EMERGING DESIGNER

Sanjeeda Baig

IN THIS FEATURE: Meet Sanjeeda Fashion Focus

Kashan-e-Sanjeeda woman is trendy, sophisticated and cultured. She has developed her own personal style; someone who admires Katherine Hepburn, and respects Greta Garbo.

Sanjeeda Baig was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1969, her father was a freelance writer for a magazine, and her stylish mother was a creative homemaker. After Sanjeeda's birth, her father decided to move the family to another city called Lahore, "The Hollywood of Pakistan" and become a movie director. Sanjeeda spent the first ten years of her childhood playing dress-up with costumes and hanging around movie stars. This was her first encounter with garments and glamour.

Sanjeeda's family had a personal tailor until she was 16 years of age. She would explain her ideas and have creations made by the tailor. In 1985 her family moved to the United States. Because of the move, Sanjeeda no longer had anyone to create her designs. Even though Sanjeeda's mother sewed very well, she couldn't get her mother to understand her design concepts. So one day her mother handed over the sewing machine and started teaching Sanjeeda to sew.

At the age of 16, Sanjeeda designed and made her first ensemble, which was applauded by friends and family, which encouraged her creativity. No matter how different or weird her designs were, her parents always supported her vision.

Sanjeeda's father viewed her future to be quite contradictory to what eventually became of her. "A doctor", he always said, "My baby will be a world famous physician." Sometimes he compared her to Indra Gandhi, the first woman president of India.

In 1987, after graduating high school, she went back to Pakistan for a vacation and instead stayed for two years and enrolled in the Bedwear Design Institute of Pakistan. She then began designing for private clients.

In 2003 a fashion show director approached her and asked if she would like to present her collection in a local fashion show, which she agreed. Sandjeeda had less than three months to come up with a new collection. She worked vigorously to present her collection which was highly praised by the audience.

Sanjeeda realized that she needed to go back to school to learn new skills. So, 20 years later, Sanjeeda decided to go back to school where she is currently enrolled at Keiser College's Fashion Design and Merchandising Program.