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History of Bibi.
Launched in the summer of 2000, Bibi is the longest-running, largest-circulated South Asian fashion magazine is the country and is seen as the benchmark in South Asian Bridal and Fashion publications. Bibi Magazine, started as the cumulative effort of Ayesha Hakki and her partners, Shabana Haq and Zooni. When Bibi first started publication as a thrice-yearly print magazine and supporting website, no other such magazine existed in the US. The very first issue of Bibi was carried nationwide by mega-chains such as Borders, an unusual feat by an unknown, independent publisher. By the second issue, other book retailers such as Barnes and Noble followed suit, making Bibi available in 40 states nationwide and with limited distribution in Canada, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the UK. A redesign in 2003 increased the frequency of the magazine and hence, doubled circulation within one year.
Seen as a leader in the South Asian Publishing market, Bibi keeps reinventing itself according to the needs of its maturing demographic. Thus, in 2007, Bibi shifted its editorial focus to the Internet with a complete overhaul of its website. Now, BibiMagazine.com is a innovative online portal that delivers the best of the Bibi content in a modern and timely manner.
In addition to the magazine and website, Bibi runs its Public Relations arm of the brand called Bibi PR which holds regular bridal show, fashion shows, parties and other lifestyle-related events throughout the country. In 2006, Bibi introduced its fashion line at BibiBazaar.com.
About the Publisher.
Ayesha Hakki is Editor and Publisher of Bibi Magazine. Since its inception in 2000, Ayesha has established Bibi magazine and Bibimagazine.com as the largest, most notable South Asian-American fashion and bridal publication and website in the US marketplace.
Ayesha knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a part of the publishing and fashion world. In high school, Ayesha was the school paper's fashion editor. During her college years, she was hired by a new men's magazine and quickly accelerated to the position of Assistant Editor. At Rutgers University, her alma mater, Ayesha landed an internship at New Jersey Good Life Magazine which lead to her being hired by Ladies' Home Journal where she remained for the next few years. Starting her own design firm in 1997, Ayesha consulted on the launch of three other magazines, Men's Club, AlleyCat News and Culinary Thymes, before launching her own Bibi Magazine. Known for her cutting edge design skills and incisive writing, Ayesha has won many awards for her work. Celebrities that she has interviewed include, Shah Rukh Khan, Bobby Deol, Saif Ali Khan, Raveena Tandon, Maliaka Arora, Daler Mehdi, Lisa Ray, Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta, Susmita Sen, Amitabh Bachchan, Arjun Rampal, Kal Penn, Nadia Ali, Deepa Mehta, Junoon, Strings, Junaid Jamshed, Yasmin Ismail, Rahat Kazmi, Sarita Chaudhruy amongst others. She is a regular contributor on IntentBlog.com. Ayesha is also involved with a number of non-profit organizations specifically those for the advancement of women's issues and the alleviation of illiteracy in South Asia.
Bibi Magazine and its founders (Ayesha Hakki, Zooni and Shabana Haq) have received many accolades for its performance, including an achievement award from the Asia Houston Network aptly named, “Beauty, Brains and Power: Asian Women in the Media,” presented to the trio by the former mayor of Houston, the honorable Lee P. Brown. The magazine also received a prestigious Bronze Medal from the Art Director's Club for the redesign of the publication, 2003. The website, Bibimagazine.com, has been awarded the Golden Web Award for 2003. In addition, Ayesha has been quoted as a South Asian expert on wedding trends in The New York Times and the Village Voice, on Bollywood on ABC's Nightline and has been awarded inclusion in the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 editions of the Who's Who Historical Society's book of International Entrepreneurs. The Houston Chronicle named Ayesha as “The Wedding Guru” in their Ultimate Houston Guide, September 2004, and last year, Ayesha was invited to celebrate Diwali at the White House. In 2006, the Houston South Asian Chamber of Commerce awarded Ayesha as Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. |
