Iraj Manzoor and Vaneeza Ahmed may take exception to the words ‘Pakistan’s First Supermodel’ being used to describe Nadia Hussain, having arrived on the catwalk and broken stereotypes much earlier, but Ms. Hussain has been lauded as a wonder-woman by the BBC in a recent interview.
The stylish Nadia Hussain was praised not only for her stunning looks and elan on the fashion ramp, but also as the face of the modern Pakistani woman — daring to give equal importance to raising a family and pursuing a career, and succeeding exceptionally well at both.
Ms. Hussain, 37, and a mother of four, is an iconic example of how marriage and kids need not affect your career choices. She is as energetic as the day she started modelling, now a veteran of the catwalk, and has let nothing faze her passion for the field she has chosen.
In addition to modelling, Nadia Hussain is a very successful entrepreneur, branching out from modelling to the beauty and clothing industry. She runs a signature salon as well as a couture and ‘lawn-line’ carrying her name.
In the interview, Ms. Hussain talks about how perceptions have changed in Pakistan over the last twenty years, with modelling changing from a once ‘frowned-upon’ to a now ‘much-coveted’ profession.
Contradictions run rampant in Pakistani society, where honour killings exist side-by-side with extraordinary achievements by women in all professional fields, and in eliminating the former and promoting the latter, brave women of substance like Nadia Hussain are leading from the front.