Maheen Taseer – The Fashion Diva Talks to PMR
Maheen Taseer, was long being predicted as the next HOT thing that could be happening to the Pakistan’s fashionscape. As the PLBW 2015 this year showcased her collection in their ‘Rising Talent’ segment, the predictions turned out all very right.
Within chic touch to the traditional designs, Maheen Taseer’s designs and collections have quickly taken the top slot in every girls wish list. PMR catches up with pretty lady Maheen Taseer herself. Read and find out what Maheen Taseer has to say about herself, her collection and about the Pakistani fashion loving women of today in the wonderful interview below:
PMR: Why did you decide to become a fashion designer and Stylist?
Maheen Taseer: It’s something that’s innate ever since I was really young. I have been heavily into fashion. As a child, I used to love dressing up. My mother is such a mentor because she has a unique sense of style so I have got a lot from her but I have always loved fashion and always did it on a smaller scale and I’m so glad that I finally have decided to take a bigger step and do it in a bigger way. It’s very exciting, I love it. I love empowering women and making them look and feel their best.
PMR: What is your favorite part about being a fashion designer / Stylist?
Maheen Taseer: The fact that I can recreate looks, make them my own. Like I said I love fashion, it’s always evolving. I think fashion is an extension of oneself so like I said I love recreating, I love making people feel and look good. I love looking good as a stylist I feel style and fashion go hand in hand. A lot of times people buy things but don’t know how to put them together. That’s where the stylist element comes in and I like one looked and make a statement and I like putting looks together so I really enjoy it.
PMR: What’s it like being in the industry?
Maheen Taseer: Well… I have just recently joined the industry so I don’t think I can comment much. So far, it’s been great, everybody has been very supportive, very kind and of course there’ll always be haters but I don’t pay much attention to that because I’m proud of what I have done in spite of my difficult circumstances I have worked, I’m working and I’m trying to keep my focus. It takes a lot but I am doing it so I am proud of the fact that I have done this.
PMR: How would you describe your brand?
Maheen Taseer: An MJT woman embodies strength, courage and elegance. She stands tall in adversity, she knows that she can achiever her goals. She is professional, she is a loyal wife, she is devoting mother and she knows the basic essence of herself, she knows how to enhance that personality and basically she is a strong woman. She is a bold strong woman.
PMR: As a stylist we assume you’re constantly innovating new looks, experimenting a lot, and pushing fashion boundaries. Does the stylist in you ever confused with your own singular personal style?
Maheen Taseer: Uumm not at all. My personal style is my own but at the same time I love what I make and I only make things that I would wear myself. So I don’t think there is a conflict between the two. As I would make anything that I would wear myself. Of course fashion is always evolving and that is a beautiful part in it. You can experiment. There are no rules. You don’t follow rules, you create rules. There are no boundaries and that’s what I love that you can just experiment like art. It describes you.
PMR: You have connections in the industry, designers and stylist friends, did this in anyway help/support you when you decided to debut?
Maheen Taseer: Of course. My family has been immensely supportive. My friends have been so supportive. It’s great to have connections but more than that it’s great to have people that believe in you, that support you, that stand by you through hard times and good times and so I am very very lucky and blessed MashAllah to have such a good support system.
PMR: How would you desribe your personal style?
Maheen Taseer: My personal style is sheik, classic and timeless. I like to be understated. And obviously my style varies from occasion and where I am going but on a normal day I like to be understated and casual and sheik.
PMR: You made debut at PLBW2015, how was your experience?
Maheen Taseer: My experience at PLBW was really good. I think that it’s such a good platform for young talent and the way they promote young talent. It gives a lot of exposure and at the same time you learn a lot because since it was my first time and I have learnt a lot how to expedite things, how to show them, what to do, what not to do. It is a good learning experience and InshAllah I’m looking forward to more.
PMR: What were your inspirations for the designs you created for the PBLW2015?
Maheen Taseer: My main inspiration was basically just our cultural heritage, I wanted the essence of a traditional bride to be embodied kinda like the old world charm where it’s the traditional reds and the golds and even did a black and gold so a lot of it was just basically going back to our roots and bringing a culture back into the fashion in that sense.
PMR: One fashion mistake you see a lot of women make?
Maheen Taseer: They don’t dress age and size appropriate, not everything looks good on everyone. So, I think that women should wear what flatters them and know what flatters them.
PMR: What is a typical day like for Maheen Taseer?
Maheen Taseer: A typical day in my life is I wake up and I am at work mostly all day. I go to gym at night and if I am very exhausted then I’ll just sit and watch TV shows or I’ll spend some good time with family and friends so yeah it’s busy but I’m glad that I’m busy and I’m focused and it keeps me productive.
PMR: Briefly tell us about your designs and collection?
Maheen Taseer: My collection like I said is very traditional. I like reinventing traditional styles in a contemporary manner. You’ll see eastern and western silhouettes kind of coming into their own. There’s a lot of dabka, gota, embellishments, crystals, swarovskis. In eastern silhouettes there’s a lot of lehenga cholis but that is just bridal. InshAllah once we do pret you’ll see a lot more contemporary modern cuts.
PMR: Tell us about any 5 things in your closet that you love right now
Maheen Taseer: In my closet, I love this Chanel blue clutch that I just got. I like these YSL python pumps that I recently got. I love my bridal dress by Sabia Saji that’s hanging there of course. I love my makeup because I am a big fan of makeup and what else do I love in my closet…i think that’s about it.
PMR: Give us a few style do’s and don’ts that you live by?
Maheen Taseer: Girls remember that less is more. Don’t follow the herd. Try and stand on being unique. Don’t be so label conscious and try and have fun with what you wear and what you do.
PMR: Let’s say you could travel back in time to one fashion era, where would you end up? What did you like about that period?
Maheen Taseer: If I could go back I would be either Victorian or it will be completely eastern and would go back to Mughal. I love Mughal. Detailing the clothes, the jewelry, I think it was such a beautiful era so if I had to choose it would probably be the Mughal era and I think it’s still being passed on. The work is still beautiful.
PMR: What are your plans for the future?
Maheen Taseer: Future plans InshAllah I am gonna do a pret line, I’m gonna do luxury pret, I’m gonna do ready-to-wear. I want to open stores InshAllah. We have a lot of plans for MJT. Even though we just started, but the plans are big and as I say work hard, dream big, and make your goals come true.
PMR: On a final note, what advice would you give to aspiring talent who is working to establish them in the fashion industry?
Maheen Taseer: My advice to aspiring talent would just be to be headstrong, to try and be as unique as they are, to love what they do, have passion for what they do and everything else will come naturally. If you have talent then that’s something that nobody can take away from you and that is who you are. So always be proud of that and let that shine. Don’t ever let others dim your light just because it’s shining in their eyes
