Rojina Akter Khanam opens up about the inspiration behind her brand “Rose by Nizhu” and the future of Bangladeshi fashion industry.
What inspired you to start your fashion brand?
There were already many clothing stores in town, yet I struggled to pick something special for myself. I always look for quality fabrics, perfect finishing, and right color combinations. Frustrated with the available collections, I started designing clothes for my family members, which turned out to be quite lovely and was rewarding from a creative perspective. Appreciation from close ones encouraged me to start my business to build my own brand ‘Rose by Nizhu.’
Who are your target customers?
All fashionistas want to stand out on every occasion, be it work meeting or a kitty party, a grocery shopping, or wedding reception.
Like flower Rose, every piece from “Rose by Nizhu” is made to be a statement of expression. With intricate embroidery and zardosi details, we bring out the variation in our collection on carefully picked up fabrics like cotton, traditional muslin, silk, etc.
Within the country, our customers are mainly from
Dhaka and Chittagong. However, from the very beginning, we are also catering to the Bangladeshis living abroad.
Did you face any obstacle before starting your business?
It has rather been a smooth journey for me. As business expanded, the challenges were coming from different angles. To keep up with the growing demand, we had to recruit workers consistently. To maintain the promised quality, we had to train the employees regularly. To meet customer demand, we went for off the rack option from visits by appointments only. We are going to start selling online soon. The challenges always come as a surprise, but the constant support from our valued customers is a huge motivation to deal with them with success.
We (Bangladesh) do not have any international fashion brands of our own? Why do you think we have been unable to create any?
It takes time and has its own progress rate. For example, Bangladesh is one of the top sourcing countries for the global RMG market. This achievement did not come in one day. Likewise, for a fashion brand to go global from a country like us, we need to build proper infrastructure. We need to create an appropriate support system to guide the local brands to identify the market, meet the desired standard, do the right kind of brand-building campaigns, establish a secure cross border payment system and create smooth delivery channels. Considering the rich heritage and originality in fashion, we have a vast potential to create an impactful harmony internationally. If we can ensure the necessary support, I am quite hopeful that there will be several Bangladeshi brands in the global market with the help of the digital platform.