Trending now: The Instagram marketplace

Fashion entrepreneurs prove photo-sharing platform can help with brand recognition, sales

LAHORE: A little over five years into its remarkable growth, photo-sharing social network Instagram has become known for more than just clichéd pictures of sunsets, food and inspirational quotes. For budding fashion entrepreneurs, Instagram is a godsend, with followers liking and commenting on images in unprecedented numbers. A number of studies support this, proving that Instagram’s engagement rate for fashion brands is significantly higher than that of Twitter or Facebook.

As a result, every other day, new fashion brands are popping up on Pakistani Instagram space. Through the platform, amateurs carefully dip their toes into the cut-throat fashion industry because “What’s the worst that can happen?”

With Instagram showcasing, there is less at stake as opposed to setting up a brick and mortar store. Soma Intl, Boho by Sania, JootiShooti, Magicosmetix, Esfir Jewels, Bastay, StyleBerri and Arsazi are some of the new ‘Insta-brands’ making waves in the Pakistan fashion circles.

Talking to The Express Tribune, masterminds behind these brands speak about the veritable ‘Instagram incubator’ where their products thrive and discuss the platform’s biggest drawback — no direct path to commerce.



Soma Intl is based in Karachi and was launched primarily on Instagram last year. Their page displays khussas that focus on comfort, interspaced with jewellery, paying special attention to detail that quickly catches the eye of fashionistas.

These khussas even made it to Marrakech for Elan’s latest lawn campaign with model Nidhi Sunil.

Soma owner Samia Akram shares that although she gets orders on Facebook, Instagram and e-mail equally — Instagram is really where everything started. “We now have a call centre where people can speak to our representatives and that has made the process more personal.” With things going smooth, she has no plans of opening a physical store. “The customer wants a low-priced product and if you open a store, it will only add to the costs. My product is such that I want it to go into every household in Pakistan. If I open a store then it won’t be possible,” she adds.



Boho by Sania added it’s fun off-shoulder tops and flirty tunics with exaggerated sleeves to our Instagram feeds earlier this year. Since then, it has amassed a loyal clientele that includes bloggers, socialites and even the popular model Amna Babar. “Instagram really gave my brand a lot of exposure, not only in Pakistan but internationally as well. It made it easier for me to enter the fashion business; people got to see my products especially when they got reposted further,” shares Sania. Unlike Soma Intl that focuses on a wider clientele, Boho’s patrons will probably remain niche, but that will not stop Sania from expanding. “I still feel the need to open an outlet because people want to try my products before buying them.” Sania will soon be stocking at The Exhibit concept store in Lahore.



Magicometix and Arsazi are two brands launched on Instagram by Alyzeh Rahim Shirazi who has been riding the social media wave as far back as we can remember. “For Magicosmetix, my target market was on Instagram ... the beauty bloggers and influencers so once we were on that, we started getting approached by people because everything was quite unusual and now we’re stocking at different places,” she says. That did work for her make-up brand but for Arsazi, which sells more on the international market where e-commerce is more competitive, Shirazi admits she has to be more proactive. “We mass produce everything and pre-package it because people don’t want to wait.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2016.

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