Top 10 Pakistani Fashion Designers

The Pakistani fashion industry is saturated with designers who have made bridal couture their forte. We all are familiar with big names, but we do not delve beyond that. Despite some headway into mainstream fashion for the masses, bridal couture still reigns supreme over the fashion industry in Pakistan.

This list includes a few well known and also a few fashion designers in Pakistan who might not be well known but are slowly coming forward as contenders in fast fashion.

Hassan Shehryar Yaseen

No list would be complete without HSY gracing the first place. HSY is synonymous with quality and luxury, as well as beautiful bridal creations. HSY often sets the tone for what would be the trend every fashion season in Pakistan.

It is justified to say that HSY has crafted his place as the fashion mogul in Pakistani fashion industry. Affiliated with the La Chambre Syndicale De La Couture Parisienne, he has now recently branched into home furnishings and interior design as well.                     

Nomi Ansari

Apparently Ansari inherited his illustrious carpet making family’s crafting genes. Born in Karachi, Ansari is well known and much sought after for his bold designs and his fanciful creations. His studio in Karachi dates back to 2001, wherefrom he generates his signature clothes.

He was probably the first one to revolutionize the Pakistani fashion color palette. His reputation as Pakistan’s “King of Color” is testament to his vision in this area. Zardozi and crystal work is the defining feature of Ansari’s creations.

Deepak Perwani

Perhaps the all-rounder of the Pakistani fashion scene, Deepak Perwani has dabbled with acting, and has also served as Pakistan’s cultural ambassador to China and Malaysia.

His creations heavily feature bold cuts and colors, and he is most known for revolutionizing men’s bridal wear. His brand includes bridal, formal and delectable evening creations.

Shehla Chatoor

Shehla Chatoor is the one of the stalwarts of the Pakistani fashion scene. Her range encompasses decadent bridal wear to contemporary fashion, and has been doing so since 1995. Her work combines the luxury of Pakistani fashion, and infused throughout are notes of the oriental and the west.

Her Misaki range, launched in 2014, was influenced by hand painted Japanese screens and the structure of the Samurai armor.  She has recently included a range of costume jewelry to expand her brand’s range.

Wasim Khan Couture House

A relatively unknown, yet one of the oldest on the Pakistani fashion boulevard are the fashion designer couple Wasim and Chanda Khan. Dealing exclusively in bespoke creations, Wasim Khan Couture pieces are timelessly elegant, rich with colors and details.

Their primary focus in tailoring such creations seems to be to enhance the female mystique through simplicity and intricate yet subtle detail. Their work is a mix of Western and Pakistani fashion, with an even balance of the two being their primary goal.

Bunto Kazmi

A stalwart of the bridal fashion scene, Bunto Kazmi draws heavy inspiration from the opulent clothes of the Mughal era. Her creations feature intricate embroidery and versatile techniques that make her outfits one of a kind. Kazmi rarely shows herself and her creations at fashion shows, thereby crafting herself a niche where her clients get treated to a one of a kind bespoke experience.

Bunto Kazmi is the protégé of her mother in law Sughra Kazmi, a fashion heavyweight in her own right. Kazmi inherited the business from her mother in law and made it uniquely her own. Kazmi recently dressed Ayesha Saif Ur Rehman for her wedding with Junaid Safder.     

9Lines

9Lines is perhaps the most iconic and one of a kind clothing brand in Pakistan. Helmed by designers Hassan Iqbal Rizvi and Saad Shahid, their creations scream kitsch pop and quirky. Characterized by native culture and western elements, every article of clothing in the 9Lines catalogue is heavy with rich, vibrant colors and dizzy prints, like a good LSD psychedelic trip.

Not only do they design western wear, they also have branched out in a wildly hippy lawn collection in 2020. 9Lines also features some really perky eyewear, journals, passport covers, briefcases and handbags. Fun, jolly and extremely light hearted, 9Lines stands out as the only one of its kind in Pakistan.

Hussain Rehar

A relative newcomer to the Pakistani Fashion arena, Hussain Rehar has bought his creations forth with aplomb. A graduate of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design, Rehar set up his label and studio in 2017 and has since then never looked back. His creations have graced brides and celebrities on the red carpet, and he is still on the move towards new horizons.

His clothing is meticulously designed and detailed, with a focus on “broad range accessibility”, as claimed by his website. His vision and creativity has lead him to be nominated for “best up-coming designer” by the Lux Style and Hum TV Awards.

Umer Sayeed

Stylized as the King of Couture, Umer Sayeed has been in the Pakistani fashion industry for more than two decades. His creations range from a seasonal lawn collection to opulent bridals, with his work garnering major accolades and a devoted fan base.

This label, House of Umer Sayeed takes a leaf out of Bunto Kazmi’s books, having rarely featured in mainstream fashion shows, preferring instead to cater to a select clientele and making their bespoke sartorial dreams come true.

Kamiar Rokni

Rokni, or Kami, as he is known in the industry, has been a Pakistani fashion pioneer for 2 decades. Rokni was the main designer behind the brand Karma, working hand in hand with Maheen Ghani. Karma was the first brand in Pakistan catering to bridal and western evening wear. After Karma disbanded, Rokni set up his own label called “The House of Kamiar Rokni”.

He recently celebrated his 20 years in the industry with a one of a kind fashion show. Rokni’s work oozes elegance that is more often than not, not for everyone. Much like Bunto Kazmi, Wasim Khan Couture and Umar Saeed, Rokni now caters to a select and elite clientele.