Stylist Asmaa Mumtaz, the woman behind the look of several Maria B campaigns, the Nickie n Nina show at PFDC Fashion Week, and is a permanent fixture on the well-dressed radar. Her new venture — a studio called The Dresser — is set to offer the same dose of quirky, edgy and polished style that Mumtaz’s previous work has had.
The opening of The Dresser in Lahore also had in attendance three women styled by Mumtaz to highlight their personalities. That is the edge that she hopes to maintain with The Dresser. “I’ve been working from home so far,” she told The Express Tribune in a phone interview. “But work has finally picked up and I needed the space.”
While stylists are a common feature in every celebrity’s entourage, the concept has not really caught on in Pakistan. Few celebrities get prepped before red carpet appearances, choosing to style themselves or are clad in designer ensembles straight off the runway, with no personalisation.
“People don’t understand what a stylist’s job is,” Mumtaz says. “It’s like event management 10 years ago ... people didn’t get the concept of paying someone to manage an event since they were used to doing it themselves. But even abroad, styling is a new field - there is no degree, only short courses.”
The Dresser, which offers make-up and styling services for brides, celebrities and designer campaigns, as well as manicures and pedicures, aims to offer individual attention to every client. “I’m only going to book two bridal appointments a day. Every bride is different and needs to be given attention and should be styled by one person only. At most salons, you’ll see one person doing the eye make-up for 40 brides in a day and they all look the same. Brides have different personalities, and that needs to be highlighted. I’m not going to tart someone up who isn’t used to wearing make-up regularly!”
Do brides catch on to the concept, since a typical bridal ‘look’ has become ingrained in people’s minds? smoky eye make-up and pink lipstick or bright red lipstick and gold eye shadow are two of the most commonly seen bridal looks. “It comes down to us educating the public,” she says. “It will take at least two to three years for people to understand the concept of stylists and specialised attention.”
The attention, Mumtaz says, boils over into everything. Their manicure and pedicure services (“entirely organic!”) are done by two employees, which means only two women will be served at a time in a serene environment. Mumtaz laughingly says, “Without a noisy hair dryer in the background!”
Interestingly enough, Asmaa Mumtaz has also managed to incorporate a little of Lahore’s history into the studio. The Dresser is located in the premises of an old factory on Lahore’s Ferozepur Road. Mumtaz says the factory used to produce cosmetics for Elizabeth Arden and other top-tier brands, and she has been able to study their formulas and incorporate them in her work.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2010
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