Interview with Nilofer Shahid of Meeras

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Guys i found something from old days on Nilofer Shahid of meeras.

This interview was takin in 2006 when her paris couture collection started.
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The name of Nilofer Shahid, directeuse de stylisme of the fashion house Meeras, habitually evokes images of regal and old world grandeur, an almost elusive yet immensely alluring aura. Although Nilofer’s journey has often been an arduous one, she has always been cognizant of the fact that all the curveballs life has thrown her way have always led to self awareness and spiritual growth. Her myriad of collections have often been redolent of this mystical aesthetic.

Being brought up on a steady diet of Khalil Gibran and A.R. Chughtai’s paintings only served to further accentuate Nilofer’s discovery of culture. Her fortitude and feeling close to her heritage emanates from her pride in her lineage; a family of warriors, poets, writers and painters whose blood line can be traced back to ancestors who played a pivotal role in shaping Mughal history in the 16th century.

From an early age, Nilofer was drawn to the art of craftsmanship, a passion that continues. In 1992 with the launch of her fashion house, Meeras, Nilofer made a natural transition from being an avid aficionada to becoming a dynamic participant. The word ‘Meeras’ means ‘legacy’ which explains the philosophy behind what has becomes one of Pakistan’s most prominent fashions houses – to transport a vision of the past into the present.

Equated to Dior by French newspaper Le Figaro, Nilofer’s forte lies in the profound attention she pays to detail. Every collection is preceded by intensive sessions of research so that every piece is as much a depiction of art as it is of history and culture.

The themes of her collections reflect her deep affinity with the land of her birth – from Islamic calligraphy to Mughal architecture to the heritage of Central Asia, Nilofer’s work has spanned the East in its truest form. The ethereal appeal of her creations has entranced a growing clientele of discerning clients like Princess Haifa (daughter of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia), Princess Nourah (wife of the governor of Riyadh), Princess Jawaherah Al Thani of Qatar, Jemima Goldsmith, pop star Madonna, Olivia George Harrison and the late Lady Diana Spencer to name just a few of her clients.

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She has attended Bridal Asia International Fashion Week in Delhi in 2004 alongside Faiza Samee and Shehla; and Bridal Asia 2005 alongside Saadia Mirza. In Paris, the French press labelled her collection a “beautiful fairy tale.”

In 2004, Nilofer was appointed on the Board of Governors for the Lux Style Awards. She was nominated for the LSA for the Best Designer Couture/ Bridal wear in 2002, and awarded the LSA for Best Designer Couture/ Bridal wear in 2003.

Images issue caught up with the city’s grande dame of couture as she prepared a signature collection inspired by Kashmiri shawls that would be shown alongside the work of the late Spanish fashion designer Cristobal Balenciaga Eisaguirre, whom Paris will fete from July 4, 2006 to January 28, 2007, with an exhibit at the Musée de la Mode et du Textile in the gardens of the Palais Royale.

Before his death in 1972, Balenciaga’s work influenced countless designers, such as Oscar de la Renta, André Courrèges, and Emanuel Ungaro. Nilofer’s collection will be exhibited for a whole month, with a soft opening on June 28 running until the end of July.

Tell us about your upcoming project?

I was invited by Didier Grumbach, President of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture to show my collection alongside the work of Balenciaga. Paris is celebrating and paying tribute to Balenciaga and the exhibition will be at the prestigious Joyce Art Gallery which is located in the gardens of the Palais Royale near the Louvre in July as part of haute couture at Paris Fashion Week. This strategic step will create hype for the Nilofer signature brand. I am thinking of using Kashmiri shawls to create my stamp and ethos. I believe it is very important to develop a strong brand image.
How did this great opportunity arise?

