“I was born in our amazing home which was very lovingly constructed by my dad and very well kept by my mother…”
Because it’s a Family Time
Saad Shahid
StyleIcon/Model/Professor
This time, we took a special interview of much known fashion celebrity Saad Shahid (a person behind high street brand 9LINES & Professor of Marketing), who is a lovable personality and always prefer to take all the relationships in a systematic manner… Here he shared the prized memories that splurge with his family …
- What’s your first memory?
My first memory would be my Montessori entrance test. I can still recall how nervous I was. You have to believe me when I say that I remember what I was wearing; yellow shorts and white shirt and my mother accompanied me. The one question they asked me and it’s still fresh in my mind is that, “What do you want to be when you grow old?”
My response: “Happy”
And that’s what I am, Happy.
- How did your parents meet?
Typical of the early 80s, match made by parents at a very early age. Quite a wise decision made by my grandmother. She was a woman of substance, career oriented individual and knew what she was getting into. Quite a thriving marriage I must say!
- Tell us about your childhood home?
I was born in our amazing home which was very lovingly constructed by my dad and very well kept by my mother. More than the house, it was the people who lived in it made it worth remembering. I still remember every bit of it very clearly. Apart from its grandeur, it had warmth.
- Tell us about your views, what you will have to do something unique & exclusive on your wedding day?
I want my wedding to be exclusive starting from the guest list to the arrangements. I believe wedding is a very personal affair. It should not be confused with an elaborate feast for everyone. I wish for a destination wedding, preferably beech side.
- What were your favourite school subjects?
I have always felt affiliated with science, especially Biology. I love ME! And I always thought that biology was helping me understand ME. You have asked but I have a confession, I detested Mathematics, we were never friends.
- What did you do with your first pay check?
As traditional as one can be, I took my mother for some impulsive shopping, gave some out in charity and being a shopaholic myself, I blew it all on shopping for clothes and accessories and most valuable of all the items was Levi’s Red Loop. Buying that was like a dream come true.
- Suggest any 4 tips how to take all the family relations in a proper manner?
I will sum this question up in four basic yet conclusive phrases:
- Learn to live with differences
- Unconditional love
- Be forgiving
- Learn to keep secrets
- How do you celebrate holidays with your family?
It is mostly lounging around at home and getting together for long chatting sessions which end up in dining out as a family and taking lots of crazy photos. We are very loud as a family! We all want to be heard at the same time.
- Tell us about some of the places where you’ve been happiest.
I am the happiest when I am traveling and exploring new places. I am crazy about traveling and new places and people excite me. I feel happiest whenever I go to London. London is home to me, it has this amazing welcoming vibe about it. Starting your day late leading to morning coffee in Soho, shopping, long walks and then a casual road side dinner leading to a late night movie at the theatre. This is what London is all about for me and may be that is why I am attached to it the most.
- Describe a typical family dinner. Did you all eat together as a family? Who did the cooking? What were your favourite foods?
A typical family dinner these days is filled with chaos because of numerous nephews and nieces but it is exciting to see how they are all growing up and I am glad I am seeing them grow up. With my grandfather around we always used to be together for dinner but we have gone casual after his sad demise, however, we do try to be together as much as we can. My mother has always cooked for us primarily because don’t like anyone else’s cooking. It might sound snobbish but she is actually the best cook in the world apart from being an amazing mother. I am a vegetarian so anything basic, spicy and veggie!
- How is the world today different from what it was like when you were a child?
Oh when I was a child, life was basic; it had VCRs and a huge television in the lounge. We used to watch cartoon movies on Fridays with our grandfather. No mobiles, no video games, no tablets! Just out door games and lots of book reading. This is how I grew up! World today, however, is far more shrewd. Children are far more desensitized than we used to be. Children today have more choices in shopping, food and entertainment activities. It is more like a transition from muslin to Microsoft!
