‘I plan out each book in a way to ensure there is minimal paper waste, no single book is catching dust, every copy is sold, and every author is paid royalties.’
An early shop-front for Tee Jays, Pakistan’s first prêt brand
In today’s world, fashion has become ‘fast’ and extremely competitive. Brands fight for customers’ attention, shop-fronts open and close in a matter of days, the industry continues to grow and, thanks to Instagram, has even seeped into our phones. For many young people in Pakistan, it may seem like this was always how the fashion world worked; however, for the industry to reach the heights it has now, one definitely needs to read its history.
Until 2020, that history was inaccessible and gathering dust in old archives. But, thanks to the efforts of Mehr F. Husain and Saad Sarfraz Sheikh, we can finally have a look at how our fashion industry began. Pakistan: A Fashionable History, a glossy, well-produced coffee-table book, is the first-ever compilation and retelling of Pakistan’s fashion history.