Pakistan Designer's Anti-Dowry Campaign Is The Most Powerful Portrayal Of Regressive Culture
UN Women Pakistan shared a post on Twitter in support of Numaish along with pictures from Ali Xeeshan's anti-dowry fashion campaign. Twitter is divided over the post.
A Pakistani fashion designer's recent collaboration with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women Pakistan against the regressive dowry culture has sparked a debate on social media.
Twitter
According to news website Daily Pakistan, Mr Xeeshan's latest collection 'Numaish' highlights the bitter reality of the age-old practice of dowry while urging people to take a pledge against it. The collection was showcased at the 'Pantene HUM Bridal Couture Week 2021' and developed in collaboration with UN Women Pakistan.
Also Read: UP Cop Suspended For Allegedly Sending Illicit Messages To Woman Whose Dowry Case He's Probing
"UN Women Pakistan supports NUMAISH - a pledge against dowry by @ALIXEESHAN," the organisation tweeted, sharing striking photos that aim to highlight the burden of dowry.
UN Women Pakistan supports NUMAISH - a pledge against dowry by @ALIXEESHAN.
¡ª UN Women Pakistan (@unwomen_pak) February 7, 2021
Share this powerful message and join us to #StopDowryMongering #NumaishNaLagao #JahezkhoriBandKaro@UN_Women @unwomenasia pic.twitter.com/4RCXWpkB9f
According to Mr Xeeshan, Numaish aims to shed light on the "epochal and alarming issue of families fretting over saving money for their daughters' dowry (Jahez) instead of their education."
Also Read: Man Didn't Get Bike For Dowry So He Posts Wife's Photo, Number Online Asking Men To Pay For Sex
The video shows a red lehanga-clad weary young woman, gathering all her strength and will to pull a cart weighed down by a pile of things, being stacked by the bride's tired parents.
The camera zooms in to show tears rolling down her cheeks, while the husband nonchalantly sits on the pile of dowry.
Some, however, censured the fashion designer for his campaign and said it was "hypocritical" on Ali Xeeshan's part to convey a social message while advertising for his expensive designer outfits. The pressure of buying such heavy and high-priced lehengas also add onto the financial crunch families go through during their marriages.
#1
Misplaced tweet by @unwomen_pak totally ignoring the fact that designers like @ALIXEESHAN are a huge part of the problem when it comes to weddings. Parents need to save for years before they can afford to buy bridal dresses from such designers and there¡¯s a constant competition.
¡ª Sarwat Ayub (@sashayub) February 8, 2021
#2
It is good to UN focused on dowry system, absolute this is very bad for all parents who spent their life for saving of dowry. But other side not having any sense that what their wish take burden on weak shouldera of girl's parents. It must be eradicate this nostril in society.
¡ª Engr: Arif Haider Bukhari ? (@AffayEngr) February 9, 2021
#3
But what to say to the designer who initiated this campaign & sold bridal dresses starting from LACS...
¡ª Adnan Hameed (@adnan6673) February 10, 2021
An innocent question
#4
Other side of the coin.
¡ª Sherry Yarrr (@dil_ka_dactaar) February 8, 2021
Dowry is wrong but this is also not acceptable.
Making marriages easily for both the genders.#dowry pic.twitter.com/y0SuVIfliU
#5
A picture worth a thousand words! #dowry_system #dowry #women #WomensRights https://t.co/ePr8dL8i28
¡ª Mohammad iquebal?? (@mdiquebalali) February 8, 2021
"Misplaced tweet by @unwomen_pak totally ignoring the fact that designers like @ALIXEESHAN are a huge part of the problem when it comes to weddings. Parents need to save for years before they can afford to buy bridal dresses from such designers and there's a constant competition," a user said.
¡°Ali Xeeshan wants to highlight the dowry and wedding finance issues while selling lehengas worth 12 lakh. Ok,¡± wrote a user. Another commented, ¡°Fashion is a luxury, if you want to raise awareness about lowering the burden of finances than think of the people burdened by the prices of your clothes.¡±
In a conversation with BBC, Xeeshan¡¯s chief marketing officer Hafsa Babar remarked, ¡°Purchasing an expensive wedding ensemble is your own choice. There is no harm in buying one if you can afford it. And when we talk about Ali Xeeshan, then you need to acknowledge that everything he designs is to cater to the demands of a particular market. Every outfit is handmade, and it takes a lot of time and hard work to make even one such outfit. He does not compromise on the quality of the material used either.¡±