New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) It may not be as popular as Bollywood but say Bareez’e and many Indians will nod appreciatively, the delicately embroidered chikan fabric from Pakistan having somehow made its way into wardrobes here. Now, the exclusive brand has just got more accessible with an outlet right here in the Indian capital.
Perhaps the first major Pakistani brand to open an outlet in India, Bareez’e comes here thanks to Delhi-based entrepreneur Inderdeep Singh Chawla.
“My mother, who used to travel a lot to Pakistan, had been using Bareez’e for a long time. And that was my first introduction to the fabric,” said Chawla, sitting in his plush Bareez’e outlet in south Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar.
He should find plenty of buyers for the gossamer light chiffons, Pakistan’s famous cottons, not to mention silks and velvets in chikan.
One such customer is Simran Bagga, 32, a homemaker who was introduced to Bareez’e through a Pakistani friend. Today, her wardrobe is filled with Bareez’e.
“I just love the fabric, the texture, the colour, the work, everything. Almost 90 percent of my almirah is now filled with stuff from Bareez’e,” Bagga told IANS.
“Earlier, I used to get it from Dubai or Pakistan through my friends or relatives. But today I have it right on my doorstep, it’s great,” she added.
Bareez’e, derived from Persian word ‘Bareeza’ meaning prosperity, was first showcased in India by Chawla during ‘Bridal Asia 2002’. The 25-year-old hasn’t looked back since.
“When I first got Bareez’e to India, I was overwhelmed by the response. It was huge, it was crazy, and women were just grabbing them like anything. I am happy that I could bring this to India, and that too legally,” Chawla stressed.
“Bareez’e is a high end elite brand having a clientele of rich and famous. The brand is a hit due to its outstanding work,” Chawla said while attending to customers crowding his shop.
According to Chawla, trade between India and Pakistan should open more through a free trade agreement for the benefit of business communities as well as the common person.
Interestingly, he says he faced no trouble in bringing the brand to India.
“Trade between India and Pakistan should be made more open. Today, the import rate is very high at about 70 percent. There are also non-tariff barriers like individual colour testing, which increases the cost of material. So, for example, if a cotton party-wear fabric costs Rs.750 a metre there, the price almost doubles to about Rs.1,500 a metre here.”
“Apart from this, personally speaking, I had no troubles in bringing the brand here and opening the outlet.”
Flabbergasted by its huge demand Chawla, who brings in 20-22 consignments of the fabric a month, is planning to open three more outlets in Mumbai, Chandigarh and Ludhiana by the middle of next year by adding more Bareez’e lines such as Chinyere, Minnie Minors, Bareez’e homes and Leisure Club.