STREAM OF COUTURE

Intricate detailing and traditional aesthetics are increasing the appeal of Pakistani fashion in India

- REYA MEHROTRA

Faraz Manan is to Pakistan what Manish Malhotra is to India. His designs are fresh, with a Pakistani feel but a global appeal. Perhaps that is what makes him the preferred choice for Indian celebrities. His popularity in India was evident when a host of celebrities, including Alia Bhatt, Hardik Pandya, Shloka Ambani and sister Diya Mehta Jatia, wore his designs at the Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant wedding. It was in 2023, when Pakistani actor Mahira Khan wore a dreamy Faraz Manan outfit for her wedding, that a massive demand for his custom bridal couture was born in India, which was sourced through his store in Dubai either online or offline. Affordable prices, a different appeal, and his signature touch made the bridal couture popular in India

While Manan remains a top pick, Pakistani designers Iqbal Hussain, Baroque and Mohsin Naveed Ranjha, too, are finding Indian takers. The country’s struggling economy has not weakened its soft power, from art to fashion, in India. This obsession with Pakistani designs goes back a decade. Back in 2014, when Pakistani serials started streaming in India, its fashion also percolated through. The long, loose kurtas, exuding comfort and class, became an instant hit here. Their palazzos made the salwars go out of fashion. Mahira’s simple, traditional look in the popular show Humsafar became iconic.