Interview with Saima Yousaf (Hoorain)

1) Tell me something about your learning history, your label history?

NN: We started off this joint business venture twelve years back, quite casually. We got into this partnership in 1995, when there was still a lot to bring into our fashion industry. Presently, very few names and labels still exist from that fashion era. We are proud to be among those who have set a mark in the industry and are who recognized today as pioneers of women's fashion in Pakistan.

2) What is your philosophy regarding the art of fashion designing?

NN: Fashion design is an efficient art. Timeless, classic, we keep in mind the latest trends to create clothes which can be worn by middle aged women, teenagers et al.

3) Your label defines?

NN: Elegance, splendour ,comfort and extravagance .

4) Do you have jewellery and accessories line?

NN: Yes, but we haven't launched these officially. We have bags, scarves, and belts available at our outlets. In jewellery we have gold, silver, diamonds, polkis and other precious and semi-precious stone made jewellery.

5) Do you only offer couture wear?

NN: We offer Pręt wear which is available at both Nickie Nina outlets (Lahore and Karachi) and at  The Boulevard at 10Q.

6) Do you offer PRET Line for the middle class people?

NN: We endeavour to ensure that our pręt line never hits the larger price brackets so that it is affordable to a greater number of people which definitely includes the middle class.

7) What skill do you think are necessary to become a fashion designer?

NN: A lot of skills are essential here, a very good memory, a keen knowledge of fabric, a strong aesthetic sense, and you're extra creative. In addition basic business skills are also required.

8) What inspired you to come in this field?

NN: Its important to look nice…this has been our main inspiration.

 9) What is the importance of innovation in fashion designing?

NN: Innovation is very significant as this industry is all about new designs…

10) In the recent years, a lot of new designers are coming. Do you think it will saturate the market or is it a good sign for fashion industry?

NN: Fashion is a growing industry in Pakistan and it has a lot of scope for development nationally and branching out on an international level, which we look forward to. However, it is important for up coming designers to take their work as a proper profession and to not treat it as a fleeting pastime.

11) Do you believe in fate? Is fate important for high rankings in this field?

NN: Yes definitely, but hard work is equally important …not only in this field but everywhere.

12) What do you do in your spare time?

NN: We like to spend time with children, listen to music and read.

13) Dress makes a man or a man makes a dress?

NN: The clothes are a part of self-expression, and they can show your personality or your individuality - "I am serious," or "I am fun," or "I am cool," So they really do a job. Sometimes, you can make a dress too, with the accessories complementing the dress, the make up, the hairstyles or simply yourself. But we believe that both the man and the dress should be complementing each other ….this is why we have a variety of different designs which flatter every figure. 

14) What advice will you give to the upcoming designers?

NN: It's good to start your own business, but it's very important to be professional and focused towards your objective. Copying other's designs isn't just the way out but creating new designs is what will make you prosper this is why we sometimes see new designers coming up, reproducing other designer's designs and gain a lot of fame suddenly but as time passes awareness creeps in and eventually they lose their business .A few upsetting years doesn't mean that you are failing. After all one learns best from ones experiences.

15) Who are your favourite photographers?

NN: Well our country has great photographers it sometimes gets really tricky to pick out a favourite because everyone has their own style.

17) Favourite female model?

NN: Every model has her charm, ability and face… So when we do a western shoot we chose someone with a western figure and features whereas with eastern clothes we have to choose an eastern looking model, so it varies.

18) Top ten dress designers in your opinion? 

 NN: Its really hard to rate, since we love all of them.

19) Favourite make-up artist for your shoots?

NN: No favourites as again everyone has their own speciality - this also varies with the theme, but we love to work with Ather Shahzad and Guddo Shani.

20) Favourite TV channels?

Nickie: Geo TV, I don't have time to watch TV frequently, but whenever I do Geo TV keeps me updated.

Nina: I enjoy watching FTV.

21) Which city of the world is the best for fashion industry and why?

NN: Paris, everyone knows that!

22) Plans Future?

NN: Doing a couple of new collections of the western wear and definitely expanding further internationally and locally.

23) What should we look forward in your upcoming 2009 collections?

NN: There are a lot of surprises in store for the Nickie Nina collections.

24) Tell me something about your foreign travel?

NN: We enjoy travelling and frequently exhibit in the Middle East, Europe and USA.

 25) Do you have outlets in other countries of the world?

NN: We would like to start expanding internationally in future. We have been holding Nickie Nina shows and exhibitions all over the world as well as furnishing prestigious international boutiques with our clothes – from Asia to the Middle East to Europe to America, we have been present internationally through these shows and exhibitions on an ongoing basis and have enjoyed this cultural fashion exchange very much over the years. For this reason we look forward to opening our own outlets in these places in the future. 

26) In which cities?

NN: Manchester,L.A, Chicago, New Jersey and Dubai.

27) What is the present days style?

NN: We love the old 1960s glamour that we're seeing these days. It's all about simplicity done right, keen tailoring, and gorgeous cuts, panels pin tucks etc.

 28) What is the role of colours in fashion?

NN: Colours are extremely significant. We really believe that the right clothing and colour can make you feel better about yourself and can give you more confidence. They can create a whole new look.

29) What would you like to be if not a designer?

NN: We're not sure we would have done anything different.

30) What is your Ideal vacation?

NN: A place with mental peace.(laughs)

31) Your favourite place for shopping?

NN: There are no favourite places as such, we love shopping everywhere whether it's Lahore or Paris, New York or Delhi.

32) What is the best thing about your job?

NN: Job satisfaction is the best aspect of working in fashion for us. There's something to be said for waking up every morning, thrilled to see what the day will bring.

33) Are you proud of your country's rich culture?

NN: Extremely proud and a lot of our collections are a celebration of this culture and heritage.

34) What about fashion as a business?

NN: All of our projects are a joint effort and supervised by us. Thus far, we have had the opportunity to work with very dedicated and efficient teams. Of course we've come across challenges at various points and have learned to deal with them overtime. Time is essentially the key factor of concern when working as a high end designer in today's market. To keep up with the new and upcoming trends, we have to incorporate fresher ideas into our designs all the while integrating them with our signature style with each approaching season. It's very important to try to stress that, because in this competitive world it's more than just about clothes. It's about a quick response to things, awareness, never thinking you've made it because a real danger with fashion is that as soon as you put your back in the chair and think "I've been in magazines, I've been on television," somebody's overtaken you in the fast lane.
 

35) Opinion about Style Guru Fashion Magazine?

NN: This magazine Covers every aspect of fashion which is a very difficult job! From beginning to end ­­– Good Work Style Guru.

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