RUMANA CHOWDHURY, FOUNDER OF WARAH, TALKS ABOUT THE FASHION BOUTIQUE’S SIGNATURE STYLE AND UTILISATION OF LOCAL MATERIALS
Tell us a bit about Warah’s inception.
When I completed my graduation from BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT), there were several talented designers working for well-known brands. I felt that if others can do it, I can as well. I started in 2008, and named my outlet Warah, after my son, Saad Omar Warah. Being both a mother and a businesswoman was a difficult task, but I had faith and conviction in my talent and capacity so I continued to pursue my business. After I shared my first piece of work, I received an overwhelming amount of love and praise, and customers placed a lot of orders. I knew then that I’d never have to look back.
The collections at Warah tell a story. One such collection was inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Two Sisters’ and another was based on ‘The Broken Nest.’ A lot of effort goes into creating the collections. The photoshoots are thoroughly choreographed and implements creative and innovative concepts that can accurately deliver a narrative.
What does Warah strive for with its elegant clothing collection? How does Warah stand out from other fashion brands?
Warah is the embodiment of our local culture, and it works only
with local materials. Before Warah, I would work with jamdani and muslin, but I was not satisfied. Too many designers were working with those materials, and I felt that I needed my own identity; something that would speak Rumana. When I started Warah, I decided to work with khadi and cheese cotton which have higher string counts but are still slim and delicate. Khadi and cheese cotton are my niche. It took me 5 years to build a signature style. Warah is known for its off-white designs and distinguishable moisturised cotton fabric. I am particularly proud of my recent designs for Bidya Sinha Saha, where I tried to express vibrance, energy, and a sense of revival.
Another one of Warah’s most well-known collections is Angarkha. It gets a lot of searches on Google and Facebook. The collection is an exemplification of the materials, designs and concepts that draws people to us.
ANOTHER ONE OF WARAH’S MOST WELL-KNOWN COLLECTIONS IS ANGARKHA. IT GETS A LOT OF SEARCHES ON GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK. THE COLLECTION IS AN EXEMPLIFICATION OF THE MATERIALS, DESIGNS AND CONCEPTS THAT DRAWS PEOPLE TO US.
How is Warah utilizing social media, online platforms, and technology?
Social media, online platforms, and technology are indispensable in this era.
They were critical for the survival of the business during the COVID-19 lockdowns. However, they are intangible, and customers cannot get the full experience of visiting Warah. They cannot feel the fabric, try out the clothes for themselves, or browse through the rest of the catalogue. During the lockdowns, our revenues fell because a large portion of our sales comes from customers buying more pieces of clothing because they were impressed by our collections. It was also difficult to take measurements for custom orders. We would request clients to send an image of their garment on a level surface and accurately measure the apparel for fitting. Delivery was another issue. To accommodate for the large number of deliveries, we recruited our own personnel. Even though the pandemic has been tough on business, there is a silver living. Conducting our business online has allowed us to ship our products to other countries. Warah’s clientele now includes customers from USA, Australia, UK, and Canada.
What has been Warah’s contribution to Bangladesh’s fashion industry?
In my opinion, our fashion industry is steadily advancing, but there are some shortcomings which are holding us back. In countries where the fashion industry has been able to flourish, both the private and the public sector contributes in its growth and promotion. Warah is continuously working to change that. We want to promote the strength of our local fashion industry with the exquisite work that we do.
When the travel bans were imposed during the pandemic, several local fashion boutiques sought the opportunity to market their clothes to clients who would usually buy apparels from abroad. Consequently, fashion aficionados started developing an interest in local brands. Warah is a big advocate of high-quality fashion, and this has been especially evident from the continued support of our clients we received over the pandemic.
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