Maheen Khan, the CEO of the Fashion Pakistan Council, says that her brainchild Gulabo was born out of her love for Karachi — the love of colour, the spicy food, the romance, the poetry and the love of life in the streets of Pakistan. She was the first designer who ever drew inspiration from the City of Lights. The high-end street wear, which was inspired by the colourful streets of the city continues to set trends for the rest to follow.
Khan’s off-the-street-couture, popular for its vibrant truck art, is representative of her love for the country. Gulabo’s designs exemplify the creative spirit of the nation. Be it Pakistan Day, Independence Day or the Cricket World Cup, you can always count on this label when looking for clothes with a patriotic feel and the ‘Go Green’ mantra. The catchy one-liners on vibrant kurtis and t-shirts that instantly put a smile on your face and the hilarious famous truck art quotes are all true to Khan’s definition of Gulabo, which is “having fun with fashion”.
She has also taken her collection to the internet as she launched an e-store, making her brand global. However, Khan is restlessly innovative and is now further expanding horizons and introducing two new lines, Shaam and Rangeela, at Dolmen City Mall.
Khan says the name Shaam and Rangeela for her next collections were inevitable after a name like Gulabo. She went on to give a little insight on what we should be expecting from the two new lines. “Shaam is for the on trend woman, who loves both traditional and contemporary styles. She would wear classic Gulabo by day and in the evening she would like something totally different. So, in came Shaam,” she says. “Rangeela is conceptualised because we thought it’s time to bring back colour in men’s wardrobes, though I suspect a lot of women will grab a Rangeela.”
