The Express Tribune hi five - September 13

Ms SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

ISSUE NO. 169

Subtle monopoly?

2

page

Crossing the line

6

page

inside En vogue — Eastern elegance

Domestic goddess —

Sweet puffs

Section In-Charge: Dilaira Dubash Sub-Editors: Amna Hashmi Nisma Chauhan Designer: Umar Waqas Feedback: women@tribune.com.pk

8

page

The creative Nousheen Amir

2

Ms

The buzz

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

| By Mujtaba Javaid

When we think of models in Pakistan, the renowned names — Nadia Hussain, Sunita Marshall, Iraj Manzoor, Tooba Siddiqui, and Mehreen Syed — immediately cross our minds. Apart from the similarity of these women proudly holding the title of ‘supermodel’ another unity exists xists in the fact that these women have been in the industry for or over a decade, confirming one thing for sure that there is no apparent modelling age in Pakistan.

Despite having platforms such as the Veet Miss Super Model hunt and the more recent #CastMeHSY, new faces enter the industry ndustry with comparatively greater ease but struggle to step ahead while hile the veterans gloriously walk the ramp. As a result there seems to be a lack of new faces making people presume the existence of a subtle monopoly. oly.

According to Frieha Altaf, the former model and CEO off Catwalk Productions, people complain about the lack of new models dels but the reality is that there is a lack of channels to opt for to be able to hire a new face.

Frieha believes that the reason for this gap is limited talent nt which can be introduced in the market. “There is a problem of demand d and supply. On the other hand, supermodels are more confident and experienced perienced because of which they get more work,’ she adds.

Similar sentiments are echoed by the diligent Nadia Hussain. ssain. “The only reason the shelf-life of a model in Pakistan is long is because ause there is very little influx of better talent,” voices Nadia. “Show me e the next Iraj, Vinny, Zoella, Sunita, Tooba, Fayeza, Iman, Cybil, Mehreen n or myself from the new lot,” she adds. When talking about the subtle monopoly, onopoly, Nadia outright disagrees, saying “There is definitely no monopoly oly and we [the existing supermodels] have never hogged any newcomer’s r’s space.” Nadia, who had been in the industry for 17 years believes that iff the clients sell shows on their names then obviously they get paid good for the simple reason that people still want to see them. ssan Sheheryar However, according to the leading fashion designer Hassan Yasin (HSY) it isn’t monopoly but the marketing concept of ‘the first mover advantage’ practiced in the industry. “People who were the he first to grab ing after them the reins will always have an advantage over people coming

Mujtaba Mujta Muj Mujt M Mu ujt uj ujta u jta jjt tab ta ba a Javaid Javva Ja vai vaid a aid iid d

3

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

and that is just true for any industry,” explains HSY. On the other hand, HSY believes that if a brand sees a particular model fit for their campaign image, even after so many years then it should be complimented rather than criticised. “I also think it is unfair to categorise women into age brackets,” he says. “If a model — irrespective of her age — fits my collection then I wouldn’t cast a model eight years younger than her just for the sake of it,” he adds.

On the other hand, the Pakistani fashion industry has seen new faces emerge and achieve supermodel status in the past five years. Models such as Areeba Habib, Sana Sarfaraz and Amna Babar have not only become showstoppers but have also been featured in prêt and lawn campaigns for designers such as Nomi Ansari and Nida Azwer. More importantly, these newcomers don’t feel the existence of a monopoly culture stopping them from moving ahead. “I believe we are enjoying the most balanced era our fashion industry has ever seen,” says the 22-year-old Sadaf Kanwal, who has recently been nominated in the emerging talent category at the Lux Style Awards 2015.

With more designers and photographers opting for new faces for their shoots, Sadaf believes the industry today is reaching out for talent from all across the country. “Brands that were previously featuring the same models are also opting for new ones,” adds Sadaf.

Undoubtedly, the Pakistani fashion industry has come a long way, from being scrutinised during its inception to being applauded for its international exposure and bagging an accolade of cross border ventures. The industry is enjoying its most successful era and taking part in fashion parades such as the Alishan Pakistan in Delhi, Doha Fashion Week, London Fashion Week and many more. So with much more media exposure and public interest, we can hope for more initiatives to be taken to launch new faces with a perfect balance.

