'Brands Just Pret': Splurge vs steal

Brands Just Pret promot­es five new ready-to-wear labels under Rs5,000.

KARACHI:

With fashion being such a buzz word in the modern world, a whole new crop of self-proclaimed designers rise to the occasion every few weeks, if not days.

While it would be a bit unfair to call them designers, given that they haven’t had the kind of formal training, some of these women have shown a keen business sense with the ready-to-wear clothing. Every month therefore, the multi-label store ‘Brands Just Pret’ (BJP) hosts an event titled ‘Fashionville’ to launch five new names of these fashion entrepreneurs.

“It’s the perfect way to test out new talent,” says designer Somaya of BJP. “I feel that our clients want to see variety on the racks and we are more than happy to give our retail space to exhibit.”

Even though BJP is also a new name in the market, they have rather smartly chosen to be situated at the retail haven Dolmen City Mall and Somaya informs with pride that the business is expanding. “The store is doing so well in just six months since its launch that now we are able to enter the Ibn Batuta Mall in Dubai and that too next to Forever 21,” reveals Somaya.

This time around, BJP’s Fashionville inaugurated five new collections under the Rs5,000 limit. This was a clever move considering that Ensemble’s One was launched on the concept of everything under Rs10,000.

Nazish Hussain, a young lady with a penchant of 1970s pop, experimented with the peace sign. Titled Candy Pop, Hussain’s collection made a funky innovation with tights which carried printed message of peace and hope. While another lady, Najia Malik, presented an array of 1980s rounded hemline kurtas. “I want every kind of woman to wear my clothes,” says Malik explaining why her clothes were bare of embellishments and focused instead on straight cuts.

While these two young women were presenting their work for the first time, Zahabiya was one lady, who had been successfully stocking across Pakistan and the UAE. Yet despite catering to such a diverse market, Zahabiya says that she’s never tried to design anything specific for any market. “People just want their money’s worth no matter where they are,” she explains. And worth is what BJP is trying to create by harbouring those designers who can bring the prices down.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2012.