Lifestyle Vistas

In its March-April 2011 edition, Aurora profiled Nabila, theiconic stylist and entrepreneur, and asked whether her“borderline obsession with beauty” might be consideredsuperficial. She disagreed, instead describing her‘inside-out’ philosophy: “I think that looking good is directlylinked to feeling good and having high self-esteem. Feelinggood is what motivates me, so I assume that it can motivateothers as well.”

Nearly 15 years later, this mindset seems to have fullypermeated the Pakistani consumer psyche. Over the past 27years, Aurora has chronicled the transformation of lifestylechoices in Pakistan; in beauty and personal care, fashion andtextiles, health and wellness, real estate and more. Theseshifts have been driven by the rise of mall culture, expandeddigital access, changing aspirations and a growing desire forholistic living – all dramatically accelerated by the pandemic.In the late nineties, Aurora‘s coverage of the beauty sectorfocused on fairness creams and imported skincare brandsthat mirrored both global and local aspirational ideals. Overtime, this narrative changed. According to Statista, Pakistan’sbeauty and personal care market is projected to reach $5.10billion in 2025, up from $1.7 billion in 2018, with 7.3% of salesexpected online. This growth is fuelled by digital literacyand a surge in home-grown brands such as Her Beauty,Conatural, and Sapphire Botanics, many of which emphasiseclean beauty and sustainability. Even traditional players likeSaeed Ghani have rebranded to stay relevant, evolving theircommunication strategies to reflect values such as inclusivity,individuality, and self-care.

The fashion and textile industry has undergone an equallydramatic shift. Where early Aurora issues tracked the riseof Khaadi and Gul Ahmed as retail disruptors, today’sbrands have become full-fledged lifestyle houses, offeringnot only apparel but home decor, perfumes, footwear andaccessories. With a combined market value of over $5.6billion, these brands have expanded into Pakistan’s secondandthird-tier cities, democratising fashion. More importantly,they have embraced inclusive storytelling. Campaignssuch as Generation’s ‘Greater Than Fear’, which featuredmodels with vitiligo, hair loss, and diverse body types, havechallenged outdated beauty norms and reshaped howfashion reflects society.

The wellness movement is a newer but equally powerfulforce. Although fragmented in data, Pakistan’s health and fitnessmarket was estimated at $1.67 billion in 2022. Aurora hasreported on the rise of high-end gyms, therapy practices, andmindfulness-based experiences, including yoga, meditation,and sound healing. While wellness remains largely limited toupper-income groups due to cost and accessibility, it reflects anemerging cultural shift, where mental clarity, work-life balance,and self-optimisation are increasingly valued.

Another vital – and often underestimated – reflection ofchanging lifestyles is real estate. Over the past decade, Aurorahas documented how the category evolved from traditionalproperty sales to aspirational living. Real estate advertising,once driven by price and plot size, is now focused on lifestyle,community, and urban escape. Brands such as Emaar, DHA,and Bahria Town have transformed their messaging to sell notjust homes, but aspirations – gated communities with smarthomes, green belts, shopping districts, wellness clubs, andeven art installations. Projects like ARY Laguna went a stepfurther by branding themselves around ‘Pakistan’s first manmadebeach,’ illustrating how real estate is no longer just aboutshelter – it’s about status, experience, and future-proof living.

Over nearly three decades, Aurora has not only reported onthese shifts but helped decode how advertising both reflectsand reinforces evolving values. Today’s Pakistani consumer nolonger sees lifestyle choices as fragmented. Beauty, fashion,wellness, and even real estate have coalesced into a singlepursuit: living better and more meaningfully. What was onceaspirational is now expected – and in this journey, advertisinghas served as both mirror and map.

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