In a chat with NT, the pretty designer talks about her appointment as a fashion envoy, the fashion trends across the border and what she would like to take home from India.

Proud moment Honey is one envoy from Pakistan whose mission in India is to dazzle. And with her beautiful looks, her couture collection and the right words, she is set to do just that. Saying that she is thrilled with her appointment, Honey adds, “It is a huge honour for me. I’m grateful to our Prime Minister who has reposed so much faith in me.

 I have taken part in this exhibition many times before. It makes me happy that fashion is being used for building confidence and to bridge the gap between India and Pakistan. The fact that I’m here as an envoy also shows that fashion is recognised as a strong industry by our government.”

It’s good to go home from time to time … sort of. If you can tear yourself away from the warm embrace (read: smothering grasp) of your family to venture out into the real world, it’s nice to reconnect with the people and places that once shaped and nurtured you. In between two legs of my last vacation, I did just that when I touched down briefly in Montreal, one of my former “homes”.

For those of you unfamiliar with Canada’s most effortlessly stylish city (sorry Toronto), Montreal is a rare hybrid of Gallic style and sensibility combined with Anglo-saxon efficiency. The food is exquisite and varied, the people are friendly, the shopping is good and plentiful and the vibe is cool and laid back. OK, I’m not exactly objective but still, it’s hard not to like Montreal. 

I left Montreal a number of years ago to pursue professional opportunities and have since lived all over. When I occasionally return to my former home, I’m always curious to re-visit old haunts and make mental notes of what has changed and what remains the same. On this most recent trip, I couldn’t help but notice the unmistakable effects of globalization.

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I was in New York City during New York Fashion Week last February. The Fall/Winter 2008 collections were being unveiled and a friend of mine who works in the fashion industry attended the Carolina Herrera show. When I met up with him, he couldn’t stop raving about the magnificent hats that adorned the models’ heads and the long, elegant feathers that swayed rhythmically as the models made their way down the catwalk.

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