After returning to Karachi from Paris in 1973, Imran found that the fashion scene here was non-existent. So when the then cultural director of the PACC (where he was employed as a dance instructor/choreographer) suggested he do a fashion show, Imran jumped at the opportunity. And there has been no looking back for him ever since.

He recently celebrated his 25 years in choreography with a black-and-white art-deco themed event where this writer was present — being his model for his first-ever fashion show in 1980. The show was a success as for young people then there were few fashion-orientated activities in Karachi. We laboured over elaborate moves, which we worked hard to perfect, and loved every minute of it.

Asking Imran about the current fashion industry trends and the lack of new blood in it, he said: “I, for one, experiment all the time and at each show I use a mix of senior models and new talent so that some of the newer faces get more exposure. Mainly, the sponsors prefer known names and faces. The senior models have been around for a good 10-15 years and are now at the peak of their careers. It has taken them that long to get polished. The newer lot should be emerging soon.”

Since he’s been in fashion for more than two decades, where does Imran think the industry is headed towards? Right now, he says, the industry is more entertainment-based. “With all the fashion schools churning out people with the right skills, I expect it to head towards more ‘serious fashion’. As for now, I like the direction it’s taking.”

When asked about where he envisioned himself in the next 10 years, he gives an outline of a dream. “I would like to open an academy to train people in various aspects of fashion shows; focus on things like modeling, set design, lighting and photography, and have comprehensive, archived libraries of music, wardrobe, accessories, and much, much more.”