Veteran Pakistani Event and Wedding Planner and CEO & Creative Head of Catwalk Event Management & Productions recently added another accolade to her long roster of awards (numbering over eighty) when she became the proud recipient of the ‘Favourite Planner Indian Subcontinent’ at the prestigious RSVP Global Awards 2023 held at the luxury Four Seasons Hotel in Madrid, Spain on March 30th, 2023.
The awards which include 18 different categories, recognize the finest talent of the wonderfully creative wedding and party industry.
RSVP is an exclusive membership-only community created among like-minded professionals from the global wedding and party industry who regularly host conferences, networking events; awards shows and other activities at different glamorous locales all over the globe. RSVP is ostensibly a unique way in which the luxury wedding and party world connects both physically and virtually throughout the year.
The RSVP Global Awards 2023 was a night filled with celebration, recognition, and appreciation for the incredible contributions of each and every member of the close-knit RSVP community.
Upon hearing about her well-deserved win, Altaf was delighted: “I am truly honoured to receive the RSVP Global Favourite Planner Indian Subcontinent 2023 Award.’ This award is voted in by RSVP members and peers from the global wedding and event industry from all over the world. For me to be recognised globally at the Four Seasons in Madrid Spain was an immense honour and I am truly humbled. I am also extremely happy to represent Pakistan on such a prestigious global platform like RSVP and earn honours for my country. As I was not able to attend the awards this year in Spain, I was nevertheless extremely touched that my friends from all over the world went on stage together to receive my award which was handed over by my very good friend Hella Huizinga from the Netherlands. The posse of friends included Brian Worley and Angela Profit from the United States; Edgardo Zamora from Argentina and Los Angeles: Sara Young from Malta; Eva Glimmer from Iceland; Arun Bhalani from the United Arab Emirates and Aba Chiara from Italy. I am truly blessed to have my global family of friends who I have become close to during the past ten years. I hope this journey continues for me because it has now become so much more gratifying than ever before as I have made such incredible friends with whom I have enjoyed such amazing experiences. As an event planner, artist and designer I would like to continue to serve my country Pakistan and create more exciting events all over the world in the years to come. I hope Catwalk Event Management & Productions continues to grow with the next generation – especially my son Turhan James – who are taking charge of the business.”
Over a period of 37 years Altaf’s name has become synonymous with ‘celebration’ whence she has planned and executed more than 3000 events, ranging from the intimate to the grand. Altaf strongly believes in innovation; giving back to Pakistan, and highlighting unique aspects of Pakistani culture and traditions.
A pioneer who conceptualised the prestigious Lux Style Awards (and the now ubiquitous Red Carpet in Pakistan), Engro Excellence Awards and Veet Supermodel, Altaf is also responsible for setting up the infrastructure for the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week and Fashion Pakistan Week that showcased Pakistan fashion to the world.
As Pakistan’s premier wedding planner, Catwalk Event Management & Productions has orchestrated myriad high-profile weddings both in Pakistan and in destination locales including a 5000 guests affair in Pakistan. Catwalk’s wedding portfolio includes high-profile clients whose guest lists include prime ministers and Bollywood celebrities while its bespoke destination weddings include locales ranging from the Middle East and Europe to South East Asia.
Altaf’s long list of awards includes “Woman of the Year Award bestowed to her by the Governor of Punjab at the Ladiesfund Women’s Awards 2019 for her tireless work as a child sexual abuse activist, a movement she initiated under the aegis of #meinbhi. Altaf also bagged the Leader of Industry in Event Management at Focus PK 2019. Some other noteworthy mentions include the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lux Style Awards, 2018 and another Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) earlier in 2017.
At the Destination Wedding Planning (DWP) Awards 2015 Altaf won the DWP Digital Diva Award 2015 and later the DWP Duck Face Award, 2016 and the DWP Tangy Tweeter Award, 2017 respectively.
Internationally Ms. Altaf has received certification from the United States Congress Department for Outstanding Achievement in Women Empowerment and Gender Equality.
A formidable activist Ms Altaf is a General Body Member of the NGO Aahung; an activist and Goodwill Ambassador for Sahil organization and has been a Pink Ribbon Ambassador for Breast Cancer Awareness in 2022. As a pioneer of Public Relations in Pakistan Ms Altaf presently serves as Senior Vice President of Pakistan’s Council for Public Relations, Event Management, Digital and Activations (PREDA) since the formation of the council in 2021. PREDA was founded on the principles of promoting an industry that is transparent, ethical and professional, while also endeavouring to set new benchmarks for industry standards and innovation including but not limited to financial integrity, ethical relationship management, fair businesses practices et al. Altaf received a Studio Arts degree from William Smith College in Geneva, N.Y. United States, and a diploma in Fashion Design from the International Academy of Design in Ontario, Canada.
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