In late 2005, a survey team came to Pakistan to scout leading fashion houses. I met the president of the Prêt Federation and was the only designer from Pakistan to be invited to Paris. I was introduced to actual buyers and top boutique owners, which was a great learning experience. Someone thought my work was more couture and when I went to Paris in December 2005, I received a very positive response and the Syndicale de la Haute Couture approached me for the Balenciaga Exhibition.

What is the great impulse behind your need to rediscover Islamic iconography and culture in your collections?

To be honest I can’t define my impulse in one sentence. But there are a few reasons for my passion. One is my basic passion for self-learning and rediscovering roots beyond just a century. I think my father’s interest in culture heavily influenced me. I felt connected to the subcontinent in a profound way after I began reading my family history and it made me want to travel to Central Asia for one of my collections.

My father comes from the Niazi clan who are direct descendants of Mayamoto, daughter of the King of Afghanistan that later settled in Northern Punjab. My father went to Aligarh and later joined the Royal Air Force and married my Kashmiri mother. I was born in Karachi and we moved to Lahore. My father would take us to museums and take pride in our ancestors. Whenever I visited such places, I would get a sense of déjà vu and belonging.

Do you find embarking on research painstaking?

When I am doing research, I am not trying to prove anything to anyone. It’s a self-learning experience and I believe it is very important to have the basic values to embark on things with a sense of honesty. There has to be a feel to what is to be presented in terms of colour, cut and embellishment. Each dress has to have un histoire (a history) as the French would say. Doing research and telling a story has been a passion and has not been a commercial gimmick. It comes from within. I see it as an art form. I feel I am still learning.

Do you follow a pattern when designing a collection?

The first step for me is to create a story. I was inspired by the paintings of Chughtai and my collection was a sartorial interpretation of his miniatures. However, interpreting Omar Khayyam (For Karachi’s Couture 2001) was doubly challenging because it was wholly conceptual and there was no visual reference, as there was with Chughtai.

With the Omar Khyyam collection I tried to understand the journey of the soul. I had to relate my own journey and had to explore my own self. I formed a story with five segments. My designers also had to read Omar Khyyam and I had to infuse its spirit into them so that they could design with more depth. The first and second segments had potter’s clay earth tones which represented ‘tarnishing of the soul’ by worldly pleasures and I used the then trendy pashmina but moulded it into structured skirts and jackets.

The third segment was infused with red that represented Worldly Seduction with dress titles such as Intoxication and Seduction. The fourth segment was about Self Realization. This was represented by black saris that steadily lightened to shades of grey and then to aquamarine. The final stage was Rejuvenation of the Soul through Divine light that I expressed with ethereal bridals.

We draw sketches and try to get the look of each segment right. I guide my designers at each step. In 1999, I first learnt to work with designers from PSFD. For my recent Ode to Khalil Gibran (shown at 2006’s Lux de Couture), I had 11 designers working with me. Irfan Cheema who worked for me now teaches in Shanghai but he works with me during summers as we are on the same intellectual level.

We can make 70 sketches in four days and schedule to begin making the garments within one month. The colour story is also very important: how one colour moves into another. The greatest challenge is how to link the last dress in a segment into the next story. We then decide the embellishment and accessories.

What are your strengths as a designer?

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I think the strength comes from the garment and collection itself. There’s usually a strong colour story and a sea of diverse fabrics which coalesce into harmony. That is a delicate area. My strength also lies in putting fabric and colour together. I also love embellishment and I have evolved in that department. My garments are also very well finished. I don’t cut corners or cut costs where finishing is concerned. There is no budget. I follow the ‘feel’ and that helps me create.

I think the strength of my conviction touches the hearts of people and they can recognize or relate to a Nilofer Shahid outfit. I believe I need to work on the organisation of my business. Due to lack of education, my workers have egos and nakhras and I have to sit with them and explain how to create the shade for a motif. You have to be sensitive.

And your weaknesses?

I have a bad temper but I have learnt to control it. However, I can never understand a person who lies and deceives. I still sermonise with my workers about honesty and commitment. I would prefer to only create, but at the end of the day, I am working alone. Another weakness is that I feel I am too trusting. I have learnt the hard way and suffered because of it.

