"Basic judgy aunty questions."
Pakistani designer Parishae Adnan has been widely praised for her composed response to an uncomfortable television interview on Rise and Shine.
The designer was invited to the show, co-hosted by Nadia Khan and Zohaib Hassan, to discuss a remarkable professional achievement.
Parishae had closed Flying Solo’s show during New York Fashion Week this month with her collection, Second Skin.
Flying Solo is one of the largest independent designer platforms at NYFW, so being chosen to close the show is a significant achievement.
The accomplishment is particularly noteworthy for a young Pakistani woman navigating an internationally competitive fashion landscape.
However, rather than exploring the depth of her achievement, host Nadia Khan steered the conversation in a deeply disappointing direction.
Nadia chose to focus on gym videos Parishae posts online and the activewear she wears in them, creating an awkward line of questioning.
In a moment that left viewers stunned, Nadia asked the designer whether her parents had approved of what she was wearing in those videos.
She asked: “Tell me, being in this society, the videos you make in the gym and the clothes you are wearing there, there must be a great deal of criticism.
“Didn’t your parents get upset at what you were doing?”
Despite the glaring absurdity of being asked whether she required parental permission for her gym attire, Parishae responded with composure.
She said: “I think safety is a concern.
“But other than that, I’ll tell you the reason that wakes me up and takes me to the gym.
“The reason why I wake up in the morning and go to the gym is when I get messages in my inbox from all those girls, women, even men.
“Who see something and get inspired and start their strength and self-training journey, for me, that’s a big thing.”
Her answer redirected the conversation toward purpose and impact, entirely refusing to engage with the patronising premise behind the question.
Parishae’s parents, Amir Adnan and Huma Adnan, are among Pakistan’s biggest fashion industry names.
She runs an established luxury brand, has helped reinvent it and built her own reputation specifically around sustainability.
The interview offered an extraordinary opportunity to educate Pakistani audiences about sustainable fashion.
Instead, Nadia Khan chose gym clothes as her talking point, reducing a landmark professional moment to a predictable conversation about a woman’s appearance.
Shortly after the interview aired, Parishae shared an Instagram video of her reactions to Nadia’s questions alongside a laughing emoji.
Her mother Huma responded to the video, describing the questions as “uncalled for” and adding her voice to the growing chorus of criticism.
Actress Anika Zulfiqar also called out Nadia Khan publicly, writing:
“Maybe do some research on your guests before the show?”
She noted that Parishae had so much inspiration and insight to share but that Nadia had instead chosen “basic judgy aunty questions.”
“The world has moved on and you’re still stuck where you were. Sad.”
Parishae Adnan later thanked those who had publicly spoken up on her behalf.
