Pakistan’s top designer Moazzam Khan had been creative-Guru
behind “Rizwan Moazzam” label; More than a thousand artisans
& craftsmen are supporting their families through his institution
TFD Report
KARACHI: Pakistan is the 8th largest exporter of textile products in Asia. It is 4th largest producer and 3rd largest consumer of cotton. It comprises of 46% of the total manufacturing sector and provides employment to 40% of the total labor force. 5% of the total textile companies are listed on the stock exchange. There are 423 textile industries working in the country. Pakistan has supply base for almost all man-made and natural yarns and fabrics, including cotton, rayon and others. This abundance of raw material is a big advantage for Pakistan due to its beneficial impact on cost and operational lead time.
In the past few decades, Pakistani dress designers have created unique and modern designs of clothes using their intelligence and increased the positive image of Pakistan at the domestic and international level. One of them is Moazzam Khan who has gained a prominent position in this industry in a very short time based on his incredible experience, skills and belief. Today, the clothes designed by him have gained national and international fame.
With almost three decades worth of experience under his belt, Moazzam Khan has been a well-known & reputed name among the fashion fraternity. Working in collaboration since 1993, Moazzam Khan had been the Creative-Guru behind “Rizwan Moazzam” label. He parted ways in 2017 in order to follow his passion and give his aesthetic sense more room to experiment and play.
Moazzam Khan’s core focus has been bridal dresses. From the concept to the actualization of the dress itself, he is actively involved in each and every step to ensure that the dress comes-off exactly as he has envisioned it.
Khan tells that “Fashion design is one of the sensitive art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. It is influenced by culture and different trends, and has varied over time and place. Clothing design means creating modern clothing by enhancing or altering existing designs to perform new functions. The clothing design task consists of selecting the style, color and materials to meet specified functional requirements. A high-functioned and dedicated team is must to perform all such”.
Moazzam Khan leads a vast team of around 2000 artisans. These hand embroidery workers who belong to different parts of the country are experts in their art. Moazzam considers them as an important pillar of their organization and strives for their well-being. Special attention is also paid to their training to keep them in tune with the demands of modern fashions.
Over the period of years, Khan came to realize that during the timeline of his career, there were many skilled artisans and craftsmen, who burned the midnight oil to breathe life into his creations. These craftsmen who came to him with little, with no training, or experience have honed their skills over the years and are now masters of their crafts. Yet, they could not alleviate the poverty and improvised statuses of their families. Coming from rural backgrounds primarily, their focus has been to earn their livelihood to provide for their families back home, some of whom lack even the most basic necessities of life.
Keeping these factors in mind, Moazzam Khan worked tirelessly with his team to establish a body that would not only look after the interests of these craftsmen, but also take well-measured and effective steps to ensure that they are able to improve their families’ living conditions.
“The mission is not just providing employment, but also value addition in lives. These craftsmen work on various elements of the designer’s creations depending upon their forte, all of are hand work and hand embellishments, ensuring that each piece of clothing is handled with the utmost love and care. Each stitch is the result of labor’s dedication.”
“Our core focus has been to enhance the existing skills of these craftsmen by providing them on the job training while allowing them to work at the same time to earn their livelihoods. They receive formal guidance from their supervisors and colleagues and are imparted with tips and tricks to further improve their trade. We have also realized the fact that these craftsmen should hold all the necessary skills required to find suitable work elsewhere if and when they decide to leave/relocate, in order to be closer to their families, since most cannot afford to bring their families to the urban cities due to financial constraints. This is executed with the idea of ensuring that these craftsmen could be able to acquire gainful employment easily within the fashion industry, since skilled craftsmen are always in demand. We care, respect and adore to all of those who are sincerely associated with us in any form in our meaningful journey, Instead of business, we care about Humanity,” Moazzam Khan tells TFD.
