New Delhi: Canadian singer Justin Bieber, Moroccan rapper French Montana and Bollywood stars Karan Johar and Anil Kapoor are united by Pakistan in their sartorial choices. The four of them have been seen out and around town (and even in a movie) wearing clothes designed by the Pakistani label Rastah—the brainchild of three cousins Zain, Ismail, and Adnan Ahmad from Lahore. Bieber is the latest to join the Rastah club.
He chose a hand-embroidered pink shirt during his visit to Tokyo over the weekend. He paired the shirt with his wife Hailey Bieber’s pink wig. And Pakistan’s media can’t get enough of this local brand that has put ethnic but modern streetwear on the international stage.
One publication called it a piece that “exudes elegance and sophistication.” Pakistan media publications called Bieber wearing a Rastah shirt, a well-deserved “moment of glory” for the five year old brand.
The brand also shared Bieber’s posts on their Instagram handle @rastahofficial that has racked over 18,000 likes and 500 comments in the last couple of days. Congratulations have poured in from various celebrities including from Yasmine Yousaf from the EDM band Krewella and the Indian actress Karishma Lala Sharma.
The success of a contemporary South Asian clothing label has seemingly brought individuals from across the borders of India and Pakistan – two countries that most of the time agree to disagree on everything – together.
As the fashion scene evolves, the influence of Pakistani designers is becoming increasingly prominent, showcasing a blend of traditional and contemporary styles that resonate across borders.
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Culture and clothing across the salt desert
While the celebrations are on, it seems fashion and music do cross the otherwise closed borders between the two South Asian neighbours. Karan Johar was seen donning a Rastah hoodie from the image shared by Zain Ahmad on X (formerly known as Twitter) in January 2022.
Similarly, Anil Kapoor was seen wearing a jacket by Rastah in his 2022 film – Jugjug Jeeyo. The jacket and the Kapoor family’s love for Rastah was described in an article by the Pakistani publication Dawn. It seems Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor is a huge fan of the brand.
The same day Bieber was seen donning the latest in Pakistani street wear, Suffuse by Sana Yasir a luxury Pakistani fashion brand from Lahore launched their latest Bridal collection in collaboration with Sobhita Dhulipala.
The brand asserts that the new collaboration with Dhulipala highlights “a fusion of elegance and heritage.”
Earlier last week, actor Ram Charan of the RRR fame was seen donning a kurta-pajama outfit designed by Pakistani designer Faraz Mannan – a designer that has dressed Indian celebrities like Kareena Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit in the past.
While the song Pasoori has seemingly won hearts across India over the last year, Pakistani luxury fashion seems to be next in line to find favour amongst Indians.