What I have for you is a real treat! This weekend I got to wear a beautiful piece by HOXNYC called the Marigold Gown to my close friend Mehwish's wedding. It's a 4 piece suit in an alluring gold and beige color.
The trousers are raw silk and the gown and dupatta is pure chiffon. The undershirt is jamawar that lines perfectly with the intricate work of the embellished chiffon gown. I received so many compliments on this dress and thought the timing was right to do a talk to the girl behind the brand herself!
I went to sit down with the founder of HOXNYC to find out a little about the woman behind the her debut brand, Zaineb. Also, if you want more blog posts such as this just comment on the post with your questions. Let's get started!
Zaineb Bajwa, a fast rising star in the highly competitive South Asian fashion industry. She's immensely talented in everything she does. Her first line speaks for itself. I am in love with the very pretty, sophisticated, elegant clothes she has created. The fabric, cuts, material, hand beadwork is exceptional. It is obvious that she took her time making sure when you wear her clothes you feel beautiful and feminine. I have gotten to know Zaineb throughout the past couple years, her latest venture in HOXNYC makes me extremely proud of recognizing such a strong young woman such as her accomplish so much. The greatest part of her line is the vision behind it. The goal at HOX is to bring quality looks with great customer service and transparent pricing. Let's face it, how many times have you looked at a beautiful desi dress online and ask the price and the seller goes oh message me in my inbox, knowing practically well that she's going to charge you more or less depending on who you are and where you live. Or what's even worse is that if you're interested in a dress and messege the designer themselves they don't even bother and respond. You can avoid that completely with HOX. Another plus is fast and convenient shipping to your door. I love that she is bringing technology and convenience to the south asian market.
Zaineb - HOXNYC
Phone - NA
info@hoxnyc.com
www.hoxnyc.com
@hoxnyc @zeexbee
twitter hoxnyc
Facebook Facebook.com/hoxnyc
Tell us a bit about yourself..
Sure! My name is Zaineb, a Virginia native, currently living in New York with my little family, that includes my husband and our cat, Mercy! I am a financial analyst by profession, but have taken a slight detour to focus solely on my new project HOXNYC.
What motivated you to start this brand?
I have always been utterly obsessed with Pakistani clothes, since I was very young. Living abroad was a blessing to me and my siblings as we are the first generation here. With the good, came the bad, and growing up my biggest challenge was being able to find quality pakistani garments abroad. Sadly, I would have to compromise on quality, bad stitching and outdated designs. I respect everyones aesthetic, but couldn’t help but feel taken advantage of when paying exorbitant amounts of money for something that did not reflect superior craftsmanship. Aside from compromising on looks, I soon realized there was no concept of customer service in this field, which really took away from the dress buying experience. As my frustrations grew, one thought led to the other and I knew I had to do something to bridge this fashion gap, thus HOXNYC was born.
What is your favorite piece from the latest collection?
Seriously, I know this sounds cliche, but I love them all. Our looks are limited to 4-5 designs each season so we can truly focus on quality over quantity. My mother always had a small yet refined wardrobe, and that was something I brought over with me to HOX.
Where do you draw your style inspiration from?
I am inspired by anything that is timeless. Colors that are timeless, fabrics that are timeless. When I curate looks for my collections, trends take a backseat for me, and some might think I’m crazy but trends are not my priority. Making looks that are of the moment, but remain timeless is my biggest challenge. I have a great admiration towards Elie Saab, his work is consistently proven to withstand the test of time! Along with Elie Saab I am also greatly inspired by pakistani bridal designer Bunto Kazmi for her ode to the Mughal era throughout all her collections! Khadijah Shah, the creative force behind Elan has also been a huge inspiration, as I had the pleasure of working with her when creating my own bridals.
Which celebrities wardrobe would you love to raid?
Sarah Jessica Parker! I hope she keeps her shoes in her closet, those blue Manolo Blaniks have had me lusting! Love her unique, loud yet feminine style, who else can pull off wearing a bird as a hat.. haha!
If we took a peak inside your closet, what would we see? What is your can’t live without item?
If you asked me this last year, I would say “all things black!” but as I am getting older, I am also getting more and more comfortable in my body. I am starting to experiment with colors and cuts I would never envision myself in before. Aside from pencil skirts and work attire, I’ve revamped my closet with some true New York street style! Skinny jeans and white tees! So out of my comfort zone but I'm embracing it! My "can’t live without piece" currently has to be my Kooples leather jacket which my husband gifted me for Valentines day. It makes me feel like a rockstar, I can wear it with dresses or with jeans!
Which staple item or accessory should every HOXNYC girl own?
I can’t possibly select just one! Most importantly, a refined collection of pakistani costume jewelry! I also double as the stylist for HOX, and I can not emphasize enough how important accessories are when completing your formal looks. You don’t have to own an exorbitant amount of pieces, again think of quality over quantity. The right necklace and earrings can instantly give you a polished look!
What's your number one thing you want to accomplish with HOX?
I want to change the preconceived hardships associated with purchasing Pakistani formal wear abroad. HOXNYC is a brand that raises the bar not only on quality, but also on customer service and client satisfaction. We are so confident in our craft that we guarantee 100% customer satisfaction on all of our pieces. HOXNYC is the first interactive brand in the market; we survey our clients and curate our looks to match the demand, and the budgets. No one can imagine the amount of dedication and commitment that has gone into getting this project on the road. I am planning on shooting a short fashion film dedicated to this journey very soon!
Above all I am greatly humbled by the amount of love and support, in the form of emails and messages I've gotten through this small but momentous few months. People I have never met have taken the time to send me emails, to support this vision, you don't know how amazing that feels. It's young people like us that can make great things happen, and it's time for a change!
It was so much fun getting to do this with such an amazing girl! Hope you enjoyed the feature, many more to come. Remember to shine your brightest!! XOXO
