature can be so… chilled out! In the course of our conversation, I realize she is just another twenty-something, albeit with a job seemingly more exciting that the mainstream investment-banking and medicine most of us opt for. “I get to ghoomofy so much!” she says when I ask her what she likes best about modeling. “Plus, you know na, models always get a lot of attention,” she adds with a naughty laugh.

A natural at being under the spotlight, she is confident and self-assured, undaunted by the media. She grew up in the shadow of her elder sisters Uzma and Salma, both of whom have remained successful models themselves. “I don’t pay attention to the media, I do what I do for me,” she claims. I think it is safe to conclude that she is simply one of those people who attract a lot of attention and revel in it. The secret glances being shot our way have not died down yet but this is Ilyas’s domain. She jokes and laughs and shares stories unsuitable for printing but she entertains throughout.

It may be just the spotlight she relishes, but Ilyas had developed a true passion for her profession. I am shocked to hear that she has taken next to no time off in the past three years, without any intentions of doing so now either! Between back-to-back shoots, shows and travelling, she must be a workaholic, I ask. “Array no, yaar,” she responds, waving her hands as if to brush aside my assertion. “I love to chill too but my career is my top priority. Plus, I really, really enjoy getting my hair done,” she jokes.


But the pampering isn’t what drove Ilyas towards modeling. Her success can be attributed to her close friend, Aakif Riaz, who discovered and launched her in the market. “Shuru mein I never really want to model. But one day, Aakif took some snaps of me and showed them to a designer aur buss, that is how it all started. Thanks to my sisters, I knew the work well already.” So were they your inspiration, I inquire to which she jokes “I am my own inspiration.” Ilyas truly seems to have mastered the art of mixing business with pleasure, so much so that she finds posing without music hard and so prefers indoor shoots. “But kabhi kabhi shoots get very annoying. Like once, I shouted at the lighting guys because they were being lazy and not doing their work right. Sab ka time waste ho raha tha!”



This reminds me that an hour has gone by already and we must speed up to accommodate Ilyas’s next appointment: a martial arts class which she says is a great stress-buster. I had been made aware of her penchant for punctuality and professionalism earlier when she criticized other models for arriving late to shoots, throwing tantrums and not taking their work seriously enough. For Ilyas, this indicated a lack of drive and never would she ever behave so “badtameezily” as to keep people waiting! I begin to appreciate the dichotomy of her character: she is a combination of carefree indulgence with a diligent work ethic. Ilyas works hard but parties harder. She likes to take matters into her own hands, to the extent that she would rather wash her dishes herself than hire domestic help! This child of the 21st century is unafraid to speak her mind and unapologetic about how she might speak it, declaring that “If someone is being an idiot, I won’t hesitate to sunaofy them.”

Unfortunately, this kind of audacity does not always bode well in the showbiz industry and can lead to slander and libel. “She is known to have a bit of an attitude problem,” says Umer Mushtaq , a freelance fashion editor. “But I have known her personally since her schoolgirl days and have never met a more professional and hardworking young model. She is very genuine and straightforward. No dramas, no nakhray…sirf mehnat. No wonder every designer wants her!”

With her confidence, ambition and the massive success Ilyas has garnered in her short career, one would think she is all set for life but in reality, she is as confused about her future as the average 20-something. I inquire about her vulnerabilities and a fear as a person and her instant answer is “Shaadi!” In my head, I laugh at the image of her juggling to children whilst having her makeup done. “I don’t know if I can handle bachay wachay but I will try!” she confesses. “I can’t be a model forever so I am focusing on acting as well. Career tau bana liya hai but ultimately, I want to live a quiet life with a doting husband,” she adds and I can’t help but feel a bit surprised. She senses my reaction and quickly explains herself. “Kya karoun… I am a total romantic too na!”



For now, Ilyas’s chief concern remains her work. She believes she is currently living the peak of her career and showing no signs of slowing down, at least until she manages to give something back to the industry which has given her so much. “Modeling is still a taboo in Pakistan and people remain apprehensive of it. But I want to change that and make them see it as a respectable profession and promote a positive image of Pakistan through it!” As a closing note, I ask her to give some advice for young girls seeking a career in the fashion industry and she pauses a moment, as if reminiscing about her own days as a newbie model. “It is crucial to do your homework and learn the tricks of the trade. Gandagi har jaga hoti hai magar you have to stay clear of it. It is very easy to fall prey to exploitation if you aren’t careful,” she advises.

As Ilyas gets up to leave, I feel a twinge of envy and can’t help but compare myself with her. Not many people are blessed with the kind of energy and raw passion displayed by Ilyas. Suffice it to that this girl is on fire! This may have been the first time you have heard of her but I can assure you, it definitely won’t be the last.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, June 23^rd, 2013.