There was a time—not too long ago—when the word model in Pakistan evoked a very specific image. Height. Stature. Grace. A presence that turned heads the moment she entered the room. She didn’t need to announce it; she simply was. You saw it in the way she carried herself, in the stillness of her frame mid-pose, in the precision of her walk, in the way designers, photographers, stylists, and even bystanders would glance at her with a quiet, unanimous acknowledgment: she’s the model.
Think back to the era of Vaneeza Ahmed—a name that remains synonymous with poise and professionalism. There was an effortless aura about her, a balance of sharp bone structure and soft elegance that never demanded attention, yet always commanded it. Similarly, names like Iraj Manzoor, Fauzia Amir, and ZQ didn’t just model clothes—they defined eras. They weren’t just faces; they were benchmarks.
Even in the mid-2010s, the industry still had its torchbearers. Models like Mehreen Syed, Sadaf Kanwal, Amna Babar, and Rabia Butt carried forward the legacy with both fire and finesse. Their faces told stories, their bodies moved like choreography, and their presence still held that almost cinematic allure that made the runway feel like a stage.
But lately—let’s be honest—something has shifted.
And while evolution is inevitable (and often exciting), what we’re witnessing now feels less like growth and more like a dilution. A sort of ‘open-door’ policy where the title of model is handed out too freely—without the rigor, without the aesthetic, without the discipline. The industry, once ruled by aspirational figures who trained, rehearsed, and earned their place, now appears to bend too easily to social media popularity, quick fixes, and follower counts.
Today, you scroll through a campaign, and you’re left wondering: who is the model? Where is the distinction? Where is the presence? Where is that aura?
Of course, there are exceptions—there always are. The likes of Maha Tahirani, Nimra Jacob, and several new faces do carry that spark, that something special. But they are the few, not the many.
This isn't about gatekeeping beauty or resisting change. This is about standards—about remembering that modeling is an art form, not a default career. That being photogenic is not the same as being editorial. That standing in front of a camera isn’t the same as knowing how to use your body as a medium. That walking a runway is more than taking long strides—it’s performance, it’s theatre, it’s skill.
And that’s where the loss is most deeply felt: in the erosion of skill, of training, of polish.
Maybe the industry needs a recalibration. A reminder that fashion is not a free-for-all and that the model is not just an accessory to the outfit—she’s the translator of the designer’s vision. She must have the presence to hold that responsibility.
Because when everyone can be a model… suddenly, no one is.