IN DEMAND: The response to the Eid Bazaar, according to DFL, was very impressive.
By Umer Nangiana
Armed with henna, exuberant jewellery designs and a large collection of women and men’s designer wear, this year’s “Eid Bazaar” by Designer Fashion Lounge (DFL) was arranged specifically to enrich Eid celebrations.
The two-day event, organised at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Doha, offered women and children in particular a variety of options to choose from in colourful clothes and shiny jewellery designs. Barney and Cow, the two mascots, remained the biggest attraction for children. Moreover, an area was exclusively reserved to show a video on Ramadan around the world.
DFL said more than 2,000 people visited the stalls in the two days of the Eid Bazaar. “The response has been very impressive. The turnout in the first four hours of the event was almost 600 people. We did not even have time for Iftar on the first day,” said Sana Salman, the CEO of DFL. “We had a very good response to the Indian collection in particular which are endorsed by Bollywood stars like Dia Mirza, Shilpa Shetty and others.”
The Eid Bazaar, which is becoming a regular feature for DFL, was held for the second consecutive year after last being held in October 2013. Along with traditional designer clothes, this time the bazaar showcased new vibrant designs from many new designers famous across sub-continent and Middle East.
“We have got a lot of new designers from India such as Ritu Kumar, Ritu Beri along with Pakistani designers Sana Safinaz, Hamna Amir, the jewellery designer, Maria B, Adnan Pardesy, Javeria Zeeshan, Gul Ahmed, and many others,” Sana told Community.
Eight designers who specially launched collections for Eid in Pakistan were included in DFL’s Eid Bazaar. Almost all the latest Eid Collection for 2014 of top lawn designers were displayed at the bazaar, including Zunuj (LSM), Asim Jofa, Crescent Lawn by Faraz Manan, Warda Saleem, Le’vouge, Sara Kamran, Syra Rizwan, and exclusive jewellery pieces from Hamna Amir.
“The Eid Bazaar was a one of its kind event, where we provided residents of Qatar an opportunity to buy all their favourite designer collection from India and Pakistan and have a great entertainment with family,” said Sana.
Women and children turned to henna counters in numbers to get creative designs for Eid. About the jewellery designed by Hamna Amir, Sana said it is made from a special material that is non-hazardous to health.
“The whole point of sticking to one designer is that the jewellery we have [on display] is not common. The material they are using is lead and nickel free,” said the DFL CEO.
She added that they wanted to stick to designers who are in demand, while ensuring that the products they offer are not harmful to health.
“[Low quality] artificial jewellery can cause damage to people’s skin. My basic motive behind keeping this particular brand is that I have never received any complaints about it,” said Sana.
She added, however, that they are also negotiating with other jewellery brands and hope to offer a bigger variety in their upcoming events.
DFL is also planning to open its own outlet in Doha soon. Speaking about it, Sana told Community that they are targeting March 2015 for the opening. The paperwork, she said, is done and they are looking for a suitable location.
“Location is the most important aspect as DFL is now an established brand and we would not like to open up at a place where our clients would have a difficult time accessing it,” said Sana.
She added that negotiations with graduates from Pakistan Fashion Design Council and other institutions were underway and DFL will be launching its own line in women’s wear soon.
“We have also added [to our team] a few partners from India who are going to work in the Indian market. In late September or October, we are going to hold a mega event where we would be showcasing some of the biggest designers from India and Pakistan,” said Sana.
DFL has organised successful events in past as that included Fashion Fiesta 2013 and 2014 and Doha Fashion Evening 2014. The last event brought to Doha fashion industry’s big names like Maria B, Zara Shahjahan, Adnan Pardesy, House of Ithehad and Gul Ahmed.
