One the most popular persons in the Pakistan fashion industry, designer and innovative choreographer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin has a huge fan following. There is more in him than just fashion. He is creative and always come up with out-of-the-box ideas that have clicked for more than two decades now. Sheru to his friends and family and HSY for the fashion forward, the style icon whose brand is internationally the most recognised Pakistani fashion labels, is a role model for young designers. And he is out not for just fame and popularity but to create a legacy for himself that people may always remember him for his work.
The Sunday Plus decided to meet the reigning king of couture at his office on Ali Zeb Road. I was visiting this office after a hiatus of seven years and the place though having the same cosy atmosphere gave a more attractive look. It reflected how the brand had shot to recognition and fame in the last six years. HSY was busy looking up some projects on the computer but on our arrival welcomed us to his office. The smiling and easy going Sheru explained how he entered the profession and how amazing had been the last 21 years of his life.
“It was a difficult journey in the start. I was blind in both eyes for one year after a car accident. My schooling was in USA. Then I did my O levels from Beaconhouse and A level from LACAS. Then I graduated from Pakistan School of Fashion Design. I was always leader of the batch but after the accident my spirit was broken.
“My sister was a model and my mother thought that I should go for modelling as well. It was an audition for Sheikh Amir Hassan and Nilofer Shahid when I went for audition for the very first time. There was a young person wearing a shalwar kameez, who was saying he would take the photographs. His name was Khawar Riaz. There were two guys nobody knew. They introduced themselves as Athar and Shahzad. There were two sisters. One was talkative and the other was quiet. They were Vaneeza and Ayesha Ahmed. So this was the industry then. Ours was considered a backward city. People only danced at weddings. All the people at the audition were new. I loved music and said if given a chance I could tell them about how to present the show. They said I was a kid (he was 18) and it was not my domain but Nilofer agreed and directed that show on March 23, 1994. There was no looking back for me after that as I continued to direct so many shows after that. An English daily News in its review wrote that Hasan Jehangir did a good job of directing the show and his future was bright. They had even got my name wrong,” Hasan said while remembering the early days of our fashion industry.
HSY wanted to become a designer and got permission from his mother on the promise that he will get training from PSFD. “I had no money. Therefore, to pay the fashion school fees I did four odd jobs. I used to paint houses. Then I did a job at PACE. Then I worked on weekends in Islamabad at Malikas. I worked there for 48 hours making bags that they used to sell in Bangkok. Then I used to give tuitions of English and biology. I used to go to school in rickshaw but I never felt ashamed when my friends came there in big cars. My best friend Maheen Kardar and I topped when we graduated.
“After graduation I stepped into the real world. My dreams all vanished as all designers refused to take me as assistant. They would say you cannot become a designer. You are HSY the choreographer. I had by then choreographed shows in Dubai, London, Mumbai and so many other places. But I did not have the money to go for partnership.
“It was December 5, 2000 when I went to two dear friends and both successful designers. I asked them to make me their partner. They asked me to leave their house. Dejected I walked my way home crying. I told my mom that I was going to become a designer and that she would never see me crying again.
“We lived in a five marla house in DHA Lahore. I started my business from there. I wish I could buy that house again. But the new owners don’t sell. I used my mother’s shawls and fabric to make five dresses. Today I would call them clumsy and I don’t believe I made them. I got in touch with my friend Iman Ali, who wanted a break as the industry was not taking her seriously. I called my friends Athar and Shahzad and since we could not afford a background we did the shoot at another friend Amina’s house. We sent the shoot to everyone we knew and it came out as cover of five magazines. My first client was Tahira Syed. That was how HSY started.
“I realised very early that it was not all about just fashion. People come for experience. Whenever someone comes I give all of myself. Recognition comes from giving personal experience and giving them the respect that they come back over and over again. In my shows too I dedicate them to Reshma or someone else to pay them respect.
“I love to take people on a journey. My last collection was Pavarotti. One who has seen opera knows about him. It is all about connecting with your own memories. They might think it is their journey,” Hasan explained.
HSY has defined fashion in many ways and feels that the definition of fashion also changes. “It truly becomes what it needs to be at the time. It is a necessity when it comes to weddings and an unnecessary evil when you don’t need it but still spend a lot of money on it. I want fashion to be like fluid and don’t want to stick to one definition. Fashion is a journey of many different interpretations. And I want to be the right interpretation,” he said.
