Two Pakistanis added to BoF 500 list of global fashion leaders
- Designer Zain Ahmad and model Noor Khan are new additions to the BoF 500, recognized for shaping global fashion in 2026
Zain Ahmad and Noor Khan, two Pakistan-linked fashion figures, have been named to The Business of Fashion’s 500 list for 2026, recognizing their significant global industry impact.
- Zain Ahmad's Rastah brand and its global impact.
- Noor Khan's rapid ascent in international modeling.
- Faraz Manan's established presence on the BoF 500.
Two Pakistan-linked fashion figures have been featured in The Business of Fashion’s (BoF) 500 list for 2026, with designer Zain Ahmad named in the designers category and model Noor Khan recognised among models and muses.
Ahmad, founder and creative director of Lahore-based menswear label Rastah, joins luxury couturier Faraz Manan, who has been a member of the BoF 500 since 2024.
The BoF 500 recognises people shaping the global fashion industry across design, business and culture. According to the publication, its editors select members following nominations, research and interviews.
Ahmad founded Rastah in 2018, building the brand around South Asian craftsmanship and contemporary menswear. The label has held sold-out pop-ups in cities including New York, London and Paris and reached seven-figure revenue in 2025 without outside investment, according to BoF.
The publication said celebrities including Timothée Chalamet, Justin Bieber, Zayn Malik and Riz Ahmed have worn Rastah.
Ahmad, who grew up between Pakistan, London and Toronto, studied Political Economy at the University of British Columbia before returning to Pakistan to work with artisans including hand weavers and block printers.
Noor Khan, a Swedish-Pakistani model, has been recognised in the models and muses category. She made her international fashion debut in 2023 as an exclusive for the inaugural lookbook of Phoebe Philo’s namesake brand.
Khan made her official catwalk debut in September 2024, opening Prada’s Spring/Summer 2025 show as a Milan exclusive and later walking as a Paris Fashion Week exclusive for Saint Laurent’s Spring/Summer 2025 presentation.
Her campaign work has included projects for Phoebe Philo, Prada, Alaïa, Cos and Recto, while she also featured in a 78-page portfolio photographed by Juergen Teller for Harper’s Bazaar Italia’s Jubilee Issue in 2025. In April 2026, she was named Model of the Year at the Elle Gala in Sweden, according to BoF.
Manan, who joined the BoF 500 in 2024, is the founder and creative director of his eponymous luxury fashion brand. BoF describes him as a leading figure in Pakistan’s fashion industry, known for combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary silhouettes.
The Lahore-born designer launched his brand in 2003 and opened a boutique in Dubai in 2015. His designs have also gained attention among Bollywood celebrities, according to BoF.