A Magical World of Modern Marvels

“Who would I be if I could really ‘be’?” This is a question not many of us have had the privilege of asking. Allowing ourselves to truly be seen is perhaps one of the most intimidating parts of life; we are often quick to snuff out that little flickering light – the heart and lightness of the child within us – that tells us who we really are. However, life mirrors and reflects every aspect in which we need to grow – and, as I have grown older, I have found that in every sphere of life, I need to find the strength within to live with courage, confidence and congruence to truly shine.

As I prepared to step into my big 40 earlier this year, I chose to make a milestone change in my career, moving forward from a 14-year career in advertising and launching myself into the dynamic world of textiles at Image Pakistan. I was excited to take the next step but was quickly humbled; nothing prepared me for the whirlwind of activity and on-spot learning that was very quickly required. This momentous change has brought me a wealth of experience in an expansive new role – every day brings new learning; every challenge is a test of mettle.

Presently, a day in my life simply does not have enough hours – like many people, I love my sleep and snooze through many alarms that start trilling in my ear from 7:15 a.m. Once my feet hit the ground though, it’s all systems go. Getting up, getting dressed and getting going is what gives my day structure and a drive to succeed. Every morning is powered by checking the messages in our many work WhatsApp groups and filing away mental notes of the day’s priorities. Irrespective of what I decide to wear, I always opt for comfort over fashion – a comfortable me is a productive me. Like most professionals, I carry (practically) my whole house with me as I rush out to work – I grab my purse (read: survival kit), laptop bag and a water bottle to keep me going. After a harrowing drive to Shahrah-e-Faisal, I am ready to face the day, enjoying the brief calm before the storm. No morning is complete without a detailed list of tasks from our performance marketing agencies – at nine sharp, they send out the requirements for the day, which I immediately shoot off to my team so the writing and design work can begin.

Walking into the Image office is like being on the set of Ugly Betty – a magical world of mannequins, machines and modern marvels. The walls are adorned with colourful art; steel panel displays feature rows of gleaming reels of thread – colourful, playful and a gentle reminder of how this simple thread is transformed into iconic statement pieces. In this line of fashion retail, no one day is the same – each day brings its own demands, its own launches, its own unique troubleshooting – and this dynamism is what makes me click. Working with a young leadership and in a women-centric environment is both empowering and refreshing – they are fashion-forward, ambitious and open to exploring new technologies and going global to make their mark.

I read somewhere that being in marketing is like having 55 tabs open in your head – this could not be truer and resilience is very much the need of the day. The work day kicks off at nine sharp, and here every minute counts – the demands of the day often require me to be in octopus mode (the need to be everywhere all at once). Organisation and structure are key to staying on top of things. I start with listing tasks for the day and align with the leadership to lock in priorities and urgent action. This includes shoot alignments, collection launches and PR, ITC course announcements, external vendors, brand partnerships, internal communications, job posting, and website management (for all five countries – India, Pakistan, the UAE, the UK and the US) for an enhanced visitor experience. As a team, we work in synergy in a dynamic environment, producing work in line with international innovation and best practices, exploring new technologies, and getting to put it out there in real-time; the results are evident in our marketing numbers, and that makes all the effort worth it!

As the day comes to a close and I head home, I am tired but deeply satisfied by all that has been achieved. Coming home offers me a chance to come down after a long day and enjoy moments of connection – the survival kit is relinquished to a corner, and I enjoy catching up with my spouse over a meal, being a listening ear for each other and giggling at the silly stuff. Some evenings, I stop to spend a little time with my parents before heading home; other days, my evenings are taken up with client work and supervision. No matter what happens, after dinner, I indulge in the guilty pleasure of an episode of a Pakistani drama, or if I have enough time, dabble with paints to bring myself into the present moment. Sure enough, when I am finally relaxed, some idea for work will pop into my head and I will have the need to urgently share it before I forget. Perhaps the loveliest part of my evening is, as I am falling asleep, reflecting on and being proud of all the ways I found the courage to make my voice count that day.

Batool Habib Curmally is Associate Head of Marketing, Image Pakistan.batoolh@gmail.com