Glamazons Sabene Saigol, Amna Bashir, Iqraa Mansha & Sanam Taseer: One Year Later

One year later:

The dish on our iconic Glamazons from Pakistan

In HELLO! India's Fifth Anniversary issue in 2012, I unveiled our super-exclusive foray into the homes—and wardrobes—of some of Pakistan’s most glamorous young women who also happen to be yummy mummys: Sabene Saigol, Amna Bashir, Iqraa Mansha and Sanam Taseer.

Here's a look back at some unseen photographs from our trendsetting editorial coup along with recent photos from their personal collections. 

HELLO! India, April 2012

View at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150784956755309.464284.542590308&type=3

Let's catch up with the girls as they give us their lowdown on their year:

Sabene Saigol photographed at home by Khawar Riaz

SABENE SAIGOL describes her year as professionally very busy. Pregnancy didn’t deter the ad agency and publishing executive from her work commitments. 

On March 1^st, Sabene, her husband Sayeed and four-year-old son, Sultan, welcomed adorable twins Nadine and Dahlia in London.  Says Sabene about her Glamazon experience in HELLO!--“Lots of friends in India called and many were surprised I agreed to the shoot since I am generally a very private person! I even received phone calls from friends I had lost contact with since college.”

In masquerade; photo courtesy of Libas

Pregnant with twins and no less glamorous; photo courtesy of Lotus PR

AMNA BASHIR received a warm response to her Glamazon appearance—sometimes a little too warm—with stalkers at international airports! The mother of four spent a busy year launching international distribution for her furniture and apparel lines and took an extended trip to the Continent with her husband Asif. 

Amna Bashir in repose in her Zen-like bath and dressing room; photographed by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

Amna also laments the loss of an esteemed friend in the late Yash Chopra:  “He was always a pleasure to meet and talk to—warm and thoughtful, never forgetting to call on my birthdays and special occasions like Eid. I was devastated when he died! He would send us original signed copies of his classics and I would send lawn ka joras to his wife. He was born in Lahore and he’d wanted so much to visit and stay in our house,” she says. “May he rest in peace.”

Keeping it cool in this season's lawn (cotton voile); Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

In Venice (photo from personal collection)

Iqraa Mansha in her enchantingly designed home; photographed by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

Attending her brother's wedding in Karachi; Photo by Riaz Jamal

IQRAA MANSHA has been busy as always, set to launch her boutique hotel and is working on a mixed development project, both in Lahore. Her son Khazain, the apple of her eye, is now 4. 

She says that her Glamazon appearance “shocked” Pakistani publishers who had made numerous attempts for her appearance in local magazines. Iqraa also got numerous random inquiries from Indian women on Facebook about her Pakistani outfits in the shoot. She confides that she’d like to have another child but is so “petrified of the nonstop nausea” that she’s expecting a decade-long age-gap between her first and second children.

Photo by Riaz Jamal

SANAM TASEER has spent a fruitful year with interesting shows at her art gallery, coupled with mommy duty with young Shershah, aged 5, and little Pasha, aged 2. 

Sanam has an eye for acquiring unique works of art; Photo by Faisal Farooqui/Dragonfly

When asked about the highlight of her year, Sanam’s sparkling sense of humour took over: “I got to smooch Siddharth Malhotra in Karan Johar’s office and haven’t washed my lips since.” She also attended a Bollywood awards ceremony thanks to good friend Ali Zafar, “who graciously tolerated my begging his friends for cameos!”

In party mode; photo courtesy of Fatima Naseer Fazli

Photographed in her contemporary surroundings by Fazal Rizvi; Art by Salman Toor

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