Life & Style

In the limelight at Saleem fabrics

It came as no surprise that women went bonkers at the mere mention of the Sana Safinaz lawn launch in Lahore.

Hani Taha March 21, 2011

LAHORE:

It came as no surprise that women went bonkers at the mere mention of the Sana Safinaz lawn launch in Lahore. With a much spacious venue at Liberty Market’s famed Saleem Fabrics, one knew the experience of the launch would be nothing short of epic. Moosa Iqbal, the son of the owner Mohammad Iqbalm had chuckled a night earlier that women would be queued up at the store as early as 7 am. And he was not wrong. Nearly thirty odd women woke up at an ungodly hour of 7 am on the designated date of 18th March to be sorely disappointed by the establishment that the stocks had not yet arrived. Many women, including myself, viewed the statement with pointed suspicion. How could a brand like SanaSafinaz be this irresponsible? Don’t they live in Karachi and know of the country’s condition with the transport strike and the Raymond Davis havoc? Women questioned. Surely Saleem Fabrics is lying they concluded in their loyalty for the brand.

SanaSafinaz’s PR manager, Freiha Altaf however confirmed that the stocks had indeed gotten delayed due to the tense political turmoil. What was wrong, as women complained bitterly, was that Saleem Fabrics did not post this information outside the store. More women piled and plied the establishment, as Iqbal confessed to have received calls from the Chief Minister, Prime Minister and other leading political figure’s ladies had called in to reserve stock. Quite an unfair advantage, but a calm Iqbal: “I have enough stock for everyone. We have 11,000 suits right now.”

Sure enough 20 women waited with bated breath at 8am to lay claim to the coveted stock. “We had given time to our clients so we had to open up this early,” said Iqbal who nicely explained to women to calm down assuring them yet again that his staff was there only to serve them. “We don’t lie. The stock arrived last night and we have just gotten around to displaying it,” he said. Lo and behold, true to his word, there was none of the frantic frenzy that one expected and the early birds got a fair share: some four, eight and even 16 joras purchased by the ladies. How the day proceeded, I cannot tell, for as the early bird, I got my fill for the summer.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2011.

COMMENTS (5)

Amina | 13 years ago | Reply And Saleem Fabrics were selling the lawn suits for Rs 4150 and above. Is this teh original Sana Safinaz price, ppl got in Khi?

Ayesha khan | 13 years ago | Reply Sana safinaz exhibition was nothin but chaos salesman were pushing each other to get prints and d illiterate extremely batameez crowd of lahore who haven't learnt d word excuse me raided d shop.I saw women snatching joras from little gals hand.I wonder why can't sana safinaz higher a place as reputed brands such as crescent and junaid jamshed did in order to allow women some place to walk.no doubt d joras sold like hot cakes but d display and management was extremely disappointing sana safinaz should plan an appropriate venue if d plan on displayin dere collection next year.

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NQQ | 13 years ago | Reply I went to Saleem fabrics on Saturday afternoon and it was chaotic like anything. I understand the interest of the throngs and throngs of women, I feel them. But come on if there are already hundreds of women in one place, I fail to understand the women who brought their husbands over. What is their point?? Many more had decided to carry off their little kids too, some in prams/baby cots - I mean why bring them to a jam-packed place and make it more difficult for yourself and others. Then there were the elderly women who I hope managed to get their favorite prints because all they did was occupy space by deciding to squat down on a chair in the middle of the arena and one had to be extra careful not knocking them over while other ladies pushed you constantly. Leaving that aside, you had to beg salespersons to take your request for the "joras" and then wait and wait and wait while the same brought everything but the designs you had requested. By the time the sales team let people go upstairs themselves and choose their prints, half of the stock had emptied out while women continued arguing, pushing and shoving. Worse, there were aunties to be with dealt with who claimed out aloud that they had already bought some stuff in the morning and were now on their 2nd or 3rd round (I mean seriously!!!). In short - if nothing, I expected better management from a top brand like Sana Safinaz. I love their prints and have been buying them for the past couple of years (the last three times they have been stocking at a relatively unknown clothes retailer in DHA) but this time it was just insane. I also checked out JJ lawn exhibition and I must say (and those who went there would agree) that it was by far the most well-orgnaized lawn exhibition ever. I wish Sana Safinaz had done something on the same lines. At least, I hope in the future they do with all the money they make.

Azeem Shafique Baig | 13 years ago | Reply Expensive >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sam | 13 years ago | Reply The article doesn't states that was the stock arrived on 18th or later ?? 11000 JORAS ,where's the exclusivity , if all women will wear same print with same embroidered necks and same laces ??

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