While the title supermodel is rather generously floated around today and has been reduced to mere hashtag, there are still a few models that have made their mark in recent times and have also reignited hope that the ‘supermodel era’ can still be brought back to its former glory.
After critically evaluating their work in the past years along with how they carry themselves when not posing for the cameras, below are the five models who are not only acing the modelling game but are also taking it a notch higher one project at a time.
Mushk Kaleem
A trailblazer by the very definition, MushkKaleem is a success story for the history books. Marking her debut in late 2017, she was in fact discovered as early as 2014 by Khoji but had decided to complete her studies at the time.
Come 2017, Mushk was spotted closing a show at the FPW Winter edition — wearing a statement making outfit dedicated to highlighting the issue of child labour in Pakistan.
While some of her early works include shoots for designers like Deepak Perwani and renowned photographers such as Rizwan-ul-Haq and ShahbazShazi, Mushk came to notice with her appearance in a fashion film for LSM.
However, it was her summer campaign for Elan when people really noticed the tall, dusky and vivacious new girl on the scene; where she held her own as a regal aristocrat dressed in a saree complimenting her long structure. The model quickly followed up on this success by bagging many big league brands as her perfect facial features, carved jawline and towering height had everyone gushing over her.
A naturally dusky girl Mushk faced a major bump early on in her career when a brand asked to lighten her skin for a shoot. Not staying silent, she expressed her dismay and received an overwhelming support. She later went on to be named the best emerging talent at both the Lux and Hum Style Awards.
In mid-2019 Mushk along with another model Alicia Khan made her way to the Milan Fashion Week where she opened the show for designer Stella Jean. Back home, the model has been a fashion week must-have ever since she debuted and has gradually moved up to being a showstopper.
Along with being a stunning model, she maintains an uber chic personal style while also being strongly opinionated, it won’t be wrong to say that Mushk along with a few others may very well bring back the lost era of supermodels in Pakistan.
Walid Siddiqui
With an unmatched presence on the runway and pictures alike it really doesn’t come as a surprise how Walid has made it to the top within just two years.
The hazel-eyed boy who towers above everyone once he enters a room had created a stir as he bagged campaigns for major brands like Elan, ShehlaChatoor and Bareeze within months of coming to Pakistan.
Oozing raw sex appeal and ditching his boy next door looksin campaigns for Jazib Qamar and Republic in 2019, Walid proved he’s in it for the long run.The same year his collaborations with photographer Hamza Baande were also highly impressive; while he worked for popular fashion houses likeMuse, Zellbury, Eden Robe and Outfitters among many others.
Whether he’s spinning a basketball while strutting down the ramp for Nomi Ansari and Splash or looking absolutely the most handsome groom ever in an opening act for Sadaf Fawad Khan, Walid is always one model to watch out for at a fashion week — with his signature swag and an innate charm, he simply captures your attention from the time he enters the ramp.
While he’s looking his handsome best in photoshoots, Walid is equally stylish in real life as he flaunts his chiselled jawline which leaves many gawking at their mobile screens. He was also one of the best dressed men at the Hum Style Awards earlier this year where he was also nominated for the best male model.
With his remarkable professionalism, incredible portfolio and being a thorough gentleman Walid is without a doubt one face that’ll go down as some of the best models in Pakistani fashion’s history.
Fahmeen Ansari
Believing in quality over quantity, Fahmeen has worked with only a handful of brands but remains one of the most sought after names.
Crediting image consultant Tabesh Khoja aka Khojifor discovering and mentoring her, Fahmeen was first spotted during a morning show and from there she’s been enjoying a fairy-tale journey. With her petite structure and strong features she quickly became a hot favourite of many leading fashion houses including Sana Safinaz whom she has been associated with since 2017.
Fahmeenwho was interestingly a part of the 2016 Miss Veet, where she didn’t make it past the audition but as luck would have it today the model flaunts her LSA nominations and a Hum Style Award while many of the girls who actually got ahead in that show are well, M.I.A.
Debuting at a time when supermodels like Amna Baber and Sadaf Kanwal were bagging brands left, right and centre, Fahmeen gradually managed to work her way into the elite list of brands while also becoming muse to ace photographer Rizwan-ul-Haq with whom she has captured some iconic shots.
However, Fahmeen doesn’t just take the most stunning pictures but she has also been a fashion week constant as designers push and pull to have her open their shows. At 5’7 her high demand at fashion weeks is a rare incidence and the only other similar example is Kate Moss who walked the runway alongside the likes of Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford.
Some of her most iconic runway moments have to be when she opened the shows for Deepak Perwaniand Sadaf Fawad Khan at the last FPW edition.Although not being spotted at every event, Fahmeen remains a little under the radar but that hasn’t stopped her for eyeing the supermodel title.
Roshanay Afridi
Having mainly worked internationally, Roshanay took the fashion world by storm when she made her first appearance with a campaign for Sana Safinaz.
With her natural pout, strong facial features and gorgeous eyebrows, she quickly grabbed eyeballs of many famous brands and photographers alike and was soon working with the who’s who of the industry.
Unknown to many, Roshanay is not just a pretty face but a true definition of beauty with brains. Having studied Psychology and medicine, she has worked in dentistry while also having studied at Oxford in UK and then in Japan.
Working with brands like Zara, Toofaced and Forever21 before coming to Pakistan where she was encouraged by Khoji to try out for a campaign, Roshanay has not only diversified her way of modelling to fit the local market but has also got brands to accept an international approach with her angles and poses.
Out of the many photographers she’s been captured by her most iconic work till dates remains with the likes of Umair bin Nisar, Nadir Firoz Khan, ShahbazShazi, Stopstyle, RizwanulHaq and Abdullah Harris.
When it comes to the ramp, Roshanay might not exactly have that ‘thumka’and ‘giggles’ needed to sell a bridal outfit or entertain the audience but what she does have is a fierce stomp similar to what we see Gigi Hadid practice internationally. And Roshanay proved that when she got chance to do so while closing the show for Maheen Khan at FPW.
While her contemporaries restore to posting selfies and dolled up pictures, Roshanay offers something new to her followers by sharing her beauty routines with them and has recently shared her take on the BLM movement
Munsif Ali Khan
Tall, fair and very handsome, Munsif has been making waves on the fashion scene since quite some time being the leading face of several big fashion brands.
In an industry that’s utterly cutthroat, he has gradually made it up to the big leagues and has bagged an impressive number of campaigns while also experimenting with editorial fashion in a few shoots styled by Khoji. Munsif through these shoots was able to groom himself as high-fashion model a complete change from some of his earlier work.
Bagging a LSA nomination for best emerging talent and a Hum Style Award nomination for the Best model, he has been on a roll and it is safe to say that if there’s a menswear shoot happening anywhere it is destined to have him in it.
Munsif has worked with several leading photographers including the likes of Azeem Sani, Mhm, Rizwan-ul-Haq and ShayanSherwani. One of his most outstanding photoshoots has to be the recent campaign for designer Ismail Farid where although he was sharing frame with four other good-looking chaps, he made sure that anyone who comes across the picture has their eyes set on him first.
Even when on the ramp, Munsif with his subtle charm and powerful walk has been able to prove himself as someone who can not only sell an outfit at a fashion show but also strut with an innate poise.
He has not only proven himself to be a bankable model but is also one of the few male models who actually take their social media presence seriously. Whether he’s posing in the mountains or sporting a very chic green blazer at a brunch, his personal style is always something fun to see which can be also be credited to him being effortlessly dapper.
