“I saw so many fashionable Pakistanis and I wanted them to have a platform to share their style.”
Pakistan street style (PSS), the photo-sharing Instagram account, has taken social media as its catwalk for Pakistani fashion.
Farina Ghauri, its admin and blogger, hosts through this platform with effortless grace.
Her Instagram account is best known for sharing fashionable photos from the public.
Farina has also collaborated with leading and upcoming designers and participated in various photo shoots.
In an exclusive interview with DESIblitz, Farina talks fashion and describes her travels to Pakistan.
She also explains how her Instagram account influences the Pakistani fashion industry.
Farina and Pakistan Street Style
Farina, from London, UK, says: “I failed to see any dedicated fashion pages for Pakistanis.”
Therefore, she approached Instagram as a wider platform to expand the reach of cultural clothing.
PSS portrays the glamorous, artsy, international, and fashion-oriented lifestyle of Pakistan.
It merges into one large collage of trendy Pakistani fashion imagery.
A carefully selected gallery. Colourful, yet coordinated.
For this reason, PSS has over 297,000 followers, with leading hashtags, buying options and advertising opportunities.
Just by viewing its first few photos, it becomes apparent how Farina approaches the challenges of the fast-changing world of fashion. She has the ability to represent them in the classiest manner.
Her own wardrobe is also very glam. Much like her up-to-the-minute life which sees her fly between London and Lahore. All while looking picture perfect.
How is PSS making an Impact on the Pakistani Fashion Industry?
PSS offers brands an opportunity to tell their story through Instagram.
Farina shares striking images and descriptions of their lifestyle and products.
As a result, the personality of a brand becomes immediately visible. And, an increase in sales and followers becomes evident.
This is why so many new brands wish to collaborate with PSS for exposure opportunities. And Farina is happy to support them:
“They want to promote their brand to my audience and have me endorse them.”
Her creative input brings immediate attention to the identity of the brand.
Simply see how she combines a gold intricate embroidered kurta, with contrasting statement jewellery pieces. Keeping it minimal, Farina displays sophistication by adding a pair of high street stilettos.
With her individual taste, Farina mixes Pakistani designer wear with UK high street styles.
She stylishly wears a jacket by designer Saira Shakira. With “black flared trousers from Zara and a white blouse from Top Shop,” Farina tells Tribune Pakistan.
Moreover, Farina has joined many other distinguished designers for photo shoots in London and Pakistan:
“Our favourite blogger, Farina from #PakistanStreetstyle visits our studio in Lahore,” says designer Saira Rizwan.
Do brands prefer to showcase their upcoming designs exclusively on the Instagram ramp of Pakistan Street Style?
Farina told DESIblitz: “Social media has had quite a boom in Pakistan lately.
“My page just happens to be one of the bigger platforms. I’ve been noticing more brands focusing on campaigns for Instagram rather than magazines. So as an online platform, my page benefits from that.”
In that case, are Pakistani fashion trends heavily influenced by Instagram?
Farina disagrees, saying: “Designers in our country are naturally talented and have their own distinct style and creations.
“However, PSS provides useful feedback, where they get to see an immediate response to their designs.”
Hashtag #Pakistanstreetstyle
The famed hashtag, #Pakistanstreetstyle, has proved to be a reliable way to increase the reach of Pakistani fashion.
General public post images wearing Pakistani outfits, and caption their photos using the hashtag. This immediately spreads across social media, categorising photos into one area.
Asma.M says on Twitter: “It’s a popular Desi style tag #Pakistanstreetstyle.”
PSS re-posts the tagged images for a larger audience. Simply because: “I saw so many fashionable Pakistanis and I wanted them to have a platform to share their style,” explains Farina.
Ammarah Younus says: “It took me months, took me years, took me so long! And guess what? I finally made it on #Pakistanstreetstyle.”
As can be seen, reaching PSS is a significant achievement for some. While for others, it is a glamorous wardrobe inspiration.
This addictive page appears to be incredibly popular in India too.
However, Instagram is a competitive network. But, Farina says: “What sets mine apart is featuring Pakistani clothes worn by ordinary people as well as models.”
Through this, she bridges the gap between celebrities, designers, and ordinary people.
Farina on Pakistan
Another inspiration Farina provides is an insight into the culture of Pakistan:
“I love sharing my experiences because I’m very aware of the negative image Pakistan has abroad.”
With this in mind, she says: “Whether I’m at a cafe with delicious food or at a market place with hidden treasures, I do my best to share my finds with my followers via Instagram.”
The feedback Farina has received has been very positive. She tells DESIblitz:
“A lot of people have actually thanked me. They have told me how their perception of Pakistan has changed because of my social media accounts.”
Besides fashion, Farina says: “I like to make people aware of important Pakistani people. It’s always good for our younger generation to know which Pakistanis are making a difference in various sectors.”
Future of Pakistan Street Style
Surrounded by other competitive Pakistani fashion pages, where does Farina Ghauri see herself in the future?
She tells DESIBlitz that she wishes to keep expanding her reach to the Pakistani world:
“I want to make PSS accessible in every form.”
Can Pakistan street style be further improved?
“At the moment, a website is in the works. I hope it’s the start of greater things for the brand,” she says.
Farina’s got an eye for the most stylish clothing. Be sure to visit her on Instagram. But, be prepared to turn those wish lists into buying!
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