Maheen Taseer’s labour of love

Industry novice talks about venturing into fashion designing with label MGT and her sartorial mantra.

LAHORE:

The city’s newest designer on the block, Maheen Ghani Taseer, always had a penchant for designing but it was only recently that she decided to bring it to fruition with the launch of her label MGT. For Maheen, her passion for fashion and styling go back to when she was just a child. The Express Tribune talks to the industry novice to explore her styling mantra and sartorial vision.

“Fashion is like art and it’s not just designing that I enjoy. I consider an outfit to be a statement, so I’m a stylist as well. I think the two go hand in hand,” says Maheen. As a relatively new designer, she is still exploring different styles. “Fashion, for me, is ever-changing and keeps evolving. Inspiration comes to you organically, if design is your true love, you will have to take reference from everything you see around you,” she adds.

Model wearing a Maheen Taseer’s design

She draws inspiration from Sabyasachi Mukherjee, which is evident in her work. When it comes to western-wear, Maheen looks up to Jenny Peckham and Elie Saab. This winter, Maheen tried her hand at velvet and embellishments, which gave her clothes a grand, regal and ethnic look. When asked about her signature style, she says she is still experimenting and working with different materials, such as lace and silk, juxtaposing modern and traditional looks. “It can go from ethnic to modern-chic, be it pret, couture or bridal wear. I enjoy reinventing traditional wear and making it contemporary, so it speaks a language of its own,” she explains.

Contrary to popular belief, breaking into the fashion industry isn’t easy. “I dislike any kind of internal politics and feel there should be no room for that. Fashion is all about individuality. All designers have their strengths and there is a place for everyone,” she says. Sharing her fondness for and challenges involved in the field, she reveals, “I love designing and it has been a labour of love. However, dealing with temperamental workers can get taxing at times.”

At times, designers shackle their creativity, even at top couture shows, where they are given an opportunity to showcase their innovativeness. One of the reasons why this could be so is that many designers are still not willing to give up on their commercial pursuits and produce out-of-the-box apparel. “If designs are driven by commercial viability, they are bound to be lost in oblivion,” comments Maheen.



A true designer seeks inspiration from what lies beneath rather than merely focusing on aesthetically-pleasing hues and flattering cuts. Past fashion trends in the West have been set by social milieu, such as gender issues, which gave birth to androgynous fashion. Fashion is a domain that can be used to express ideas and Maheen agrees. “I create what I love. I don’t just follow trends, I like to create them. I find inspiration in everything I see.”

“Clothes define who you are and reveal so much. How we feel, what we want to achieve, our culture... it’s one of the most potent, non-verbal languages,” she states. The designer has a striking recipe for success: “You have to be passionate about what you do and stay true to it. For me, that’s most important.” Maheen is positive about the future but plans on taking her trajectory one day at a time. “It has been refreshing and liberating. I plan to make my brand bigger and better.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2015.

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