Hasham Baig has carved a unique niche for himself in the Kingdom as a fashion stylist and art director. He shares his passions and inspirations with Woman This Month, gleaned from nearly 15 years of experience in the industry, and discusses his exciting plans for his fashion consultancy, La Mode.
“Coming from a design background, I always had a passion for fashion and creativity,” he says. His enthusiasm led to the creation of La Mode, where he channels his expertise to bring his clients’ visions to life.
When it comes to style, Hasham has a clear philosophy. “My signature style is basic colour outfits with statement pieces of jewellery or drapes of fabrics to enhance the look,” he explains. For makeup, a winged eyeliner is his timeless choice. “Basics never evolve or go out of fashion,” he asserts, showing his belief in simplicity paired with striking details.
As both a stylist and art director, balancing creativity with client expectations is key. “I am more about what the client needs or wants, and I work around it with my signature looks blended in a form of a mood board,” he shares. This personalised approach ensures his work aligns with his clients’ desires while maintaining his artistic integrity.
Hasham’s creative process begins with an initial client meeting. “After this, I start off with a mood board for the looks and style, followed by a personality board to layer it up,” he says. His sources of inspiration are varied, stemming from his motivation, self-love and years of expertise.
Among his many accomplishments, one project stands out as particularly memorable – designing and styling a window display for New Look Clothing’s flagship store on Oxford Street, London.
“My creative ability to think out of the box made it stand out,” he recalls. “In fact, this is an important skill to have in this ever-changing industry as staying relevant requires constant vigilance. Research, research and research is vital, including exploring and looking at fashion forecasts through different resources.”
“Collaboration also plays a very important role in getting final executions done, whether it’s with photographers, makeup artists, clothes or accessories. It is teamwork that makes a masterpiece.”
Hasham believes Bahrain holds great potential for a thriving fashion scene. “Some people follow fashion, but some don’t due to cultural aspects or lack of exposure compared to Europe or other countries,” he observes. “Although Dubai is the leading fashion hub in the GCC, I believe Bahrain can achieve similar prominence in the future.”
As for his advice to budding stylists and aspiring art directors, he offers the three tenets: “Research, think out of the box and never give up.” He will put these into practice himself this year with his many projects in the pipeline, including on working on personal styling and designing wardrobes for professionals who struggle with daily looks according to trends and seasons.