Did you know that internationally, especially in the United States and England, girls wait till they are over 16 years of age e to be able to enter the industry? To be allowed to walk the ramp in the London Fashion Week, the age bracket of 16 to 26 years is mandatory.

Anyone below or above the given bracket isn’t allowed to enter unless they are Kate Moss!

Mujtaba Javaid is currently working as a PR and media manager at Catalyst PR and Marketing. He tweets @Mujtaba_Javaid1

| Design By Maryam Rashid

4

Ms

En vogue

Ansab Jhangir’s latest collection will brighten up your day Coordination: Umer Mushtaq Designer: Ansab Jhangir Hair and Make-up: Saba Ansari at Sabs Photography and Styling: Rohail Khaled Model: Sana Ansari

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

5

6

Ms

Lifestyle

Just when you thought that things can’t get worse, they just did! Astonishingly, the urine facial has been practiced throughout history for medicinal or cosmetic purposes.

Scientifically speaking, urine possesses healing qualities to fight acne, eczema and psoriasis. It consists of essential salts, enzymes and hormones that purify the skin and kill excess dirt from the face making your skin look healthy. In fact, morning urine is considered to be the most efficient since hormones are built overnight and thus, give the best results. It might be a little icky but the end results are impeccable.

We have all heard of the famous myth that if a bird defecates on you, you will have good luck knocking at your door. Inspired by this myth this facial treatment may sound uncomfortable, but is widely used in Japan and is made from the nightingale bird’s excrement. Commonly used

by Japanese Geishas, this facial treatment is not only the most effective face cleanser but it is also credited with brightening up one’s complexion. And if that’s not a reason enough to make you opt for it then you may be enticed to know that our favourite Hollywood couple, Victoria and David Beckham are reported to frequently flock to their local spas for this treatment. They are indubitably, the luckiest couple!

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

As awkward as the name sounds, this odd anti-aging and skin nourishing poop cream has been voted the best kept beauty secret of Hollywood starlets. The paste consists of organic earthworm poop which contains humate, auxin and kinetin. These plant cell extracts act as an anti-aging compound to slow the decay of plants and surprisingly have the same valuable benefits when applied to human skin.

by Ramsha Jahangir

How often have you tried to experiment with your skin to make it look flawless?

From trying out herbal products to dermatological treatments, everyone goes through a tedious routine to look picture perfect. In this quest of acing our bases to perfecting our eye-liners, we are often guilty of sometimes taking it a little too far.

According to the make-up artist of Anam’s beauty salon, Maha Ali, customers come with a lot of expectations that are impossible to accomplish. “While some asks for the latest trends, others demand celebrity contouring techniques which are too hard and complex to achieve,” she adds. Maha further mentions that some brides-to-be demand a red eye-shadow to match their dress, while others request all the vibrant colours in their outfit to be blended in their eye make-up, failing to realise that such bizarre methods wouldn’t make them look good.

It may be true that the three simple words ‘you look beautiful’ can do wonders for a woman. But the path towards it is rocky, infusing with a lot of pain and effort, just like these over-the-top facial treatments available around the globe.

While most off us settled for the sun being the rea reason behind Edward Cullen’s radiant looking skin, the Hollywood socialite and reality television show actor Kim Kardashian decided to speculate further. In her reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kim goes under the knife to get the Twilight-inspired skin. The vampire facial involves a process where blood is, literally, extracted from the patient’s arm and is applied to their face. According to Kim, the facial produces a fresh youthful skin by stimulating collagen and healing wounds.

Fret not, this facial treatment is very safe and has been tried and tested in China. The salons in China offer a ‘fire facial’ called the Hu liáo that claims to regenerate skin and eliminate sagging and wrinkles. The therapists at the salon soak a towel in alcohol and the magic ingredient is placed on the client’s skin to ensure that the skin is warmed and not burned. Then the area is set on fire, and soon the large flames spread, producing vibrant and unblemished skin.

Hot, isn’t it?

We come across numerous cutting edge beauty treatments every day that only celebrities can afford. But there are a few tips that can help us level-up our beauty game and one of these is the secret of getting the ideal post make-over look.

According to make-up expert Sanober Yasir, almost every celebrity she has met swears by the ritual of standing near a hot shower or steam after getting their face done. “It helps set the make-up, while the mega dose of moisture makes the skin look plump, fresh and dewy,” she adds. So simply, get your make-up done, stand close to hot shower and let the heat do its magic!

