Three students from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) — Aleena Khurram, Saad Tausif and Dua Sarfaraz — represented Pakistan among the Top 45 global finalists at the L’Oréal Brandstorm 2026 International Finale in Paris, competing against university teams from more than 60 countries in one of the world’s largest student innovation competitions.
The trio’s participation followed a national selection process in Pakistan and a month-long mentorship programme backed by L’Oréal Pakistan, culminating in a final pitch to senior industry leaders at Le Visionnaire, L’Oréal’s global creative headquarters in Paris.
What the Competition Involved
Brandstorm 2026 tasked university students worldwide with reinventing the future of luxury fragrance under L’Oréal Luxe, the group’s luxury products division. Organisers said the competition drew more than 350,000 young participants from over 60 countries this year.
The LUMS team’s entry centred on a wearable fragrance strip, an idea the students said originated during discussion-room sessions at the university. Speaking about the concept’s development, Dua Sarfaraz told ProPakistani that the idea evolved gradually rather than through a single breakthrough moment, describing how testing the prototype with friends and family helped the team see its commercial potential.
Early versions of the product drew criticism internally over how to make a wearable strip feel like a genuine luxury accessory rather than a disposable item. The team said it concluded that “luxury isn’t just what a product physically is” but also how it makes the user feel, according to comments shared with ProPakistani.
The LUMS trio won Pakistan’s national round of the competition as the youngest team in the field, comprising two junior-year students and one sophomore.
Mentorship From L’Oréal Pakistan
Following the national win, L’Oréal Pakistan provided the students with an intensive, month-long mentorship programme ahead of the Paris finale.
- Rehan Saeed, CEO and Executive General Manager at L’Oréal Pakistan, gave strategic guidance on adapting the fragrance concept for established luxury houses such as YSL, Prada and Armani.
- Rahat Mirza, Head of Human Resources at L’Oréal Pakistan, coached the team on presentation and messaging ahead of the global pitch.
- The students also held strategy sessions with the company’s Middle East Director for Luxury Fragrances, a Brand Product Manager based in Australia, and regional marketing leads for luxury brands including Miu Miu and Prada across the SAPMENA region (South Asia, Pacific, Middle East and North Africa).
The team credited the company’s Pakistan-based Brandstorm Manager, referred to as Rayyan, with helping refine the pitch through repeated rehearsals in the lead-up to Paris.
A Week of Workshops and Industry Exposure
Once in Paris, the students took part in a series of industry sessions organised around the finale, including:
- The YSL Scent-sation workshop, focused on the sensory and emotional design of luxury fragrance
- The Lancôme HAPTA workshop, centred on an assistive beauty device designed for users with limited hand and arm mobility
- Sessions on L’Oréal’s beauty-technology and artificial intelligence initiatives
The week concluded with the team’s final pitch to a panel of senior leaders from the global luxury fragrance industry at Le Visionnaire. The source material reviewed for this report does not specify the competition’s overall winner or the trio’s final placement beyond their standing among the Top 45 global finalists.
Student Reflections
Dua Sarfaraz told ProPakistani that the experience shifted her professional outlook, saying it pushed the team beyond their finance and management backgrounds and toward an interest in innovation-driven career paths. She said the Brandstorm process fostered what she described as a “builder mindset” among the team, along with stronger critical-thinking and presentation skills.
The team also pointed to the workplace culture at L’Oréal Pakistan as a point of contrast with their prior assumptions about corporate hierarchy, noting that junior staff, including the company’s own Brandstorm Manager, were given early ownership of responsibilities.
Context: Independence Month and a Message to Students
The trio’s participation was reported alongside Pakistan’s Independence Day observances in August, with the students describing their Paris trip as part of what they called representing Pakistan on a global stage “after 12 years,” a characterisation offered by the team rather than independently verified in the source material.
Addressing other Pakistani students, Dua Sarfaraz encouraged them to apply for similar international opportunities rather than assume the outcome was unlikely, telling ProPakistani that many students avoid competing because they see the odds as too difficult before even attempting to participate.
What Happens Next
No further stage of the Brandstorm 2026 competition or additional public engagements involving the LUMS team were specified in the available reporting. L’Oréal Pakistan’s mentorship support for the students concluded with the Paris finale, according to the account provided to ProPakistani.
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