Souchaj: Mastering Their Flair For Bridal Wear

Mehak Gul Malik and Mehr khan started their high-end luxury eponymous fashion label SOUCHAJ, based out of Lahore. In the past one year they have managed to create a niche for the brand in Pakistan’s burgeoning fashion industry with designs that display a perfect marriage between the traditional and contemporary. Their ethos resonates with the modern, progressive woman of Pakistan, while keeping classic old school glamour alive as an important element. Meet the power duo as they talk to Hello!

1. Tell us about Souchaj and your design philosophy?

Staying true to our traditional Pakistani culture and heritage roots, we came up with the idea of SOŪCHAJ-the name signifies being pure and love for finesse. Our main design philosophy is our classic handwork combined with the use of timeless silhouettes that have luxe fibers with exotic colors that depicts the sheer richness of our culture.

2. What do you enjoy designing more; pret, formals or bridals?

We personally enjoy designing couture pieces more, as it gives us a larger room for experimentation on with the embellishments, which is to us what a canvas is to an artist; where you can draw whatever you want, and the creativity is limitless.

3. Tell us a bit about your muses?

They carry themselves in a confident, assertive and aggressive manner but at the same time are very feminine. They are independent women, who are sure of themselves and very comfortable in their own skin.  They are someone who are not bothered about trends or follow fashion but have their own eccentric sense of style and unaffected with opinions people may have of them.  They are not only beautiful but are simply outstanding in terms of intelligence and individuality. They are original, bold and carrying our creations in the way what we dreamed for. Thing we loved most about them is their will to do things in a certain way and the positive attitude they equip themselves with.

4. Which one international celebrity would you like to dress up and why?

Meryl Streep - elegance personified! We believe that age is just a number and its not necessary that only the young are beautiful. For us beauty means elegance and personality and that comes with confidence and with a sense of self-belief. Meryl has carried herself with grace over the years and I think she is a role model for the younger women who aspire character more than visual beauty.

5. What has been one of your biggest achievements so far?

Our journey so far has been almost a year old and we think the inception of SOUCHAJ is one of the biggest things so far. We think it is too early to answer that because we believe we still have so much more left to achieve in life, both in terms of SOŪCHAJ and ourselves.

6. The biggest lesson along the way?

A mistake is not a mistake if the lesson is learnt from it and we think we constantly need to evolve and improve ourselves as there’s always room at the top.

9. What keeps you motivated?

It is our underlying will and desire to promote our culture and traditions through our creations. Our identity is our country and our culture and we need to be recognized by the ones who stand by them.

10. Where can we expect to see your brand in the next five years?

We would really want to see our brand being associated with the ultimate source of originality and purity in the fashion industry, and for its beautiful name, SOŪCHAJ, to be spoken only in the upper echelons of not only the Pakistani fashion industry but the global fashion arena also.