Effortless beauty is the new glam

Meet Nabila, one of Pakistan's best assets in the hair and make-up industry

Dressed in peachy tones, an air of refinement followed stylist Nabila as she gracefully made her way into our assigned meeting room. As she settled down on a plush couch, she looked effortlessly glam in her minimalist attire, a pair of rose-toned shades framing her ever-youthful features.
Here before me was a personality who has organically built a brand from scratch with a strong-standing philosophy aimed to look good, feel good and live better. Hailing from Pakistan with over 30 years of experience, Nabila was chosen as the official hair and make-up ambassador for the 19th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards held in Thailand this year, breaking MAC Cosmetics' long-reign at the prestigious event.
"I really don't know if it's luck, fluke or hard work. Or maybe it was because of our results that shone through on social media. When we were approached to take part in the event, I was completely in awe but said 'yes' in a second," she recalled.
With the IIFA barely a month away at the time, Nabila confidently gathered a team of 75 people to take care of more than 200 guests. "We had to have all hands-on-deck in three different venues and cater to different tiers. As we'd participated in a lot of events before - such as fashion week, award shows, etc. - so we were familiar with handling assembly line productions for fast-paced changes, and were able to keep up."
The three-day ceremony was a star-studded event with guests from all eras of showbiz. It was a gala of sorts, she added, lounging into the couch.
"IIFA is the third largest film awards, after the Academy Awards (The Oscars), and British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). We can safely interpret it as the Oscars of India, so it's the highest benchmark in the industry, graced with the presence of designers, models, dancers, celebrities and socialites."
She described it as a wedding, an award show and a fashion event taking place all at once. "It had multi-tiers, multi-prongs and multi-requirements. It was interesting and exhilarating," she said.
Bollywood may be all about glamour, but Nabila nonetheless infused her own aesthetic touch as she commanded an army of professionals at the venue.
"Personally, I believe that less is more, so we aim to make everything look effortless, basically, we try to bring in effortless into the world of glamour."
Amid the hustle and bustle of the event, Nabila created an ultimate relaxation zone, where attendees were pampered to their heart's content. While one waited for their turn to transform, they were treated to free-flowing beverages and quick bites, while masseuses kneaded away the stress and classy music supplied ear candy. The atmosphere was a zen-like lounge that gave attendees a break from the IIFA frenzy, adding yet another achievement to Nabila's long list of accolades.

What was in the goodie bag @ IIFA?
.    Nabila and team had prepared a special gift pack for the stars for a taste of Pakistan's charm. Here's what they got:
.    Leather tote bags by M. Jafferjees
.    Personalised jewellery pieces featuring their names in Urdu script by Kiran Fine Jewellery
.    'Pakistan Heritage Cuisine - A Food Story' cookbook by Sayeeda Leghari
.    Silk lounge robes for him and her
.    Zero Palette and Blending Brush by Nabila
.    N-Gents Travel Atomizer by Nabila
.    Exclusive salt caramel truffles by chocolatier, Lals
.    Candles infused with the fragrance of Pakistani flowers by The Karachi Candle Company
.    A bottle of bubbly

Fun fact: With 30 years of experience in the aesthetics industry, Nabila is at home around celebrities from all over the globe, but film director Karan Johar left her star struck at IIFA!

- farhana@khaleejtimes.com

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