Zubair Shah is not your average Joe by any standards. An accountant who turned to fashion design during the turbulent days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when businesses were either shutting down or going digital, he launched his menswear brand online and gradually made inroads into women’s wear as well.

Now, after more than five formidable years in fashion, during which he has given many a sleepless night to the competition, he has finally found his niche and true calling in life as someone who is known for fusing fashion with social causes and charity to help the underprivileged, overlooked and the marginalised.

How would you define your approach to fashion design?

ZS: It is rooted in the unexpected. I prefer to work with raw materials and concepts that challenge convention, such as acrylic sheets, multi-button detailing, transformation dresses and dramatic cocktail dresses. My collections feature a range of avant-garde designs such as men’s sherwanis embellished with fauna imagery, burnished golden bustiers, vests adorned with multiple layers of gold chains, candy-coloured power suits, a new take on the safari suit for Gen-Z, intricate crochet gowns, jackets, skirts and high-styled showstopper red carpet looks.

Fashion has received a purpose-driven upgrade with designer Zubair Shah, who is making waves with his unisex designs, unconventional materials and a focus on social issues and charitable causes

When I design with a focus on heritage and craftsmanship, I draw inspiration from Sabyasachi [India] and Hasan Shehryar Yasin [HSY], as they possess the uncanny ability to represent our culture and legacy, making one feel as if they were a witness to the bygone eras of royalty and exquisite luxury in the Subcontinent.

Every fashion designer has a muse.

Do you?

ZS: Of course. Abeera Khan is my favourite print and ramp model and all-time muse, because of the way she pouts, walks on the catwalk like a panther on the prowl, and poses for a fashion photographer’s camera. She is full of energy and character and, even though she is still relatively young, she manages to bring the catwalk to life.

In fact, I am in the process of designing my new collection around her magnetic personality. The same can be said for Aasif Rehmaan. He is one of a kind among male models and shows great respect for the people around him. There’s really no one else like him.

Do you agree with the notion that fashion is dying a slow death in Pakistan?

ZS: Yes and no.

Yes, because things are most certainly not what they used to be before the pandemic. We used to have regular fashion weeks in Karachi and Lahore twice a year, which I would attend regularly: PFDC Fashion Week, Fashion Pakistan Week and Hum Showcase. They have all rolled up the red carpet now, post-Covid-19. What remains now is the Hum Bridal Couture Week, TDAP Fashion Week, and the newly curated Laam Fashion Week, with industry bigwigs at the helm, to look forward to in January 2026. So, fingers crossed.

No, because there are many individual platforms where fashion stalwarts, including designers and models, continue to put forth their best work without much support, recognition or acceptance from senior industry professionals. Personally, I support fashion for a cause and support charity organisations, such as Masarrat Misbah’s Depilex Smileagain Foundation, where I recently designed outfits for acid burn survivors and brought them on to the ramp to highlight the issue, earning accolades. Earlier, I also supported Angeline Malik through my fashion platform during her cancer diagnosis, and she became Pakistan’s first bald model to walk the ramp, and also launched her line of designer jewellery with outfits by Parishae Adnan and styling by Saraphine Andrew of The Trio Salon. I have also introduced new talent on the ramp, who are fresh out of fashion schools such as Indus University and MITE [Millennium Institute of Technology and Entrepreneurship]. Now I’m in the process of setting up my own design studio on main Tariq Road as well. There’s still lots more to come in 2026, but I’m keeping my lips sealed for now.

What advice would you give young people who aspire to make a name in fashion as designers, models, or other roles?

ZS: Keep fighting for what you want. If you know you have it within you, you will certainly persevere. The fashion industry does not just harbour predators but also people who will help you on your way.

Who is your all-time favourite showbiz personality?

ZS: My greatest inspiration is Shah Rukh Khan. Beyond his impressive screen presence, I admire his gentlemanly persona, humour, aesthetic sense and philanthropy. His immense respect for women, fair play, wit when dealing with the paparazzi, and devotion to his family are qualities I deeply respect and strive to emulate.

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 21st, 2025