I’m also not very good at time management. But I’ve learnt to accept certain professional things and that has led to some peace. I’m ambitious as far as work is concerned but I am not street smart.

Do you have a favourite colour/ fabric/ embellishment/ silhouette?

Personally on myself I like white and off white. I love earth tones, jades, bricks, gold and dull lilacs, which ultimately became signature colours for Meeras. I have never used Indian cloth because I want to promote our own industry. We are producing beautiful fabric.

Earlier on, I used to encourage small fabric shops to experiment by mixing chiffon and tissue et al. Now those tiny shops have expanded into large businesses and I am proud of my involvement in that.

Any more firsts?

I was the first designer to introduce antique zardosi work — dull gold and silver look, as opposed to the common yellow gold, which rendered an old fashioned look. I brought samples from India and I asked the craftsmen here to duplicate it. They experimented for one year and announced that they could not create it. I riposted that if India could make it so could we. That was 1993.

I was the first to introduce block prints using the lungis of Sargodha. I was the first to do block printing in Lahore in the mid ’70s and also hand painting on fabric. I introduced the fishtail into Pakistani fashion vocabulary in 1999. I have constantly diversified traditional cuts by revamping.

Did you have any early fashion inspirations, icons or designers you admired?

I often related to Christian Lacroix because of our common use of diverse fabrics. Currently, I like the work of Roberto Cavalli who has an exciting way of putting fabrics and embellishment together. Locally, I used to admire Rizwan for introducing certain cuts and colour combinations; Maheen for her drape and cuts; and Faiza Samee and Bunto Kazmi for their strong traditional embellishments. Each designer has their own forte which I appreciate.

Do you think you could operate in Karachi?

Lahore was a very difficult place to begin my career. It was more challenging to design there. There were stricter social and religious norms. Even sleeveless outfits, although worn, were not universally accepted. I feel no geographical barriers within Pakistan. I feel very comfortable in Karachi and I know my work will speak for itself.

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Tell us your side of the Lahore Fashion Council debacle?

(Hesitates). I don’t want to comment as it won’t get anyone anywhere. It’s not that I can’t deal with controversy it’s just personal ethics. Plus I don’t spew negative energy. I believe that whatever you do, your intentions always come out clearly in the end.

I worked for the birth of the Fashion Council for one-and-a-half years. I was appointed as the chairperson of the Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) in 2003. My basic obsession was to help create one platform for designers. I was disappointed to see it break up and so I thought it was better to step out of the mess. However, Rizwan Beyg and Maheen Khan wanted me to become a founding member. My priority was not to become the chairperson but to get things going and not to squabble. Our energies should have been used to look beyond egos and not negate one another.

What is your involvement in Fashion Pakistan, the Karachi-based council, and how much faith do you have in it?

I am a founding member. However my involvement right now is limited by other commitments which keep me busy 24 hours a day. I’ve always looked upon our work positively, but I do have certain reservations.

Before we start dwelling on all the activities planned we should develop a strong infrastructure. It will take time to put the act together. My message is to go beyond the squabbles and pettiness and egos and look to breaking into the international market and put Pakistan on the international fashion map. This will enhance Pakistan’s reputation and image and reap economic and financial benefits.

Fashion is now being considered a serious industry by the government. We are a young nation and we should continue to learn. Look at India. They showed us how to successfully initiate a fashion council. They’ve had their share of problems with the bifurcation of their fashion week into Delhi and Bombay. But they’ve forged ahead.

How realistic is a Pakistan Fashion Week in December? Any ideas of how to implement it on a macro and a micro level?

It’s an ambitious project. December seems too premature and practically unviable; it won’t be easy. However we should do something on a micro level and we need to go through the exercise step by step.

