Bibi Magazine specializes in South Asian weddings including Indian weddings, Pakistani weddings and Bangladeshi weddings in the United States and as destination in Mexico, the Caribbean and Puerto Rico.
Bibi brings forth a global sensibility in some of the most important aspects of the South Asian lifestyle: Bridal, Fashion and Culture. We celebrate South Asian bridal culture through our insightful website, events and social media.
Bibi the company, now consists of two main arms. Bibi Magazine, the online fashion and bridal portal and Bibi PR, and public relations and marketing firm focusing on integrated marketing strategies for the fashion, hospitality, entertainment and bridal industries.
FACEBOOK: BibiMagazine, TWITTER: BibiMagazine
Main: 347.878.2424 (BIBI), Houston: 832.534.2424 (BIBI)
STAFF LIST | AWARDS and APPEARANCES
History of Bibi.
Launched in the summer of 2000, Bibi Magazine is the longest-running, South Asian fashion magazine and website in North America and is now 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, at the height of its print publication, 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 doubled its circulation within one year.
Current Directions
BibiMagazine.com: Following the changing media landscape of its demographic, 18-35 South Asian-Americans, in 2018, Bibi shifted its editorial focus to the Internet with a complete overhaul of its website in 2018. Now, BibiMagazine.com is an innovative online portal that delivers the best of the Bibi content in a modern and timely manner.
BibiPR.com: In addition to the magazine and website, Bibi runs its Public Relations arm of the brand called Bibi PR which specializes in integrated marketing strategies for an international client roster including hotels restaurant chains, fashion houses, non-profits and entertainment.
About the Publisher and Principal of Bibi
Ayesha Hakki is the Publisher of Bibi Magazine and Principal of Bibi PR.
After receiving her degree with honors in Journalism and Mass Media/Photography from Rutgers University, NJ, Ayesha acquired 14 years experience in the national and international publishing industry. She began her career working for social magazine New Jersey Goodlife/Home Design, and quickly moved to work in the editorial and art departments of Ladies Home Journal in NYC, later becoming photo editor for LHJ Special Interest Publications, where she spearheaded projects featuring Barbara Walters, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Princess Diana. Her last position before launching Bibi was that of art director at Compaq Computer Corporation, Houston.
Prior to her position at Compaq, Ayesha also served as the art director for Jupiter Media, NYC, and subsequently established her own design firm called Alias Art, NYC, where she produced work for Xerox, Barnes & Noble, the Sara Lee Foundation, Starbucks, AlleyCat News magazine and Culinary Thymes magazine.
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. In addition, Ayesha has been quoted as a South Asian expert on wedding trends in The New York Times, Associated Press, USA Today, The Houston Chronicle, the Houston Press, the Village Voice, on Bollywood on ABC’s Nightline and many other media. Ayesha has been awarded inclusion in the 2003-2008 editions of the Who’s Who Historical Society’s book of International Entrepreneurs and is a featured profile in the Who’s Who of Asian Americans. The Houston Chronicle named Ayesha as “The Wedding Guru” in their Ultimate Houston Guide, September 2004, and in 2005 Ayesha was invited to celebrate Diwali at the White House (Bush Admin) and was invited to Obama’s Inaugural Ball, Jan. 09. Most recently, the South Asian Chamber of Commerce, Houston, awarded Ayesha as Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.
Viewed as an expert on South Asian weddings, Ayesha speaks regularly on panels for South Asian weddings, women’s issues, media seminars and South Asian lifestyle and fashion trends. She has spoken at Multi-Cultural Marketing’s National Tableware Conference on South Asian Wedding Trends, Digital Marketing in the Multicultural Space at Columbia Business School, SAJA, TIE, Asian American Press Club, amongst others. Ayesha was also a regular blogger on Deepak Chopra’s Intent Blog and held the first ever South Asian designer fashion show in a mainstream shopping mall in 2008. She is also a member of various charity and networking organizations that promote South Asian culture and business. Ayesha currently lives in New York City.