STYLE: A ‘Haute’ Ticket Item

Published in Daily Times Pakistan (Entertainment Section) / 26 Oct 2013

“Your talent will get you far, but your passion will get you further” – Tabassaum
Mughal

Bath island - turns out, not really an island; it is a place where one can find, among other things Tabassum Mughal’s outlet and her shiny new salon. Her signature piece was featured in Bridal Couture 2013 (BCW) earlier this year. Her collection was later seen on London’s runway. And a bewitched crowd now circles her new line for Eid, drawn by a certainty that behind the closed doors lay the proverbial ‘one’.

They are not wrong. As she unveils a new vision of silk & satin to the world, there will be a constant embedded in that impeccable fashion statement. She has achieved a wonderful hybrid harvested from the rich heritage and decadent flavors that define our poorly misunderstood region.

The person in-charge of these creative coups can be seen flitting in and out of the situation room – otherwise known as the exhibition space. At the counter, a buyer is trying to pay far less than the design is worth. It is not her fault really. She walks off with the purchase after the designer decides to honor, what could well be a mischievously mislabeled tag. ‘Our mistake, our responsibility’ she intones and darts off in another direction, which, given those pencil thin heels, is quite a feat. The press corp. arrives and demands to know if there will be important people for them to shoot; she assures them there will. They are pacified.

This is what Tabassum does - manage incoming setbacks with a gracious nod and complies with an unending tide of celebrity / friend requests of keeping a little ‘something something’ aside with a cool, business like precision. A quick Google search reveals the modest beginnings of ‘Tabassum Mughal Haute Couture’, its mastermind busy working in a shop undeterred by the cramped spaces – in 10 *10 dimensions, with 2 workers in tow whom she trained; and in a span of a few years became an owner of her own workshop, with an army of 300 workers whom she personally supervises. It is a moving tale – one that gives a bit of insight into her unique design philosophy used to illuminate the path to success.

Her label offers Luxury Pret - some fit for a queen, others perfect for a day out on the set, or for those red carpets where famous faces are seen proudly waving the Tabassum Mughal banner. They range from Rs. 57000 (making some stop in their tracks) to Rs.4000 (making others hastily call dibs before the figure changes) – each piece exquisitely crafted - an exotic fusion of futuristic beats and quaint echoes.

The blend of contemporary / conservative on display caters for high-end clients and mortals with its graceful lines and perfect cuts calibrated with classic tones. Someone who believes that only a leopard can pull off a leopard print will make an exception for a TM design, because the traditional blueprint, when reinterpreted on shamus silk would make any cat proud, and its owner glow.

It is art, of a kind, and the artist engraves her passion and imperial sense of style on limited editions leaving an indelible mark on the Pakistani fashion scene. The timeless appeal of Tabassum’s creations combined with the origins of the Mughal Empire upgrades this ambitious young designer from player to asset in our style wars.