The second annual Q Mobile Hum Style Awards are inching nearer, and after a spectacular debut last year, we’re expecting an equally dazzling show this time. Okay, we were expecting a dazzling show until we heard Nida Butt isn’t directing the show this year! The QHSAs recognize ‘style’ in fashion, film, TV and sport – quite like the Lux Style Awards did when they started out more than a decade ago – and since this show is orchestrated by the Hum TV network, the nominations and winners do tend to slant towards the channel favourites. That said, who doesn’t mind a party and that’s what it is!
The list of nominations is out and here’s our humble verdict on them…
Designer of the Year – Demi Couture
Names like Faraz Manan, Sana Safinaz, Shehla Chatoor and Wardha Saleem are haute favourites and while Zaheer Abbas is relatively low profile in comparison, he is bloody good at his craft. We do feel that Shamaeel is missing from this category but we’re rooting for most of the names on the list.
Who would we like to see win: Shehla Chatoor
Designer of the Year – Menswear
On the nomination list are Humayun Alamgir, Deepak n Fahad, HSY, Ismail Farid, and Jazib Qamar. While HSY, Jazib Qamar and Ismail Farid are totally justified, we’re missing names like Republic, Deepak Perwani and Amir Adnan, all of whom showed impressively in the last year while Humayun Alamgir and D&F were neither as impressive or prolific.
Who would we like to see win (from this list):Â Jazib Qamar
Designer of the Year – Bridal
This category too has us a little confused. With the nomination list including names like Fahad Hussayn, Shehla Chatoor, The House of Kamiar Rokni, Faraz Manan and Elan, we are wondering whatever happened to Ali Xeeshan? Strictly speaking with the collections shown last year, the allure that Ali’s ‘Khamoshi’ had was phenomenal. Is this a conscious decision, a snub or an oversight?
Who would we like to see win: Élan
Designer of the Year – Lawn
Nominated for this category are Fahad Hussayn, Sana Safinaz, Elan, Zara Shahjahan, and Mahgul for Al Zohaib. All these names are spot-on and all we can do is just wonder who’ll win. Whoever it is, it’s going to be a good one!
Who would we like to see win:Â Zara Shahjahan
Retail Brand of the Year: Apparel
The nomination list for this category is quite en-pointe, especially with Generation, Khaadi, Sapphire, and Sana Safinaz as possible winners. That being said, we’re a little surprised on Rang Ja’s nomination, as the brand doesn’t have the same kind of popularity or fashion forwardness that the others do.
Who would we like to see win: Generation
Best Female Model
Hira Shah, Fouzia Aman, Anam Malik, Amna Babar, and Sadaf Kanwal are all names that we love and have big expectations from.
Who would we like to see win: Amna Baber
Best Male Model
Nominated for this category are Salman Riaz, Hasnain Lehri, Omer Shehzad, Nabeel Zuberi and Shahzad Noor. While Hasnain already has major recognitions to his name, we’re still rooting for him the most.
Who would we like to see win: Hasnain Lehri
Fashion Photographer of the Year
With names like Abdullah Haris, Fayyaz Ahmed, NFK, Ashna Khan, and Shahbaz Shazi nominated, we really do hope whoever wins bring their best foot forward like they always have.
Who would we like to see win: Abdullah Haris
Hair and Makeup Artist of the Year
In the list are Fatima Nasir, Shoaib Khan, Saima Rashid, Hannan Siddiqui and Shazia Rashid. While some names are artists that truly have brought a change into the industry, there are a few that are quite unknown; we honestly don’t know who Shoaib Khan is but obviously the jury knows something we don’t! Nabila has obviously pulled out of the race, otherwise she would have won but where are names like Maram Aabroo, for instance?
Who would we like to see win: Saima Rashid
Rising Talent of the Year
There are four names nominated in this list – Saheefa Jabbar, Javeria Hanif, MHM Photography and Zonia Anwaar (who is hugely talented but is not really a rising star anymore; she’s been showing at fashion weeks for several years).
Who would we like to see win: Saheefa Jabbar
Fashion Publication of the Year
Niche, Diva, Visage, Hello Magazine and Libas have been nominated in this category but the only problem is that Hello and Libas are not purely fashion magazines; they are lifestyle publications. One tends to forget that Visage even publishes anymore; it really isn’t on the radar these days. That leaves us with Diva and Niche.
While I'm truly grateful to be nominated w/ all these esteemed publications, @HELLO_Pak isn't a 'fashion' mag, rather its celeb/lifestyle pic.twitter.com/kPEjvwbbE6
— Zahraa Saifullah (@ZahraaSaifullah) October 8, 2017
Who would we like to see win: Niche
Most Stylish Sports Personality
Nominated for this category are Aisam ul Haq, Hissam Hyder, Kiran Khan, Raheela Zarmeen and Shoaib Malik. While we’ve already seen Shoaib Malik win an award earlier, this time we’d want someone else to take it home. We’re looking at you, Aisam!
Who would we like to see win: Aisam ul Haq
Most Stylish TV Host
In the list are Anoushey Ashraf, HSY, Madiha Imam, Huma Amir Shah, and Hamza Ali Abbasi. While we do feel that majority of the names on the list are worthy, our gut feeling goes towards our very own HSY.
Who would we like to see win: HSY
Most Stylish TV Actor
In the list for one of the most popular categories from the award show are Osman Khalid Butt, Junaid Khan, Adnan Malik, Ahsan Khan, and Feroze Khan. While all of the mentioned nominations are enough to make one swoon, we wonder who’ll trump the others?
Who would we like to see win: Feroze Khan
Most Stylish TV Actress
Nominated for the award are Aaminah Sheikh, Ayesha Omar, Mahira Khan, Mawra Hocane and Sonya Hussyn, most of whom had hits and misses in their public appearances.
Who would we like to see win: Mahira Khan
On the jury: Tapu Javeri, Tariq Amin, Omar Sayeed, Shahzad Raza, Bunto Kazmi, Rizwan Baig (Deevees), Zahra Saifullah (Publisher, Hello and Grazia), Rizwan Beyg, Raheel Rao (Publisher, Diva), Masarrat Misbah, Faiza Samee and Maliha Rehman (Senior Fashion Writer, Images).
Catty comment overheard while writing this piece: “OMG, this list looks like the guest list for a Showcase after-party! Be part of showcase and get nominated!” Meow. The other catty comment about what you had to do to get nominated had to be censored. Meow again.
