“We`re also celebrating the fact that this is the 10th year of Maria B,” says the designer excitedly at the launch of the Maria B label at the Rehana Saigol outlet in Old Clifton. The past year has been somewhat eventful for the designer she`s revamped her image and has made a comeback with a bang; she launched a new ready2wear line for tweens called M-girl, on which she`s also collaborated on with Lahore-based artist, Asma Humayun. Other than that, she was a part of the 20-22 designer team that showcased their collection at the massive Pakistan Fashion Design Council show, at the end of last year. If this wasn`t enough for people to take notice, she recently appeared on a rather provocative cover of a fashion quarterly which promised a `no-holds-barred` interview with the designer.
It was in fact, at the PFDC show that Maria met up with designer and shop-owner Rehana Saigol. The latter stated that they hit it off well at the event and she also extolled Maria`s determination and drive for her craft. She also mentioned that Maria was also of the opinion, as was she that people should be provided with designer-wear at affordable prices. “A regular person can spend money on an outfit which costs Rs 6,000 as opposed to one which may cost (up to and more than) Rs 20,000!” she added. Rehana Saigol also waved off the seeming politics that surround designers belonging to either of the two fashion councils, adding that it was “by no accident that both Maria (B.) and Deepak (Perwani) stock at my outlet.”

Maria B plans of having three outlets in Karachi to have her designer-wear on. The one in Park Towers already stocks her prêt-a-porter collection, at Rehana Saigol she has her couture collection and she is currently debating where to stock her M-girl line. Talking about the two-year break she seemed to have taken in between she mentioned that she recently had a daughter and motherhood dominated at that time. Right now, Maria seems to carry herself as a person who not only seems to be more aware of who she is as a person, but someone who is intent on living it to the fullest — HS