Shahzad Raza Diamond All Rounder

DIAMOND

Are some people born to be better than others? Or do they

have a formula for succes that keeps them ahead? It takes dedication, discipline and a positive attitude to lead a fulfilling and rewarding life, combine this with a series of good habits, and anyone can become a successful all rounder, bowling out challenges in life and hitting sixes that help define great success at work, at play and at home.

As part of Diamond Foam’s 40th Year Anniversary celebrating it’s success in pioneering sleep systems that make the lives of everyday Pakistanis better, we take a peek at the lives of some of Pakistan’s Top Icons and Personalities, and share their formula for becoming an all rounder in life.

SHAHZAD RAZA

Q. When we think high fashion shoots and photography, we think Athar Shahzad, and the dynamic duo of Ather Shehzad and Shahzad Raza. Over 20 years and still making splashes, your brand is an inspiration and has set the benchmark for fashion and editorial photography in Pakistan. How has the journey been and what do you think have been the greatest milestones for you and your brand?

A. When we started, we used to ask our friends if their sisters or cousins would like to model for us because there were no models, no makeup artists and only one or two designers.

Everything was so new and we were self-taught and it helped that we had a good taste in fashion that helped us on the journey to get to where we are today; Over a 20 year period, there are so many milestones and it’s difficult to particularly pinpoint one.

In the early years, there were a few photographers in Karachi but Lahore was a barren market, but after us so many designers, magazines and models came up and now Lahore is booming in Fashion. So that’s an

achievement for us because we created a path for everyone else to develop this industry in Lahore. Then in 1996 we went to India and we worked with the top supermodels of the time there and they all became stars later on; Arjun Rampal, Bipasha Basu and Malaika Arora to name a few. We have received many awards and I’m really glad that this industry appreciated our work so much. All these moments were and are very amazing for us but I think the biggest achievement is being pioneers in the movement to create the Lahore fashion industry; that is the thing I’m most proud of, because we worked very hard for it.

Q. Your work has always been so versatile, testing the boundaries, breaking free from the norm. How has your work evolved over the years?

A. If you really think about it, our work is the standard of evolution. When we started, there was no industry in Lahore; there was nothing happening in the industry. So actually we

started from scratch; and because there were no institutions, we started on our own. It’s been a lot of hard work, and we’ve introduced so many models and they all went on to become supermodels. So over the period of time, the kind of development we did for this industry was tough but we had so much fun doing it; and then working abroad and working internationally was a great step forward too. Almost all the magazines from Lahore, started their work with us and most of the supermodels came from our school. So

the evolution of the ‘high fashion’ in Lahore over two glorious decades is our legacy.

Q. What do you look for in a model and what makes a model right for one of your shoots?

A. To be a Ather Shahzad Model, the most important criteria is to have confidence and know how to carry yourself with a positive attitude. Being thin is a criterion, but there’s a difference between being thin and anorexic. Patience is also very important, but nowadays most of the models don’t really have that; but in the early days, girls were patient, they used to wait for their right time and then they all became supermodels, they were not desperate. Beauty actually isn’t very important for a model, but they should be edgy, there should be something different, some individuality.

Q. We see thousands of fashion shots in magazines, isn’t it becoming increasingly challenging to stand out? How do you do it?

A. It is challenging for us to do something new all the time as we’ve done so much in the past. There are so many people now, but we have our own style, so we don’t face a lot of difficulty as such because we have our own individuality. Whenever we do a shoot, people know that it is an Ather Shahzad shoot. Of course we have to work hard, but we don’t do it to prove we’re different; we do it to make our work better and improve on ourselves. The designers and clients we work with should be satisfied as that’s the most important part. We compete with ourselves, not with anyone else because we’re confident about our style and we

just work hard to set a higher bar for us every time.

Q. You recently came out with your own line of make up in collaboration with Luscious Cosmetics. What made you venture into this field? And more importantly, what makes your line stand out?

A. The owner of Luscious had originally made me an offer before she started her company, but I was very busy so we couldn’t work together at that time. She always wanted me to come up with a line later on and she came up with this idea because of the kind of makeup and colour blending I do. She had asked me eight years ago but I took my time and then four years back I started taking it seriously and I started blending colours and I’ve put in a lot of effort in it. I’ve blended colours with my own hands and worked very hard on every detail according to the Asian skin, that’s why it looks so different and whoever has been using it loves it! So I got into it because I love developing makeup, I love using colour and cosmetics in my shoots and on models and it was the first time in south Asia that a cosmetic company signed up with a stylist for their makeup line, so it was a big achievement for me and I really had fun creating the line.

Q. In order to achieve excellence, there needs to be unparalleled passion and drive. How true is that for you?

A. It is very important! If you’re not passionate about your work, you cannot excel. I always tell the models and new photographers that you have to be passionate about your work. You have to work hard, you have to love your work and you have to own your work, only then you can be what we are.

would you give to the younger generation who want to pursue their dream?

A. I always say that there is no shortcut; you have to wait, you have to work hard and be patience to reach to a level. You have to have your own style, you can’t copy someone and think that you’ve become them; you can take inspiration but you need to have your own style.

You should take your work so seriously that you become your work, otherwise you won’t be able to succeed.

Q. It must be tough to separate your work from your personal life. At the end of the day, how do you like to unwind and relax?

A. I have no personal life actually; but whenever I’m with my family and friends, I think that’s when I can unwind. The best time for me to unwind and relax is when I’m on vacation; when we go abroad, it’s the best time because there are no work phone calls, no deadlines and no worries.

Q. We all know that sleep deprivation leads to the kind of dark circles and puffy eyes that even the best concealers can’t hide. How important do you think a good night’s sleep is?

A. I wouldn’t know what you call a good night’s sleep because I can’t sleep properly but it is very important. A good night’s sleep is extremely important and I try to get as much as I can but I don’t really get a lot of time for it because of my work. But if you have time and if you can afford it, I think you should sleep as much as you can.

Q. What put’s you to bed every night?

A. I think the satisfaction of a clear conscience, and that you don’t have a burden on your mind. When you’re an honest person and you’re heart is clean and your mind is open, only then can you have a peaceful sleep. Otherwise, whenever you’ll lie down, you’ll only have thoughts about all the wrong things you’ve done to people.

Q. Who is Shahzad Raza? Describe yourself in 5 words.

A. Passionate, dedicated, hardworking, patient and friendly are the perfect words for it.

Q. Now that you’ve experienced so much over 20 years of excellence, what advice

A concept by purple arts & communication