Before "Erum Khan," There Was "Medley" — The Name Change Nobody Mentions
Every current article about Erum Khan jumps straight to "luxury bridal couture founded in 2012." Almost none of them mention that her very first fashion label wasn't called Erum Khan at all — it launched under a completely different name. We dug through her actual career timeline, her studio's exact address, and a quiet inconsistency in her own brand's founding story that nobody else has pointed out.
The Forgotten First Name: "Medley"
Here's the detail that's missing from virtually every write-up of this designer: Erum Khan entered the fashion industry in 2009, after completing her Master's degree in Business Administration — not a fashion degree, an MBA. But her very first fashion label wasn't launched under her own name. In 2010, she introduced her debut collection under the label "Medley," which, according to a contemporary profile, "received an overwhelming response from the public at large."
It was only afterward that the brand evolved into what's now known as Erum Khan — meaning the label most people associate with her today isn't actually her first brand name, a detail that's effectively disappeared from current coverage.
A Small Inconsistency in Erum Khan's Own Founding Story
Worth flagging honestly: Erum Khan Couture's own official "About Us" page states the brand was "Founded in 2012," while the same page elsewhere describes Erum Khan as having "Launched in 2011." Combined with the earlier "Medley" 2010 debut and her 2009 industry entry, the full picture is less a single clean founding date and more a multi-year transition — 2009 (entered the industry), 2010 (Medley launch), 2011–2012 (Erum Khan brand establishment). Most coverage picks one of these dates and repeats it without acknowledging the others exist.
Erum Khan's Early Recognition
By 2012, Erum Khan had been named Best Fashion Designer at an awards event in Islamabad, and was nominated again for Best Fashion Designer in 2013. Her early outlets were based in Rawalpindi and Islamabad — not Lahore, where her brand is now headquartered — with her collections also distributed through stores in Lahore and other cities. She went on to showcase at Bridal Couture Week and Pakistan Fashion Week, and exhibited collections internationally in London and the US.
Where Erum Khan Is Based Today
Erum Khan Couture's current studio operates from 76-B-1, M.M. Alam Road, Gulberg III, Lahore — a shift from her original Rawalpindi/Islamabad base in the brand's early years, reflecting the label's growth into Lahore's established designer retail district.
Our Sakeena London Partnership With Erum Khan
Before stocking Erum Khan on our platform, our Sakeena London team held a direct meeting with Erum Khan's own owner to arrange UK stock — not a deal brokered through an unverified third-party reseller. Hassan Mujtaba, designer on the Sakeena London team, led the discussion and finalized the agreement between both parties, securing a direct line from the brand's own ownership to our UK customers.
That relationship is what lets us stand behind every Erum Khan piece we sell as genuine, verified stock — not guesswork based on product photos alone.
What It's Actually Like Inside Erum Khan's Lahore Outlet
Beyond the business side, our team also visited Erum Khan's own outlet in Lahore in person, and the layout says a lot about how the brand actually operates on the ground.
The ground/first floor is dedicated to bridal wear, laid out so customers can browse and select dresses at their own pace, without feeling rushed. A dedicated fitting room is available right there, so customers can try on a piece and properly check how it actually looks on them before deciding — with Erum Khan's own in-store team guiding sizing and fit throughout, rather than leaving customers to guess.
The second floor is where the brand's unstitched dress collection is displayed, and here the experience is different again: customers are able to open up a piece's embroidery and physically examine the patches and handwork up close, verifying the construction quality themselves rather than relying on a photo or a description.
It's this kind of in-person detail — the floor layout, the try-on process, the ability to inspect embroidery patches directly — that almost never makes it into any article about Erum Khan, but it's exactly the sort of thing that reassures a buyer the brand's craftsmanship holds up beyond a product listing.
Erum Khan's Brand Philosophy
According to the brand's own official description, Erum Khan Couture is "revered for its unparalleled craftsmanship, timeless sophistication, and bold, avant-garde aesthetic," built on "seamlessly intertwining heritage-rich craftsmanship with modern sensibilities." The brand states its mission as curating "statement pieces that epitomize grandeur and individuality" — spanning handcrafted bridal couture through to opulent formal wear.
In 2021, the brand expanded its offering with the launch of the Festive Unstitched Collection, described as "an exquisite fusion of regal design and meticulous artistry, offering an entryway into the world of EK at accessible price points" — a deliberate move to make the label's aesthetic available at a lower price point than full couture.
Erum Khan Collections: What the Brand Is Known For
1. Bridal Couture Erum Khan's flagship category, featuring handcrafted bridal pieces described by the brand as telling "tales of tradition" through intricate embellishment and regal silhouettes.
2. Luxury Formals Opulent formal wear designed, in the brand's words, "to command attention" — positioned for receptions, festive events, and wedding-guest dressing.
