Sidrah Nadeem: All Tied Up

One of a kind novelty store offers custom-made ties in hand woven material.

ISLAMABAD:

A failed thesis concept, four years ago, led Sidrah Nadeem to strive harder to make her concept a reality. After graduating from the Textile Institute of Pakistan in Karachi, Nadeem worked for GAP and went on launch her label of hand woven ties two years ago. After its initial success in Karachi, Nadeem has brought her collection of ties to Islamabad.

Displayed at Melange, the hand woven pieces come in a variety of colours and sizes. From the skinny tie to a regular size, Nadeem has a wide array of items available.

“It is extremely hard to create these ties because they are not mass manufactured. Each yard of hand woven cloth takes about three to six days to make,” says Nadeem. What is interesting about All Tied Up is not its innovative designing or world class fabric. Instead, it is the services the company offers. It is a one of its kind novelty store in Pakistan that not only offers hand woven ties but also offers custom made ties to bridal clientele. “If someone has ordered a Bunto outfit, I tell the couple to get me a sample of the colour and material used as soon as possible, and then I create a matching tie that complements it,” says Nadeem.

Apart from making custom made hand woven ties, the company also takes orders for party giveaways. Outsourcing the thread from China and creating the cloth here in Pakistan, All Tied Up outsources as the need arises. “When we get mass orders for giveaways we outsource the cloth from other places depending on the clients wishes because it is not time effective to hand weave cloth for such massive numbers.”

All Tied Up is a design concept for men who don’t want to just look good, but also want their ties to do the talking. “Each colour and design speaks volumes about someone’s personality and that is the most exciting service we provide for our clients,” explains Nadeem. “Young men walk in with their suits for the season and we help them decide the colours, patterns and sizes that would not only look good on them but also match their personality and mood.”  The price of ties ranges from Rs 1,500-6,000.

Although the fabric quality still needs to improve as does the quality of stitching, Sidrah Nadeem has managed to create a niche market for her products.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 03^rd, 2011.