Late last year, Tareen launched an extension of her brand, named Icon | Luxe. PHOTOS: PUBLICITY
KARACHI:
Hira Tareen — our very own desi import from the West, who quickly shot to fame with her modelling stint, is set to transcend the runway. After earning her spurs as a model and DJ, the recently-turned actor is now venturing into designing. She is set to showcase her Spring/Summer and luxe collections, ranging from ball skirts to cotton tunics, at a two-day trunk show on May 9 and 10 at her studio in Defence.
She embarked upon her journey as a designer in 2014 with a trunk show and received a good response. Following that, she has been taking baby steps to build the identity of her brand Icon Karachi. “I like how Karachi sounds attached to a fashion brand, since it is a cosmopolitan city and also a fashion hub,” Tareen tells The Express Tribune about her idea behind her brand’s name. “I’d like more brands to start using it, as we do so much in this city when it comes to the fashion industry,” she adds.
Late last year, she launched an extension of her brand, named Icon | Luxe, which features a luxurious, upscale clothing range. Sharing why she felt the need to launch a fashion brand, she says “Most of the things I saw locally were either too embellished or too mute for my personal style. There aren’t many stores around that sell minimal yet quirky statement pieces that I could wear on a daily basis from day to night.”
She further states, “There are international brands or the ones imported from Thailand, which are all really nice, but not only are they overpriced but the material they use also doesn’t always suit the local weather.”
Of the inspiration behind her creations, Tareen shares, “My mother was the one who actually started it and inspired me. She was visiting back and forth from the United States and she’d take a few Eastern pieces back with her.” She further says, “Once, she made me a tunic, for which I received a lot of compliments. Eventually, family and friends wanted some made as well. So, I decided to start designing what I’d like to wear myself.”
It is a common perception that a natural progression in an actor or model’s career is to open a salon or boutique. But Tareen defies the stereotypes. “More than progression, it’s an extension of my career, as fashion has always been part of who I am. Even though I haven’t studied fashion design, I did take a few short courses. I still don’t consider myself as a fashion designer but as a person, who has a great understanding of aesthetics, identifying a need in the market and, most of all, having a passion for building brands.”
Before Tareen began modelling, she served as an interactive art director at the headquarters of J C Penney, a chain of mid-range department stores, in Dallas, Texas. She has also been a stylist and creative consultant. “I’m happy that finally all my unique experiences have combined as a result of my brand,” she states. Tareen is mainly marketing her brand online. “I have been selling my products through Facebook as well as setting up an e-commerce platform for global access, as there has been a lot of demand.”
Tareen holds that the Icon woman is practical, strong and sophisticated — one who likes to make an effortless statement. “Clothing doesn’t define her, she defines her own style. She can look as feminine and glamorous wearing androgynous silhouettes and simple cuts as she looks while wearing a ball gown. She doesn’t need to break her bank or drop common designer names to feel fabulous,” she asserts.
Celebrities who choose to endorse the brand include Sabeeka Imam, Zhalay Sarhadi and Zoe Viccaji. Talking about the future of Icon Karachi, Tareen expresses high hopes, saying, “I hope to see it as a global brand. I will focus on opening retail outlets all over Pakistan first and then around the world. The philosophy of the brand can resonate well locally but internationally too, hopefully making it a global brand and putting Karachi and Pakistan on the fashion map.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2015.
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