ISLAMABAD: Though the capital is housing all of Pakistan’s excitement today, the energy is being felt all around the nation with Imran Khan’s swearing-in as the country’s prime minister.
It’s been a long time coming for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and Khan “sahib” supporters, and after 22 years of waiting to take the oath of prime minister of Pakistan, Khan is, oddly, the 22nd prime minister to do so.
Though much is being written about his promises for a “naya (new) Pakistan,” his disdain for VIP culture and his party’s quest to truly shake the country up, far less has been said about Khan’s sartorial approach.
The days he spent atop containers at widely attended, publicized and (at times) questionable dharnas (sit-ins), Khan never wavered from what has now become his look: A monochromatic, unfussy, recognizable Pakistani aesthetic: shalwar kameez.
He would change it regionally at times. In Sindh he has been known to don an ajrak scarf or a Sindhi topi; when going somewhere requiring a bit of dressing up he has thrown on a (always tailored) crisp sherwani, polished blazer or a waistcoat. The aforementioned dharnas saw light blue, navy blue, white, cream, brown, black and grey kameezes paired with white shalvars and stoles color-blocked in PTI hues.
He has been sporting Ray-Ban Wayfarers for as long as anyone can remember; It’s perhaps one of his identifiable, signature accompaniments.
In a photo shared by PTI, Imran Khan left his residence in Bani Gala in the nation’s capital of Islamabad this morning donned in classic attire to take his first steps toward his reign as Pakistan’s 22nd Prime Minister. The 65 year old former World Cup Champion, beloved cricketer, Oxford graduate, will now add Prime Minister, a much awaited hyphenated title, to his name. (Source : PTI twitter)
Today, as he took his oath as Pakistan’s leader for the next five years, Khan donned a charcoal gray tailored sherwani atop traditional all-white shalwar kameez, with black buttons and no pocket square. A classic look, one that paid respect to the weight of the occasion while in itself being light.
Though one can only speculate how much thought goes into the wardrobe of No. 22, politicians have used their image as a physical representation of their ideologies and commitments for eons.
In his heart of hearts, Khan is a minimalist. He knows what he likes and he never veers far from the course. Much like his proposed policies and agendas, Khan’s style is paired down, devoid of bling and aiming to be practical while still appealing to the vast majority of the country.
If his style is any indication of what is to come, a leadership that has officially taken down the bells and discarded the whistles is on its way.
