The event featured a fashion show in the Baan Thai restaurant next to the shop. Spotted at the event were former Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil, stylist Rukaiya Adamjee and TV host Mishi Khan.
In recent years, there has been a shift by jewellers to upscale districts such as Zamzama or malls like The Forum and Park Towers from their original locations on Zaibunnisa Street and Tariq Road, both of which are hubs for jewellers. It makes business sense given that the clientele who can afford jewellery have also moved to upmarket residential areas.
However, Afroz Javeri (Ali Javeri’s wife) says that they will continue to operate from Tariq Road. “It is not a move in our case since we still have an outlet at Tariq Road.” Instead, Javeri says, the shop aims to attract a new target market. “This new outlet will not deal with kundun (which she is known for) but with diamonds instead. We are offering a fusion style of jewellery, inspired by the east and the west, for the modern woman residing in Karachi.”
Jewellery prices have skyrocketed recently because of the high prices of gold. Afroz Javeri says that while this has made a difference on sales, “Weddings have not stopped taking place and there are women who like to buy diamonds. So sales are continuing.”
Launches of jewellery shops and exhibitions are a regular fixture on the social calendar. In the past few years, designers like Shafaq Habib have done specific runway shows, others such as Sara Taseer Shoaib, Chhotani and Sheherzad Rahimtoola have lent their creations for fashion shows and Kiran Aman opened her store in Karachi earlier this year.
Ali Javeri, whose family has worked in the jewellery business for over 200 years, also exhibited designs that were not for sale but showed superb craftsmanship.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2010.
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