ISLAMABAD: Prominent Pakistani designer Faraz Manan was included in the prestigious annual Business of Fashion (BoF) 500 list this week that acknowledges the most influential people in the global fashion industry.
The BoF 500, compiled by The Business of Fashion magazine, acknowledges the works of a wide range of professionals from across various sectors of the fashion ecosystem such as luxury brands, high street fashion, media, technology and sustainability.
Manan started his career in 2003 as a fashion designer and since then has established himself as one of the country’s leading designers under his eponymous label, Faraz Manan. Several leading Bollywood actresses such as Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Sridevi, Alia Bhatt and Kiara Advani have worn his dresses in the past.
“Honored and delighted to be a part of The BoF 500: people shaping the global fashion industry,” Manan wrote on his Instagram profile on Friday.
The BoF 500 said in a post on its website that the designer is one of the leading figures in Pakistan’s fashion industry and a “go-to for buyers of couture bridal and formal wear in the wider South Asia region.”
“Manan quickly rose to prominence, distinguishing himself with a signature style that combines intricate embellishments, lavish fabrics and a contemporary sensibility,” the BoF 500 said.
In 2015, he became one of the first South Asian designers to open a boutique in Dubai and by 2024, his business had amassed over a million global followers on its Instagram account.
Admiration for Manan’s work from the Bollywood elite has turned his brand into a cultural bridge between India and Pakistan, the two neighboring countries where cultural exchanges are rare due to political hostilities.