ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, United Nations Industrial Development Organization and Italian designer Stella Jean have joined forces to bring the talents of Pakistan’s scenic valleys of Chitral, Gilgit, Hunza and Kalash to Milan’s runways.
Milan Fashion Week, which ran from September 17th to 23rd, is one of the leading and most watched international fashion weeks within September, otherwise known as fashion month where designers showcase their spring/summer 2020 collections across the globe from New York to London, Milan, France and beyond. And, among those ramps, were the handwork and honed craftsmanship of women from Pakistan’s beautiful north.
Stella Jean reportedly lived in Chitral for roughly 2 months where she immersed herself among the Kalash women and became familiar with their handicrafts and their signature hand embroidery on their dresses — a tradition which has been dying out.
Jean, inspired by the women and the hard work she witnessed, decided to use her next collection to highlight women of Pakistan’s north, empower them through employment all through her spring/summer 2020 collection.
For the endeavor, Jean teamed up with Karishma Ali, Pakistan’s female football team’s captain, and the Chitral Women’s Handicrafts Center. Hailing from Chitral herself, Ali is also the founder of Chitral’s first ever Women’s Sports Club.
According to Vogue, Jean tapped 46 Kalash women who embroidered over 4,000 meters of material ranging from dresses to belts to colorful seams and adding traditional touches across her collection.
Jean’s press release on the collection states that this is the first time the women and the center operated to produce garments or embroideries for a customer outside of their own community.
Designer Stella Jean’s Pakistan inspired collection hits Milan Fashion Week ramp
Designer Stella Jean’s Pakistan inspired collection hits Milan Fashion Week ramp
- Two months spent living in Chitral inspired Jean’s latest collection with incorporates embroideries and craftsmanship from Pakistan’s Kalash Valley
- For the first time, women of Pakistan mystic valleys produced garments and embroideries for a customer outside of their own community, designer says
Pakistan delay call on T20 World Cup participation by a week
- Controversy erupted after India replaced Bangladesh with Scotland over Bangladesh’s decision to not play any matches in India
- Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday lambasted the ICC for its ‘double standards’ when it came to Bangladesh
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will finalize its participation in the Men’s International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup by Feb. 2, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday, following a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The controversy over Pakistan’s participation erupted after the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the tournament following Bangladesh’s decision to not play any matches in India owing to security fears. Bangladesh had requested a venue outside India for their World Cup matches, amid tensions between the two countries.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 tournament will be played from Feb. 7 to Mar. 8 and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with matches being played across both countries and the final scheduled in Ahmedabad.
During a meeting in Islamabad, Naqvi briefed Sharif over the recent developments involving Bangladesh and the ICC.
“Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif,” Naqvi said in a post on X.
“Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table,” he continued. “It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday.”
On Sunday, Naqvi lambasted the ICC for its “double standards” when it came to Bangladesh, pointing out that India and Pakistan were allowed to play against each other at neutral venues as per an earlier deal between both cricket boards and the ICC.
Earlier in January, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directed Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladesh’s cricketer Mustafizur Rahman due to political tensions between Dhaka and New Delhi since the ouster of former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina, who later fled to India.
Pakistan will play all their T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka, one of the tournament’s co-hosts. If Pakistan decides to participate, the country will open their campaign against the Netherlands on Feb. 7 and will face defending champions India on Feb. 15 in a group-stage match in Colombo.
