It has been a rocky two years for textile brand Sapphire. After parting ways with Creative Director Khadijah Shah in August 2017, the brand brought in designers Mahgul Rashid and Kamiar Rokni as Creative Consultants with Amir Rashid (Mahgul’s husband, also known as Buzzy) as Chief Merchandising Officer. Mahgul and Kamiar were lately in Karachi to launch the massive Sapphire concept store at Dolmen City Mall in Clifton. Therefore, news of Kamiar Rokni’s disassociation with the brand comes as a surprise.
“My contract was up and it was taking up too much of my time and I decided it was time look into The House of Kamiar Rokni,†Kamiar Rokni briefly summed up the situation for Something Haute.
Incidentally, Buzzy (Amir Rashid) has also parted ways with Sapphire.
“I was never meant to be with Sapphire in an official capacity, I was only meant to help set up the design studio,†he spoke to Something Haute. “I however came on as CMO to help them steady the ship when there was a change in COO as it was the need of the hour. A few months in, the brand decided a change in its strategy and vision significantly to what we had initially imagined. At that point I felt it best to leave and focus on our own brand as the new strategy was a departure from that which I felt I related to or could do justice to, professionally. I have nothing but respect for Sapphire and Nabeel however and would always jump in if and when ever required as friends do.â€
“As for Mahgul – she is still very much with them and is in fact helping them transition to their new business model,†Buzzy clarified when asked about Mahgul’s future at Sapphire.
“The issue is that after Khadijah’s exit, it took us very long to get our timeline in order,” Nabeel Abdullah, Director Sapphire clarified the situation further. “To get output was taking too long. Buzzy came in in a helping role and still helps me with strategy but I felt the work he had was too mundane for him. Â There’s no massive structural change within Sapphire but these changes happened with mutual agreement. Kami wanted to leave and we respect his decision. Mahgul is very much with us and is helping us weather the storm,” he concluded.