On a query about his design philosophy (timeless elegance) and fashion definition the designer said that he did not want to look back at any of his photos and find that he was wearing something that was the sign of the time and I was stuck in the moment. You will never see me wearing a big turban and fur collar just to attract attention. I try to make clothes that you can wear today, tomorrow or two decades from now. The one designer who has stood the test of time in my opinion is Georgio Armani. Look at his clothes from the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and you can wear them all even today. He made timeless elegant clothes. If I borrowed anything from anyone I borrowed his thinking. If you can sell elegance you are okay. See Ralph Lauren. He sells elegance and not fashion. Then there is Dior. There are many new designers they come and go. Only the designers doing timeless things have stayed. In Pakistan Bunto Kazmi, Sana Safinaz and Umar Saeed are examples in this regard. I have turned 40 and believe my life has just begun. I want to leave legacy. I want to create pieces that people will remember forever and want to repeat again and again,” Hasan was of the view.
On a query about Pakistani fashion going global, the designer said he had firm belief in it. “There was a time when there was no discipline in the industry. Designers made a collection and then did not come up with anything for two or three years. Now there are fashion weeks and you have to come up with new collection for every season. Then fashion weeks especially PFDC became more strict. They questioned designers about production facilities. Working with six tailors would not do now. People order and you have to manufacture,” senior fashion designer said.
He was of the view that fashion industry was showing consistent growth and that was attracting investors. “A financier from Middle East came to me today. He wanted to invest to take the brand forward. 60 percent of our couture is sold in Middle East. The rest is in Moscow, China and cities like Dallas where they like to spend money.
“Mostly people like ready to wear clothes. We are couture making country because we do not understand ready to wear as we do not have such market. You have to have pulse on the street fashion but then we don’t have street fashion in Pakistan. We don’t have street culture. Our culture is home to home.
“Middle East is important as we share the same religion and share the same social conditions. We know that sleeves and back should not be shown and so on. We must tap the market in Middle East.
“I am glad that we are moving in the right direction. It is the process of evolution and only the strongest will survive. It is in the hand of consumers,” HSY said.
On a query about collaborations in fashion industry he said he was the only one doing it. “My first collaboration was with Bareeze and then Stone age. I am bald and look I am promoting Sunsilk. I have asked many fashion houses for collaboration but the answer was no.
“My mother is an educationist. She has taught for 50 years. My grandfather was principal of Central Model School while my mother’s mother was also an educationist. Education is very important for me. I wanted collaborations with other designers to raise funds for education. It was the industry giving back. I think that we are not a philanthropic nation. We only give to poor because it makes us feel good and do sadqa to ward off evil. Philanthropy is not there in our culture,” HSY maintained.
There is more to HSY than just fashion. He is also working on a film project of his own and prior to that he has signed himself as creative director of a movie. He would be the first creative director of Pakistan film industry. The producers finally realised that they wanted their movie to look good and get the right frames and good shots. “The story of my own film is complete scene by scene but the script has not been done. I believe you have to strike at the right time. I wanted to be a creative director and make my mark first,” he said.
Hasan said he wanted to do movies not for fame but for the fact that he was a great story teller. “I am attracted by being able to tell a story. As a fashion designer too I think I am a story teller. Anything that I try to do has a beginning, middle and an end. Lots of people are making movies about what our army is doing for the homeland and other issues. They are doing a good job but I have stories to tell that can take you away from what is happening. It would be good fun stuff that when you watch it you can’t stop yourself from saying ‘I had a good time,” he said.
HSY has a lot on his plate. It does not deter him or scare him. In fact it all excites him. He is directing all the fashion weeks that take place all around the year. He was recently hired as the director of Lux Style Awards. “I remember the first LSA 14 years ago. The event was being held in Karachi and I went there by train. I was not allowed in the show and watched it from outside the gate. The next year I was nominated and later won it many times. Next year I will direct it.
“Then we are going to come up with a new PFDC event. In 2015, I am also coming up with lawn after a hiatus of three years. Of all the designers I do more collections in a year. I have never missed a PFDC fashion week. So I have to get rid of all these commitments before sitting down to shoot a movie,” Hasan said.
About the advice to young designers he said only one thing and that is there is no short cut for hard work. “If you are coming in here for fame then you are in wrong business. If you are looking for making a quick buck this is not the place for you. If you are coming here to make a difference and bring in something special you are welcome,” he smilingly said.
