 While this year's Eid-Ul-Fitr is approaching nearer, shopping spree is in its peak; Deshi Dosh, a combination of 10 top Bangladeshi boutique houses, sharing the same floor at Basundhara City is going even stronger. Deshi Dosh just marked its first anniversary on the 20th August with no loud announcement or event for it does not need no trumpet to blow.
The practice of hand-craftsmanship on apparels in our country has been a tradition since long. Once upon a time, the people of our country were fully dependent on the clothes made by local tantees (weavers). Cotton, Maslin, Silk were the types of ground they used to work on. As time went by, machine made synthetic materials took over the market.
The continuous clapping sound of tants in the houses of tantees stopped as they all went out of business.
Thanks to those entrepreneurs who brought back the tradition to the lime light over again. The tants started to paddle again. A new trend slowly made the position in the fashion scenario of Bangladesh.
On the occasion of two Eids, first day of Bengali New Year and other national days, people started to swarm up the boutique shops for designer sarees, kurta, fatua, salwar-kameez and children wear.
A number of boutique houses started their journey with a mission to change the taste, style and sense of fashion of the people and achieved a great success. First time ever, we observed the boutique houses turned into fashion houses and the creation of a brand trend, solely based on the soil of Bangladesh. The fabrics are obtained from the handlooms and local mills giving them a chance to survive once again. A set of new designers arrived to enrich this sector by their creative ideas. A whole new extrava-ganza is being performed in the drape world.
The local boutiques developed with contributions taken from almost all sections and the professions. The media helped a lot, then the models, performers and the common users at the end. What made this trend so acceptable? The comfort of natural yarn, color, design, variety and most of all, proof of identity as a member of the country where, in spite of financial background, all down to earth people live.
'Deshi Dosh' is a concept first raised among the heads of some top fashion houses to have a common floor where the customers will have an option to choose from a wide variety of items under the same roof. The idea was not liked by all who were offered in the frist place, but a bond was still formed with a limited ten members namely Nipun, Banglar Mela, Anjan's Rong, Shadakalo, Bibiana, Probortana, Deshal, Kay Kraft and Nogordola,- and the idea worked wonderfully well.
"There will be no 'Deshi Egaro' or 'Deshi Baro' in the future as the membership is closed," says Ashik Ur Rahman, Director of Nipun Crafts Limited, the oldest (38 years in business) in the crowd, "The concept is so effective that we have a new Deshi Dosh opened in Chittagong." Regarding the new arrival of their products for this Eid, he mentioned that motive of ancient mughal ornaments has been applied in their apparels this year.
Now Deshi Dosh, like a big MELA (carnival) offers a huge arena where different designer fashion products are open on display in their individual brand outlets. People shop around here with a deshi mela feeling in a most modern mall like atmosphere. There is a spacious free lounge in the midst for the customers to take a breath in between shopping. The shoppers can compare the material, price, quality and pattern hopping shop to shop and make their final choice. There is no doubt that this unity of brands could be able to fetch a bigger mob of shoppers in combined.
Eid is a festival where the fashion houses take their best out of their wardrobe.
For this Eid fallen in the summer, cotton should be the best choice as the designers predicted. 'Rong' has brought Kantha Stitch pattern in their apparels and obviously in colorful assortments. Being 15 years in business, Rong is also known as arrangers of events on the special days of the year like Pohela Baishak, Father's Day, Mother's Day and other national days the 'Deshi Dosh' lounge. 'Probortana' is appreciated for their cotton sarees and un-stitched materials prepared using natural dye. 'Nogordola' being the youngest in the bunch, has made significant position in the boutique trend of Bangladesh already.
This year, along with other mode of the fashion apparels and accessories, their new addition is toys for the kids. Made absolutely from the local ingredients, their colorful and interesting collection of toys made an eye catching statement in the floor already.
Almost all the houses sell household products like bed sheet, cushion and cushion covers, nakshi kantha and ornaments on the side. No foreign goods are available in any of the shops which is strictly watched by the 'Deshi Dosh' authority. You could find coffee mugs and t-shirts and of course in black and white color only in 'Shada Kalo'.
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