Indian design store to open in Pakistan Friday

Bs_logoImage
IANS New Delhi
Last Updated : Sep 17 2013 | 2:35 PM IST

Indian multi-designer fashion house Karmik will open its first store in Pakistan's Lahore city Friday -- and six more in that country in the next three years.

Pradeep Hirani, chief managing director of Karmik, told IANS that it wasn't tough to open the store as Indian designs are much appreciated in Pakistan.

"Like music, fashion does not adhere to political or geographical boundaries," said the Mumbai-based Hirani.

"India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, so the sensibilities are common. In view of the high demand for Indian designer-wear, opening a store in Pakistan was not so challenging," he added.

Karmik will give fashionistas in Pakistan a chance to flaunt Indian creations by top designers like Rohit Bal, JJ Valaya, Anamika Khanna and Neeta Lulla.

An agreement for the store was signed here between Hirani and Sheikh Aftab Arshad, Asad Amin Sheikh, Asif Amin Sheikh of the Lahore-based fashion retailer Arshadsons.

As part of this franchise deal, Karmik also plans to open six stores in cities such as Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad over the next three years.

"The Lahore store will be followed by Karachi in December 2013. We have also finalised six stores in Pakistan to be opened in the next three years," Hirani said.

The collection at Karmik store will encompass Indian designer wear, and there will be salwar-kameez and churidar suits, stiched saris and tunics, apart from bags and shoes.

All the designs will be available between the price range of $100 to $175.

"We did detailed research in terms of acceptability of tastes and preferences, especially in the silhouette, colour and texture department," Hirani said.

"The sizing and the preferred fit of garments of a particular city plays a strong part too. Besides, a major eyeopener was that Indian designers are household names in Pakistan," added Hirani.

You’ve hit your limit of 5 free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.

Already subscribed? Log in

Subscribe to read the full story →
Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 17 2013 | 2:30 PM IST

2 out of 5 articles left

Subscribe to read without limits
Subscribe Now