Make-up makes the world go round

Maybelline New York celebrates 100 years of translating trends from catwalk to sidewalk

KARACHI: It seems fitting that the month of May marked Maybelline New York’s 100th anniversary. As the international make-up brand continues to gain ground in Pakistan, translating trends from the catwalk to the sidewalk, it hosted an elaborate event for its centennial celebrations on May 15 at The Sky Room in Ocean Towers, Clifton.

“Maybelline has been instrumental in producing great make-up on the global level. From mascara to lipsticks, it has contributed to creating some of the best looks the world over,” Sabeen Qazi, manager of the brand, said at the occasion.

Moazzam Ali Khan, general manager of consumer product division at L’Oréal Pakistan, the parent company of Maybelline, quoted the brand’s enduring catchphrase, ‘Maybe it’s her. Maybe it’s Maybelline’. “Back in the day, the brand started off with producing its iconic eye make-up and swept the global fashion industry,” he added. “Today, the brand produces a wide make-up range.”



The brand, which set foot in Pakistan in 2009, according to Khan, has grown steadily over the years. “We’re present in other cities of the country, such as Faisalabad, Jhelum and Multan, and they will expectedly become strong bases with time,” he noted. Following the cake-cutting ceremony, Qazi told The Express Tribune that the brand is present in 13 cities in Pakistan, available at big departmental stories across them.

Celebrating what they term as ‘The Power of Expression’, Qazi explained how “it’s all about being able to be empowered to experiment with make-up.” Khan described this as a “timeline, showcasing how the concept of beauty has changed over the past 10 decades and how the basic concept of beauty remains the same as it was 10 decades back,” read a press release.

Terming the brand as “edgy, stylish and energetic,” Qazi drew a parallel between Karachi and the state where the brand was conceptualised, New York. “Karachi is no less than New York in terms of being a cosmopolitan,” she said, adding that the brand caters to the young Pakistani woman of today – “the woman who goes to college or university and is relatively new to experimenting with make-up.”

Among those who attended the event was Umair Tabani, business manager for designer Sania Maskatiya. Model Areeba Habib, who was also present at the occasion, shared she recently featured in six new modern looks for Maybelline for an ad campaign at the Hina Y Salon in Clifton. “I got a completely different look. The make-up was light and explores glossy shades. It was a great experience and I enjoyed it,” she shared.

Later, a recorded presentation was shown to the media, unveiling 10 looks by Maybelline. The make-up for the models was done by the creative team of N-pro by Nabila for the showcase. According to a press release, the brand was also the official make-up partner at Fashion Pakistan Week in March and April this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th,  2015.

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