- As the first female head-of-state in the Muslim world, Benazir Bhutto’s impact continues to inspire people in Pakistan and beyond.
- Benazir Bhutto became the first Pakistani personality to be commemorated at Madame Tussauds, with her iconic green and white attire on display in London and Dubai.
- Designed by Maheen Khan, Bhutto’s green dress, with high puffed sleeves and a white dupatta, became a timeless style statement and symbol of her fusion of traditional and modern fashion.
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, an enduring and revered figure in Pakistan’s history, remains an extraordinary woman whose legacy continues to inspire. Apart from her historic feat as the first female head-of-state in the Muslim world, her impact persists in the present day. Benazir Bhutto became the first Pakistani personality to be commemorated at Madame Tussauds in Dubai in her iconic green outfit.
Her distinction lies in being the first Pakistani to be honored with a Madame Tussauds wax figure, prominently displayed at the museum in London and now also in Dubai. The wax statue captures her in the iconic green outfit with a white head scarf she wore during her historic swearing-in ceremony as Pakistan’s first female prime minister on December 2, 1988.
The unveiling event was graced by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Bhutto’s son, who proudly revealed the stunning statue to the world.
With immense pride and humility, I attended the unveiling of the statue of the first Pakistani personality to be commemorated at Madame Tussauds today in Dubai – the inimitable, the indomitable, the irreplaceable, my mother, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
I am sure that this… pic.twitter.com/xRshlEu5aB
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) July 31, 2023
Sanaz Kollsrud, the general manager of Madame Tussauds in Dubai, told The Khaleej Times.
“The statue was presented to Benazir when it was displayed. She chose the style and costume with the artists at that time. We were happy that we could borrow a wax figure and have it here. It has been refreshed, and there is a lot of extra work done on the figure,”
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History Behind Benazir Bhutto’s Iconic Green Outfit
Known for her timeless style statements that are copied till date by popular personalities and heads of states, Benazir Bhutto was graceful in all that she adorned. Shared by the iconic emerald green dress designer, Maheen Khan tells a tale on how the bespoke outfit came into being.
The designer took to Instagram to share details and fondly remembered how the late Benazir Bhutto had insisted on high puffed sleeves and complained that her dupatta did not stay and instead slipped off. To solve this problem, Khan had paired the gorgeous green silk kameez with a white blended muslin dupatta. The outfit created a craze and the green colored fabric was sold out in markets all over the country the next day.
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Benazir Bhutto’s choice to wear a traditional Pakistani 80’s style dress with puffy sleeves, tailored with modern elegance, set a trend for women in politics. Her ability to merge cultural elements with contemporary fashion showcased her versatility and flair as a leader who could bridge the gap between tradition and modernity. The emerald green outfit remains synonymous with Bhutto till date, years after her assassination.
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