Yousuf Bashir Qureshi

Yousuf Bashir Qureshi
یوسف بشیر قریشی
Born (1971-03-02) 2 March 1971 (age 53)[1]
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
NationalityPakistani
LabelYBQDS
Websitewww.ybqds.com

Yousuf Bashir Qureshi, (Urdu: یوسف بشیر قریشی‎ ; 2 March 1971), commonly known as YBQ,[2] is a Pakistani fashion designer, artist, actor, musician, poet, and farmer.[3][4] His workplace, which includes his atelier and art and design studios housed in former warehouses known as “The Commune”, is located in Karachi’s City Railway Colony.[2][5]

Early life

As a child, YBQ attended the Steel Cadet College, a boarding school outside Karachi.[6] His family has a long-standing history in farming, with their ancestral home located in Hasan Abdal.[7] Additionally, through his mother, Abida Bashir, he has familial ties to Ajmer.[8]

Career

After completing his schooling, he continued his higher education in the United States. While studying at the University of Nebraska where he graduated with a degree in Food science - preparing him for a future career as a landowner in Sindh - he also began ballet and developed a passion for fashion, art, and photography.[4] His photographic work has been featured in publications such as Vogue (magazine) and National Geographic.[9] He briefly opened a café in Lincoln, Nebraska, before relocating in 1997 to Santa Monica, California to design costumes for Hollywood.[10][7] He worked for Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morrissette, and for movie outfit at The Matrix.[4]

Qureshi's first designer clothing was a blend of traditional South Asian styles with his own touch.[11][12] His fashion work is inspired by Sufi mysticism.[13][14]

In 2004, YBQ relocated back to Pakistan. His family owned warehouses in Karachi became his base to start his career in Pakistan.[10]

He has held several photography exhibitions. YBQ has also engaged in poetry in Dubai.[15] He occasionally performs music and, due to his deep voice, has recorded songs from time to time. For instance, in 2017, he recorded a Sufi-song with singer Natasha Baig.[16] He had a minor role in Shehzad Roy’s music video for the song Jind Jaan.[17]

Qureshi has been teaching courses in fashion design at Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture.[18] In addition to his artistic pursuits, he manages the family farm in Mirpur Sakro.[6]

In 2016, Qureshi appeared in a supporting role of the movie at Senti Aur Mental.[19] From that point on, YBQ began making occasional appearances in films and television series.

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2023 Neem Shah Alam "Baba Jan" [20]
2024 Noor Jahan Mukhtiar Shah [21]
Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum Akram [22]
Duniyapur Aurangzeb Adam

Films

Year Title Role Notes
2017 Senti Aur Mental Yousuf Bashir Qureshi Unfinished[23]
2019 Parey Hut Love Mahmud [24]

References

  1. ^ "Yousuf Bashir Qureshi". Karachi Art Directory. Karachi Biennale Trust. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b Qamar, Saadia (25 November 2012). "Being YBQ". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Collection of artwork: Yousuf Bashir Qureshi displays his 'Recollections'". tribune.com.pk. The Express Tribune. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Bukhari, Timsaal (27 June 2015). "Have you met this storyteller? YBQ tells his own tale". Dawn. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  5. ^ Rehman, Maliha (22 June 2022). "A costume show without the costumes". Images. Dawn. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b Mansuri, Anam (3 July 2010). "An artist of the floating world". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  7. ^ a b "My Philosophy to Living Unapologetically In Conversation with YBQ". Social Diary Magazine. 16 October 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  8. ^ Nayar, Aashmita (14 January 2016). "Why Was Noted Pakistani Designer Yousuf Bashir Qureshi Sweeping An Old House In Ajmer?". huffpost.com. HuffPost. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  9. ^ Abidi, Yusra (2 December 2014). "Yousuf Bashir Qureshi- A man of Capacity for Wonder!". ARY Blogs. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Yousuf Bashir Qureshi (YBQ)". IFMCH - Bridging the Gap. International Foundation for Mother and Child Health. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  11. ^ Qamar, Saadia (29 March 2015). "Staying true to the soil". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Pakistani artists to light up Washington DC". The Express Tribune. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  13. ^ Arzumanova, Inna (2019). "Veiled Visibility Racial Performances and Hegemonic Leaks in Pakistani Fashion Week". In Mukherjee, Roopali; Banet-Weiser, Sarah; Gray, Herman (eds.). Racism postrace. Durham: Duke University Press. pp. 264–282. ISBN 978-1-4780-0325-0.
  14. ^ Akmal, Adeela (1 June 2018). "The natural nearest form". thenews.com.pk. The News International. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Pakistan's YBQ to bring poetry to Dubai". gulfnews.com. Gulf News. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  16. ^ Khan, Manal Faheem (6 July 2017). "Natasha Baig's fashionably Sufi collaboration with YBQ". thenews.com.pk. The News International. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  17. ^ Rehman, Maliha (25 February 2016). "My sponsors felt my album was too controversial, says Shehzad Roy". Images. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  18. ^ Guzder, Deena (1 October 2010). "United Pakistan: A Fashionista Designs a Flood Relief Plan". pulitzercenter.org. Pulitzer Center. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  19. ^ Shabbir, Buraq (5 May 2016). ""Pakistani cinema could become a job provider in the future."". Inline Magazine. The News International. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Drama, betrayal and heartbreak — these new serials are a must-watch". dailytimes.com.pk. Daily Times. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  21. ^ "I got irritated in the first 15 minutes: Kubra". Daily Times. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  22. ^ Nadeem, Syed Omer. "Everything you need to know about 'Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum'". arydigital.tv. ARY Digital. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Yasra Rizvi Announces Not to Complete Shoot Of 'Senti Aur Mental'; Releases a Song From Film". PakistaniCinema.Net. 24 December 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  24. ^ Shabbir, Buraq (6 May 2019). "Parey Hut Love trailer hints at a grand melodrama". Instep Today. The News International. Retrieved 14 August 2024.