3. Festive Unstitched Collection Introduced in 2021, this unstitched line offers Erum Khan's design language at a more accessible entry point, including named editions like Velvet Edit (featuring pieces such as Serenity and Petal, crafted in luxurious velvet kaftans with hand-embellished detailing) and Jahan Wedding '25.
4. Western Wear A less-publicized side of the brand, Erum Khan also designs western silhouettes alongside her core eastern formal and bridal lines, reflecting the diversity noted in early profiles of her work.
Signature Fabrics and Design Elements
- Velvet – featured in the brand's Velvet Edit collection, often styled as kaftans with hand-embellished necklines
- Chiffon, Net & Organza – used across bridal and formal pieces
- Hand Embellishment – intricate handwork is central to the brand's bridal couture positioning
Why Erum Khan Is Popular Among Pakistani Fashion Buyers
- Over 15 years of continuous industry presence, dating back to her 2009 entry into fashion
- Early, verifiable award recognition (Best Fashion Designer, 2012)
- A genuine international showcase history, including London and US exhibitions
- A deliberate accessible entry point through the Festive Unstitched Collection, alongside full bridal couture
Because Erum Khan is a long-established, high-demand brand sold through multiple UK and international stockists, buying through a verified, trusted stockist remains important for ensuring authentic fabric and embellishment quality.
Shop Genuine Erum Khan Collections at Sakeena London
At Sakeena London, we stock Erum Khan's collections — from the Festive Unstitched line to Velvet Edit formals and bridal couture — sourced as authentic stock. Ordering through Sakeena London gives you:
- Curated Erum Khan catalogue — unstitched, formals, and bridal pieces in one place
- Custom stitching service — every unstitched piece tailored to your exact measurements
- Fast UK delivery — plus shipping to the USA, Canada, and the Gulf
- 24/7 WhatsApp customer support — real help with sizing, stitching, and order tracking
Styling Tips for Erum Khan Outfits
- Festive Unstitched & Velvet Edit: Keep accessories minimal and let the hand-embellished detailing and fabric richness lead the look
- Luxury Formals: Add statement jewelry and heels for receptions and festive evening events
- Bridal Couture: Let the heavy embellishment take center stage — pair with classic, understated hairstyling and makeup
Frequently Asked Questions About Erum Khan
What was Erum Khan's first fashion label called? Her debut collection launched in 2010 under the label "Medley," before the brand evolved into what's now known as Erum Khan.
When was Erum Khan actually founded? The brand's own site gives two different dates — "Founded in 2012" and "Launched in 2011" — on top of her 2009 industry entry and 2010 Medley debut, making it more of a multi-year transition than a single clean founding date.
Has Erum Khan won any fashion awards? Yes — she was named Best Fashion Designer in 2012 at an Islamabad awards event, and was nominated again for Best Fashion Designer in 2013.
Where is Erum Khan Couture based now? The brand's studio is located at 76-B-1, M.M. Alam Road, Gulberg III, Lahore, though her early outlets were based in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
What is Erum Khan best known for? Handcrafted bridal couture and luxury formal wear, alongside the more accessible Festive Unstitched Collection introduced in 2021.
Can I get Erum Khan suits custom stitched? Yes — through Sakeena London's custom stitching service, unstitched pieces are tailored to your exact measurements before shipping.
Does Erum Khan ship internationally? Erum Khan's pieces are available through authorized stockists like Sakeena London, which ships worldwide, including to the UK, USA, Canada, and the Gulf region.
Does Sakeena London have a direct relationship with Erum Khan? Yes — our designer Hassan Mujtaba held a direct meeting with Erum Khan's own owner to arrange UK stock and finalized the agreement between both parties, rather than sourcing through unverified resellers.
What is Erum Khan's Lahore outlet actually like? The outlet is laid out across two floors — bridal wear with a fitting room and in-store sizing guidance on the first floor, and the unstitched dress collection on the second floor, where customers can open up pieces to inspect the embroidery and patches directly.
Conclusion
Erum Khan's actual career timeline — an MBA graduate who entered fashion in 2009, launched her first label under the entirely different name "Medley" in 2010, and only later established the Erum Khan brand amid some inconsistency in her own site's founding dates — is a story that's been quietly flattened into a single clean "founded in 2012" line by most coverage. From early recognition as Best Fashion Designer in 2012 to today's Lahore studio and Festive Unstitched Collection, this is the most complete, accurate picture of the designer's journey currently available online — backed by a direct meeting between our designer Hassan Mujtaba and Erum Khan's own owner, and a first-hand visit to the brand's Lahore outlet, before any stock reached our shelves.
Looking to shop the latest Erum Khan unstitched, formal, or bridal collection with custom stitching and fast doorstep delivery across the UK? [Browse our full Erum Khan collection at Sakeena London] and message us on WhatsApp for real-time styling and sizing support.
