Muse spreads its wings in Karachi

Fashion brand opens outlet in city, stocks new range of accessories alongside clothing

LAHORE: With a string of fashion designers and restaurateurs bringing their A-game to Karachi’s E-Street, the area has recently become host to many of them. The latest addition to the list is the luxury fashion brand Muse, which had been operating solely out of Lahore for the past seven years.

With the new store, which will also feature their upcoming range of bags and shoes, the duo of Faryal Aftab and Moeed Yousaf will see their dream of giving the perfect shopping experience to their customers come to fruition.

Muse aficionados would agree that the brand’s aesthetic are more suited to Karachiites so it’s a wonder they waited almost a decade to open a store in the provincial capital.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Yousaf said, “We wanted to for a long time but the brand that we are, we were really choosy about where we want to open our store. The Muse client doesn’t want to go inside a mall, be seen by people — they deserve a holistic experience.”

True to the brand’s Parisian predilections when speaking of the ideal store, he envisions one similar to that of Givenchy, Valentino or Celine on Avenue Montaigne in Paris. “That’s the experience I want — the space has to be just as beautiful,” he added.

The range of bags and shoes is in its sampling phase and is going to hit the shelves in the upcoming months.

“We have used black, navy blue and red for the bags that are mostly day to evening wear as well as some totes,” said Aftab.



The high-end brand that is known for their Italian and French fabrics is not compromising on the leather for their accessories either. On working with manufacturers in Italy, she said, “We went through hundreds of different kinds of leather and settled on one that is beautiful and sustainable.  It will be pricey but the idea is to have a chic, sophisticated piece that is easy to carry and beautiful to look at. We want the stitching to be immaculate, the detailing, lining and zips to be of top quality. We are also unstated about labels so it won’t be about showing off.”

As for the shoes, they are looking at three types of heels: high, mid and flats and are working on the sole and choice of leather at the moment.

The brand has established a strong identity with its spaced out 3D filigree, distinctive cuts and stripes. Of how this aesthetic will translate to the accessories, she said, “Although embellishment is what sets the brand apart, the bag and shoe will remain different to the outfit and we will eventually establish them as a noticeable Muse design.”

When asked whether the brand has ever thought of shifting from its high-end positioning towards experimenting with a more retail-friendly line, Yousaf said, “Absolutely not. We have a different idea of luxury – we source our materials from the same place Chanel, Dior and other luxury brands do. We have integrity as a brand which translates well across every city because people don’t find that fabric and idea anywhere else.”

Last year, Muse started doing bridals for the first time and the brand is ready for its debut showcase at this year’s PFDC L’Oréal Paris Bridal Week (PLBW) in September. Meanwhile, the new store will open doors to its Karachi patrons this week.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2016.

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