Yousuf Bashir Qureshi, ( ur, ; 2 March 1971), commonly known as YBQ, is a Pakistani fashion designer,
artist
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...
musician
A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...
, poet, and farmer. 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
City Railway Colony ( ur, سٹی ریلوے کالونی) is a neighbourhood in Saddar TownHasan Abdal. Additionally, through his mother, Abida Bashir, he has familial ties to Ajmer.
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
Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
- he also began ballet and developed a passion for fashion, art, and photography. His photographic work has been featured in publications such as Vogue (magazine) and
National Geographic
''National Geographic'' (formerly the ''National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is a popular American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. Known for its photojournalism, it is one of the most widely ...
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
. He worked for Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morrissette, and for movie outfit at The Matrix.
Qureshi's first designer clothing was a blend of traditional South Asian styles with his own touch. His fashion work is inspired by
Sufi mysticism
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
.
In 2004, YBQ relocated back to Pakistan. His family owned warehouses in Karachi became his base to start his career in Pakistan.
He has held several photography exhibitions. YBQ has also engaged in poetry in Dubai. 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. He had a minor role in
Shehzad Roy
Shehzad Roy (born 16 February 1977) is a Pakistani singer-songwriter, guitarist, activist, social worker and humanitarian. He started his singing career in 1995 and has recorded six albums since. He has recorded many hit songs such as "Saali," ...
’s music video for the song Jind Jaan.
Qureshi has been teaching courses in fashion design at
Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture
Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture () ( sd, انڊس ويلي اسڪول آف آرٽ اينڊ آرڪيٽيڪچر) is a not-for-profit degree awarding institution in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The university was established in 1989, ther ...
. In addition to his artistic pursuits, he manages the family farm in
Mirpur Sakro
Mirpur Sakro ( sd, ميرپورساڪرو,) is a village located 33 km away from Thatta. while it is 85 km away from Karachi. Mirpur Sakro is at an altitude of 35 meters. It is a small area having a population of around 17,500 settled ...
.
In 2016, Qureshi appeared in a supporting role of the movie at Senti Aur Mental. From that point on, YBQ began making occasional appearances in films and television series.