ISLAMABAD: As cheap Chinese-made motorbikes flood Pakistan's roads, fans of vintage Vespa scooters are scrambling to find spare parts and preserve models that hark back to a bygone era.
Piaggio's Italian two-wheeler was the ultimate status symbol for Pakistani bike aficionados in the 1960s and 70s, when bicycles outstripped motorbikes on the roads and only a handful of people could afford to import luxury items from
Europe.
Over the past two decades, motorbike ownership rates have skyrocketed in Pakistan, with locally assembled Chinese and Japanese bikes clogging up the roads in a country where much of the population is below the age of 30.
But for the likes of Zubair Ahmad Nagra, who runs the Vespa club in the eastern city of Lahore, new and more fuel-efficient bikes hold little allure.
He drives a Vespa, Italian for "wasp," imported into Pakistan by his father in 1974.
"It was the first motorized vehicle owned by my father," said Nagra. "I've been fond of it ever since."
Many long-term owners find that possessing a Vespa in Pakistan is a labor of love, with original spare parts scant and only a handful of mechanics skilled enough to restore the originals.
In Lahore, close to the Indian border, Vespa owners often have to settle for low quality Indian-made parts or ask for mechanics to fashion new pieces of bodywork from scratch.
Farrukh Shahbaz, who 14 years ago inherited his father's blue 1961 Vespa, has had to have the scooter repaired three times, but he cherishes the love his father had for the machine.
"My father told me it came packed in a wooden box," said Shahbaz, 50.
In the leafy capital Islamabad, once the oppressive summer heat wanes, a handful of Western diplomats can be seen buzzing around on their pastel-colored Vespas.
But they also are thin on the ground. Few expect the tide to turn, with cheap motorbike ownership transforming the lives of many poor and lower working class people in the rapidly urbanizing nation of 208 million people.
Nagra said Vespas were the second best gift Italy gave to the world - "the first being pizza" - as he recalled driving from Lahore to the Chinese border crossing at the Khunjerab Pass, some 15,397 feet (4,693 meters) above sea level in the Karakoram mountains.
"They have not let us down a single time," he said.
Labor of love: Vintage Vespa fans cling to the past in Pakistan
Labor of love: Vintage Vespa fans cling to the past in Pakistan
Amira Al-Zuhair begins 2026 with Jacquemus show
DUBAI: Saudi French model Amira Al-Zuhair took to Instagram to celebrate her first show of 2026, as she walked the runway at Jacquemus’ Fall/Winter 2026 “Le Palmier” collection show in Paris on Sunday.
The event, staged at the Musee National Picasso, brought Simon Porte Jacquemus’s latest co-ed collection to life with playful yet sculptural silhouettes, blending mid-century couture references and 1990s’ sensibilities.
“Merci infiniment Simon. It was an honor to be part of this iconic show with such an amazing team, congratulations! Thank you for having me,” posted Al-Zuhair.
The model closed a segment of the show in an ensemble that captured the collection’s nod to both elegant simplicity and bold form. She wore a black midi skirt with a structured blazer top with cutout detail at the back, cinched at the waist with a wide belt. The look was completed with a wide-brimmed hat that added a touch of drama.
The Jacquemus presentation, which also acted as the finale of Paris Men’s Fashion Week, wove together confetti-like motifs, geometric forms and a celebration of joie de vivre, encapsulating Jacquemus’s irreverent yet refined vision ahead of the upcoming couture season. The front row seated the likes of Elton John, Sophie Marceau, Josh Hartnett and Korean girl group Illit.
Meanwhile, Al-Zuhair had a strong 2025, ending the year by joining Italian luxury fashion label Bulgari as a “Friend of the House.”
“I am delighted to announce that I have officially joined the Bulgari family as a Friend of the House. Looking forward to sharing more of our journey together — stay tuned!” Al-Zuhair said on social media, alongside a carousel of images.
In one, taken at a Bulgari party, the model shows off a soft pink gown by Lebanese fashion house Georges Hobeika. The event celebrated the Polychroma High Jewelry Collection, which was launched at May’s Met Gala in New York.
Al-Zuhair, born in Paris to a French mother and Saudi father, has made her mark on the fashion world and appeared on the runway for an array of renowned fashion houses. She has walked for Missoni, Maison Alaia, Brunello Cucinelli, Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana, Giambattista Valli, Giorgio Armani, Elie Saab and more.
In addition to her runway appearances, Al-Zuhair has featured in campaigns for high-profile brands including Prada, Chanel and Carolina Herrera.
