Designer Hussain Rehar has marked a milestone for the Pakistani fashion industry by presenting his work at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
As per the details, the designer is showcasing an installation titled “Lahore – A Knot in South Asia’s Loom” at an invite-only event held at Château St George.
The event places Rehar alongside global fashion powerhouses like Gucci and Roberto Cavalli, making it the first time a Pakistani designer is showcasing work at the festival, and in a space traditionally reserved for international luxury labels.
The venue itself, Château St George, is a private location known for hosting high-end fashion events away from the main festival crowds.
The collection is more than just clothes, and has been described by Rehar as a “decolonisation of fashion’s origin story”.
He said he is using the showcase to highlight how South Asian craftsmanship is often used by global brands without receiving credit. The designer specially highlighted traditions like zardozi, phulkari, khussa and the maang tikka, noting that these elements were frequently renamed and stripped of their origins by the international fashion industry.
“You cannot rename what you did not make… if a kimono can be called a kimono, then a dupatta should be called a dupatta,” Rehar said.
With the exhibition aimed at reclaiming signatures and returning the focus to the source of the craft, Rehar also called for the global industry to acknowledge the influence of Lahore and the Indian subcontinent on modern fashion.
The move to Cannes follows Rehar’s appearance at Paris Fashion Week in October 2025, where he presented his Jeevan collection.
