Vaneeza Ahmad or Vaneeza Ahmed is a Pakistani model, actress, and singer. She has seen success as the face of some of the leading brands in Pakistan, and is the first Pakistani model to walk the ramps for famous international designers such as Donna Karan and Calvin Klein.
Biography
Early life
Vaneeza Ahmad was born into a Muslim family in Murree, Pakistan, and later moved to Germany with her parents to study. Ahmad reportedly said to news media that when she was a youngster, the college students those days mostly had three career options – medicine, engineering or teaching. Modelling as a career was not an option for girls back then. Ahmad returned to Pakistan at the age of 18 to attend the Kinnaird Collegeliberal arts university in Lahore and graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology. While at University, Ahmad started to model casually. Although not much interested in modelling as a career option, she was showered with offers from various fashion designers, some of which were notable in the Pakistani fashion industry including the likes of fashion designer Nilofer Shahid.
Modelling as a career
When designer Nilofer Shahid approached Ahmad, she was unsure of which career to pursue and settled for fashion modeling. Her initial walks at fashion shows led fashion critics to praise her elegance on the cat-walk. In dealings with corporate heads of the entertainment industry, her business acumen was similarly praised.
''Vaneeza'', the brand
Ahmad conceived the brand name Vlawn for her range of lawn fabrics and the branding created a hype among the fashion conscious public. The collection consisted of nine different lawn prints created by designers that included Nomi Ansari, Umar Sayeed and Hassan Sheheryar Yasin. In March 2006, the collection sold-out in a series of exhibitions. In 2011, she continued with her "VLawn" brand of women's lawn suits.
Acting and acclaim
Ahmad made her acting debut in Jamal Shah's controversial saga Kal and has since acted in Marina Khan's Tum Hi Tau Ho, Janey Anjaney and Tum Say Mil Ker; Armaan; Khayal; and Talaash . She played the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah's daughter Dina Wadia in Jamil Dehlavi's 1998 biographical film, Jinnah. On 16 April 2008, Vaneeza Ahmad was selected as one of the Olympic torch bearers when the torch arrived in Islamabad. She was one of the few selected celebrities to hold the torch in the relay out of the chosen 66.
Personal life
She married Islamabad-based businessman Ali Afzal Malik in July 2010 and has two daughters. She also runs her own side business besides her responsibility as a mother.
