Incubation, Identity, and the Art of Fashion
Fashion designer Pharaoh Farrukh creates fashion that transcends clothing; it is a study in transformation.
Born in Pakistan on December 2, 1990, Farrukh grew up with an instinctive attraction to art, visual expression, and aesthetic exploration. His move to the United Kingdom in 2017 proved to be a decisive turning point, a moment that reshaped both his life and his creative voice.
It was evident that Pharaoh’s talent carried rare potential when we first met years ago at a London Fashion Week after-party in Mayfair . Having graduated from Saint Martins after four years in Fashion and worked in fashion as a designer, then PR , press and art, I have often come across exceptional talent that I have mentored. Pharaoh Farrukh is such a talent and I have followed and championed his evolution ever since.
His latest collection, ‘Sweet Lily Lies’, was unveiled at the Mr Porter showcase on Park Lane. Hosted by the successful fashion entrepreneur Alan Endfield in association with Mr Porter, this House of Aristocrats Catwalk Collection was a showcase of drama, androgyny and modern opulence.
At first glance, the collection appeared to celebrate the floral elegance of lilies, an aesthetic perfectly attuned to the optimism of spring. Yet beneath this apparent simplicity lies a far more layered narrative.
During his research Farrukh encountered ‘Lilli’ a vintage German doll widely regarded as the predecessor or grandmother of Barbie. From this discovery the collection evolved into a meditation on perception itself: the quiet possibility that many of the stories presented to us by society, culture and even personal relationships may not be entirely true. Not malicious lies but creatively constructed illusions designed to maintain harmony.
“Beauty sometimes lives inside those lies,” Farrukh reflects.
“Sometimes they are simply harmless excuses that help maintain peace.”
To express this duality, the collection juxtaposes vibrant floral fabrics and luminous colour palettes with bold, sculptural silhouettes that project powerful feminine energy. The garments moved with fluid grace, while the styling embraced the spirit of Lilli, playful, glamorous and knowingly provocative. The result is a fashion universe where innocence, nostalgia, satire and fantasy collide.
Under his label ‘House of Aristocrats’ , Farrukh delivered a catwalk presentation that filled the venue to capacity, a packed-to-the-rafters showcase of theatrical design and experimental beauty. The runway unfolded as a bold exploration of gender fluidity, cultural inclusivity and drama. Silhouettes were commanding yet fluid, moving with quiet authority as models navigated the runway in garments that spoke a language of fearless androgyny and contemporary opulence.
Sustainability remains central to Farrukh’s practice. Wherever possible he reimagines with existing garments and forgotten fabrics, transforming treasured materials into couture pieces with renewed life. When suitable pieces cannot be found for upcycling, he searches fabric warehouses and suppliers specifically for specially selected excess textile stock. These remaining offcuts of high end fabrics become the starting point for imagination.
“I want to create something extraordinary with whatever material I’m given,” he says.
At the heart of Farrukh’s philosophy lies a rejection of fashion elitism. In his view, authentic personal style should never be dependent upon wealth or vast creative teams. True elegance emerges from individuality, collaboration and creative courage.
“You don’t need millions of pounds to look expensive,” he explains.
“And you don’t need a whole team of experts to create one garment. Sometimes a designer friend can make something far more special.
Why pay for labels when you are a label?”
Farrukh’s creative vision is deeply influenced by the intimate relationship between artist and creation.
Among the designers he most admires is Alexander McQueen, whose work embodied the idea that fashion becomes art only through the presence and spirit of its creator.
He is equally inspired by the surreal imagination of Elsa Schiaparelli, the architectural innovation of Nicolas Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton, and the cultural energy brought to modern fashion by Pharrell Williams. Looking ahead, Farrukh speaks of his future with renewed confidence.
“My future is to shine,” he says.
“To shine unapologetically and finally let my inner businessman come out.”
Long before fashion became his profession, creativity was always present in Farrukh’s life, from painting interiors to styling those around him. Yet, like many raised within structured expectations, he initially pursued a more traditional path of dentistry. For Farrukh the discipline held a surprising resonance. Dentistry, after all, is defined as both science and art, a duality that mirrored his own creative instincts.
His academic journey eventually brought him to Scotland, where in 2017 he enrolled at the University of Dundee as a postgraduate student studying forensic dentistry.
Even during his medical training, however, people often sensed another destiny for him.
Patients and professors alike frequently remarked that he seemed destined for fashion or show business. His presence and personal style rarely blended easily into the clinical environment.
Ironically, despite standing out visually, he often excelled professionally. He still describes himself as ‘ a surgeon at heart’ , a precision reflected in the meticulous construction of his garments.
Curiosity eventually led Farrukh toward formal fashion training.
While working as a junior doctor in Pakistan he enrolled in a vocational fashion and textile course at the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Textile Design in his hometown of Faisalabad. Those classes became a hidden gateway into another world. Occasionally, after quietly slipping away from hospital shifts, he would arrive at fashion school instead. In the university car park he would change out of his clinical uniform into expressive clothing before entering the building, attempting once again to blend into an entirely different universe.
The pressures of medical training eventually forced him to abandon the course. The experience confirmed something he had always known intuitively, that
he had been designing all his life. As a child he played with dolls alongside his sisters, sewing miniature garments and experimenting with fabric and shape. Later he began designing clothes for himself, an instinct that would eventually evolve into what he now describes as ‘circular couture’, design rooted in transformation and reuse.
Life in the United Kingdom marked another profound transformation.
Scotland in particular became what Farrukh describes as a ‘ kind of creative nest ‘ , a place of incubation where his identity slowly formed
, his artistic voice developed gradually within this new environment.
The journey was not without difficulty. There were periods of loneliness, uncertainty and limited support from family. Entering the fashion world without industry connections often left him feeling like an outsider. Yet those challenges also became part of his training, the crucible in which his artistic identity formed.
Farrukh has always had a petite frame, what he jokingly calls “doll size.” As a South Asian man, he often found standard men’s clothing overwhelming on his smaller build, while social expectations made it difficult to experiment openly with women’s garments. So he created another solution. If a garment fit him even slightly, he altered it, reshaped it and reconstructed it until it felt right. Designing for himself became both a necessity and a creative playground.
This instinct continues to define his work today. For Farrukh, success will not be measured solely by the garments he creates. What matters even more is whether he can influence the structure of the fashion industry itself.
“If two tailors work for the same company,” he asks,
“why should the one in an atelier in France be valued differently from the tailor working in India?”
His ambition reaches beyond clothing.
“If I can help style the structure, not just the clothes and build people’s confidence through that,” he exclaims,
“that will make me proud. That is when I will feel proud in front of my daddy.”
written by @kim.grahame
Catwalk photos: @mihaitocaru
Guest photos : @mihaitocaru @2025nikonmatt78 @kim.grahame @hadriantulk
@houseofaristocrats
@pharaoh_farrukh
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