Dear Shaded Viewers,
Nilofer Shahid was invited by Didier Grumbach, President of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture to show her collection during the week of couture in 2005 during the Baenciaga tribute at the Joyce Galerie. This collection will be presented at the Joyce Galerie de Valois from February l – to 9th, 2007 .
The Ambassador of Pakistan came over and introduced himself to me, later I asked him if I could take his photo. Couture designer Nilofer Shahid is not only beautiful but an inspiration to other women in her country showing that it is possible to work and to succeed as a woman in the Muslim world. In 1997 she was referred to as the “Dior” of Pakistan. She has Madonna, Beatles George Harrison’s wife and the Royal faimlies of Saudi Arabia and West Asia on her client list. Nilofer also designed a dress for the late Princess Diana when she visited Pakistan.
Nilofer Shahid, the owner of the prominent fashion house of Meeras, belongs to a prestigious Pathan family of Pakistan. Nilofer had no formal training when she opened her small workshop in l978. Ten years later she started her fashion house “Meeras” in the ancient city of Lahore. Lahore is one of the capitals of the Mogul empire, today the capital of Punjab and the cultural hub of Pakistan. Lahore is regarded as the city of musicians and poets, whose ghazals enchant men and whose qawali carry their prayers up to God. The meaning of “Meeras” and the concept of the house is to recreate the rich cultural heritage of the past.
The seating was a bit tight chez Boucheron and this delightful man decided the best way for him to be comfortable was to embrace the two women on either side of him. Something about him reminded me of iconic photographer William Klein.
The collection was an homage to two Empresses – Josephine and Noor-Jahan.
Boucheron’s jewels added colour to the all white collection. Pearls, emeralds, rubies, diamonds and opalescent jade were the Mogul’s favourite. Apart from a Kashmiri mother, Nilofer’s family tree also boasts of Isa Khan Niazi, a general in the army of Sher Shah Suri, whose tomb is located near the World Heritage Site of Humayun’s Tom in Delhi. Her father came from the Niazi clan who are the direct descendants of Mayamoto, daughter of the King of Afghanistan that later settled in Northern Punjab. She was born in Karachi and later moved to Lahore and was the first designer to introduce antique zardosi work – dull gold and silver look She was also the first to introduce block prints using the lungis of Sargodha in the l970’s. She has always admired the work of Christian Lacroix who, by the way, will be honored at the 2007 festival d’Hyeres. Nilofer’s philosophy comes from Paulo Coelho who in The Alchemist says that when you take risks and decide you have no choice but to take a difficult path, the whole Univers conspires to help you.
Later,
Diane
Contact: Marc Matyasik +33607266868
Directeur Artistique – Marco de Rivera
