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Pakistani couturier Maheen Khan talks style at store launch in Dubai

Khan is one of the most respected figures in South-Asian fashion with a career spanning over four decades

Pakistan’s first couturier, the legendary Maheen Khan was in Dubai over the weekend to showcase her collection ‘The Complete Woman’ at the launch of Boulevard One’s store at Dubai Design District.

Khan is one of the most respected figures in South-Asian fashion with a career spanning over four decades.

Maheen is to Pakistan what Rohit Khosla and Ritu Kumar are to India. Referred to as the 'Coco Chanel of the East', Maheen is truly a pioneer of Pakistani fashion, though it all started accidentally for her. In fact, in an earlier interview she had stated, “It humbles me to realize that I was the one who instigated all this; by default, I stepped into this muddy area called fashion. I would never have dreamt that my small initiative would grow into a mega-billion-rupee industry.”

From operating from a tailoring shop in her garage in the 70s, which she named 'The Seamstress' to dressing up royals including Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, Princess Sarvath Al-Hassan and Princess Salimah Aga Khan, to designing costumes and embroidery for Hollywood films like Elizabeth, to showing at Milan Fashion Week, Maheen’s journey in fashion is full of accolades and inspiration.

But someone who has been designing collections for decades, season after season, doesn’t she ever feel that she has reached a dead-end, we asked. Her response was rather surprising.

“There is no dead-end for a creative mind. And that is true in any creative field, not just in fashion. If you are driven by passion, you will always be ready for your next big thing. In my initial days, I used to get worried after delivering a well-received collection that, now, what would I do next? But with consistency and maturity and mastering the skill, I figure it all out. You cannot force creativity, you just let it guide you in the process."

Maheen possesses invaluable information and experience in the field of fashion. We asked how she ensures that this is imparted to the new generation of designers and what her advice would be to them. “I believe a lot of designers suffer because they cannot strike a balance between art and commerce. If you let go of your signature style to focus on the commercial outcome then you are making a huge compromise. If you are too focused on yourself without knowing what is in demand, then you are not in touch with reality. One needs to find the right mix to be successful. In this field, you have to choose between fame and fortune, you may not get both necessarily. Secondly, my advice to them would be to travel and learn as much as they can. Consider that as an investment on yourself, no classroom can teach you what travelling and observing can."

Sadiq Saleem is a Dubai-based entertainment writer. He can be contacted on his Insta-handle @sadiqidas