For women of class

Alishia Khan Khattak’s ‘Baraé Khanom’ offers a fusion of eastern and western aesthetics

LAHORE: With a name which literally translates into ‘for women of class,’ Baraé Khanom is an up and coming clothing line from Islamabad, hoping to reflect upon the Persian and Pashtun heritage of the north. The brainchild of designer Alishia Khan Khattak, Baraé Khanom made its debut at a local hotel in Lahore on June 17, showcasing an eye-catching collection of waist coats, dhoti pants and metallic peplum tops. 

“I have always felt that the word Khanom best describes the inner beauty and power of women, regardless of their status,” said Alishia, shedding light on the inspiration behind the name and concept of her brand. “My mother has always reflected the true gist of the word Khanom in her personality.”

The brand is nothing short of an appealing amalgamation of the east and west, offering a variety of draped dupatta dresses, flip-wrap pieces, umbrella skirts and other creative items which glowed against a white backdrop. Alishia and her team have drawn upon the current international fashion trends and incorporated them into traditional designs in surprising ways. “I tend to focus more on individual pieces,” shared Alishia. Each piece ranges between Rs10,000 to Rs50,000, one of the highlights of which is a pastel-shaded, ombre waistcoat embellished with chains, coins and pearls, and some fringed jackets and crafty dhoti pants. The former is also a personal favourite of the designer who believes it can last in one’s wardrobe forever. “It’s an eclectic collection of materials like chains, ribbons and pearls, all fused together with Khanom’s eastern and western attire,” said Alishia.



A graduate of Actuarial Sciences from the prestigious University of Toronto, Alishia has successfully managed to merge a love for numbers with her creative streak and channel it into her exquisite pieces. “Although my major was far from fashion, it catered to my technical side. Moving back from Toronto was therefore, exciting for me as I could finally shift the focus on my creativity,” shared Alishia. “Fashion has always been close to my heart and I particularly appreciate people’s ability to express themselves through individual styles,” she added. Alishia’s expert design team includes social media and public relations manager Tuba Zafar and the brand manager Sonia Ibrahim, both of whom contribute their ideas the clothing line. Although the trio is currently booked up until Eid, they will be resuming orders soon and hope to take Baraé Khanom to the runways of Lahore and eventually, the thriving couture circles of Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2015.

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