Ramsha Jahangir is a freelance writer and is currently pursuing a Bachelors in social sciences at SZABIST

Design by Hira Fareed

Domestic goddess 7

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

By Arooj Waqar

Sweet puffs A desert dish for your sweet tooth!

Ingredients • Flour 4 cups • Butter (chilled and divided into four portions) 1 cup • Water 2 cups PHOTO: AROOJ WAQAR

Method For the dough:

• To prepare the dough, begin by mixing the flour and water together. Roll the dough when it becomes hard and give it a round shape.

• Apply one portion of the chilled butter to the dough and fold it into a square.

Freeze it for 15 minutes before rolling it out with a rolling pin.

• Apply the second portion of butter to the flat dough and then, fold it into a thick square again. Freeze for another 15 minutes.

• Repeat step two and three until the remaining portions of butter are utilised.

• Once done, you may freeze the dough and use it whenever you like.

For the puffs: • Roll some of the dough into a long, rectangular shape that is about half-inch in thickness.

• Lift and fold the rectangle from the right side, repeating the process on the left.

• Sprinkle granulated sugar on top and lift it again from the right side to double the dough up.

• Sprinkle more granulated sugar and press it a bit so that it sticks to the dough properly.

• Cut the rectangle into 10 pieces of equal size and bake them in the oven for 25 to 40 minutes. The oven temperature should not exceed 70 degrees Celsius, until the puffs become golden-brown in colour.

Strawberry chocolate sauce Compliment your sweet puffs with this easy-to-make sauce.

Fresh strawberries (stemmed and sliced) 4 cups Water 1 cup Sugar 1 tsp Cocoa powder 2 tbsp Semi-sweet chocolate 3/4 ounce

• Place the strawberries, water and sugar in a small stainless steel or nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.

• Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly. Puree using a blender or stick blender.

• Pass the sauce through a fine mesh sieve. Return the sauce to the pan and place over low heat. Add the cocoa and whisk until well blended. Add the chocolate and whisk while the chocolate melts. When melted, remove and place the sauce in the refrigerator.

• Chill the sauce for at least an hour before serving.

Servings: 4 Cooking Time: 90 minutes Prep time: 20 minutes

SOURCE: DRGOURMET.COM

Woman of the week 8

At Mocca, wai ting for my co ffee.

With my friend, Sadia.

r Jewellery designe

Enjoying my ho lidays

in Vegas.

For those who didn’t know, the satiety centre of our brains control our eating habits. What we need to do is trick this centre into believing it is not hungry.

Eat slowly and allow the brain to realise you are eating helps. So take your time! Put your fork down between mouthfuls and savour your meal as long as you can. It might look displeasing but really helps.

Love the taste of freshly-baked bread and butter? Great. Avoid it!

Breadbaskets are full of fats and it is advisable to ask the waiter to take it back, even if it is complimentary.

by Natasha Khalid

Let’s face it: you can’t destroy your social life just to avoid having to eat out.

And if you do, the excess weight might not be the only thing you lose. So stop being a bore and adopt the following habits to maintain your waistline, even when you are out and about with your friends.

Filling your stomach with some high-quality fibre is always a great way to avoid feeling hungry outdoors. Indulge in cold cereal with skim milk and sweetener (avoid sugar if possible). You can also add spoonfuls of fat-free fruit yogurt to your bowl. Fibres will take the edge off your appetite and also improve the digestive system, which ultimately reduces the stimulation of your gastrointestinal system at the next meal. You will feel full for longer and hence, eat less.

One of the healthiest things one can do for themselves is to replace fizzy drinks with water. A whole glass full of water right before food can help fill you up as well.

In case your friends decide to keep the bread basket, you should order a soup to keep your tummy occupied. Remember to avoid cream-based soups, though. Salad is another option for the diet-conscious.

Most meals come with the side option between rice and vegetables. You should always opt for the latter as they are both nutritious yet fulfilling.

Supplant the veggies with proteins as they fill one up the fastest!

The hardest part about dieting is waiting for the next meal time to come.

Most experts advise having smaller but more frequent meals to make the wait easier. In fact, studies show that consuming four or five meals daily actually expedites weight-loss!

Instead of eliminating your favourite foods from your diet completely, simply cut down on the amount you consume.

Natasha Khalid is a doctor by profession. She likes to write about fashion, people and social affairs. She tweets @natashakhalidxs

Design by Hira Fareed