How do you react when other designers, usually neophytes, plagiarize your designs? For example HSY and his early appropriation of your fishtail gharara and recently Saadia Mirza your Chantilly lace capris which you had shown in your Ode to Khalil Gibran collection?

I’ve learnt not to be annoyed. There is a western designer who once said that the day he realised he wasn’t being copied would be the day he would begin worrying. I view this copying as a trend I have established. But I wish these designers realised that what they are doing is killing their own creativity. It’s alright to take inspiration and pick up an element but they must translate it into their own fashion vocabulary. Could copying so blatantly make anyone happy from within?

During your acceptance speech at the recent Indus Style Awards, where you were inducted into their Hall of Fame, you spoke about the importance of your children’s support. Can you please tell us something about your family life?

I have been married to my husband (Shahid Aziz, a low-key businessman who has recently delved into construction but has only been to a few of Nilofer’s shows) for 31 years. I have two daughters, Fatima and Eishan who are both married and two sons Hassan and Saad.

As my business began to pick up, and I was sometimes away for trips, and like most working mothers, I began to develop a guilt factor. Fortunately, I was able to build my empire within the four walls of my home because I wanted to stay close to my children. Clients would visit that space. Mothers have to be role models. It’s a big responsibility raising children. I’m happy and relieved that my children have grown happy and well-adjusted. I know that they will always stand up for me and support me. It’s a great feeling and a great gift.

Tell us about your mention in a book written by a French author?

Delphine Evmoon, a female French journalist has written a book (Le Nord du Pakistan : une visite au pays de l’imaginaire) which is considered to be the first book revealing a softer Pakistan. It’s written in French but is probably going to be translated soon into English. There is an essay, with photographs, about me and my work in the section where the author discusses fashion and culture.

And your involvement with the Lux Style Awards?

I believe it is a great effort. Recently I was told that some of the senior designers were going to boycott the Lux Awards. I’ve heard stories of discrepancies in the voting process and mafias which have burgeoned into conglomerates. We must raise a collective voice against these types of biases.

I have made contributions to the LSA. I continue to send my collections. But we need a joint monumental support from everyone.

Describe the Nilofer Shahid woman.

She is very regal, distinctive and extremely graceful, yet natural and compassionate and most importantly has a beautiful soul which one can feel in her eyes and in her aura. Whatever she wears becomes part of her essential form. Carriage is very important. The Nilofer Shahid woman has to be bold in a positive experimental way. She mixes clothes in an almost bohemian manner. She can wear a sedate outfit and enliven it with a snazzy stole or clutch bag.

How have you prevented your label from not being merely positioned as an “exotic other”?

The highlight of my career was when I went to Paris in 1997. It was the culmination of all my dreams. I participated in the Paris Fashion Week at the Louvre. My collection was inspired by the works of A. R. Chughtai whose paintings were in turn inspired by the greatest poets of Urdu language, Mirza Ghalib and Allama Iqbal.

I was the first Asian to share the Paris runway with a leading name in Parisian fashion, Oliver Lapidus and stood side to side with Ferragamo and Chanel amongst others. I believe there is always a right time. I had no sponsor when I left Pakistan but Boucheron Jewelers sponsored me within 24 hours of reaching Paris. I always had the feeling that I could break into that world. The key is to present yourself in such a way that you retain your signature and continue learning so as not to stagnate.

Any lifelong ambitions?

I want to write, paint, sing and go on a beautiful holiday to the South of France. (Laughs) I have always wanted to work at an international level. But not just for myself. I want to carry forth with the recent Balenciaga exhibition and open a window for high-end designer wear and prêt for other designers. I believe in this vision and hope it comes true.

So your philosophy then is?

Paulo Coelho in The Alchemist says that when you take risks and decide you have no choice but to take a difficult path, the whole Universe conspires to help you. It is like my experience with Boucheron sponsoring me overnight. I thank God for the gifts and mercies in my life. I often feel special.

(Source: Jang)