Salim Fabrics and Portia have been around for decades. Why was it only two years ago that the idea of launching an independent brand came together? Being in the clothing retail industry since decades, it was inevitable that an independent brand would be launched. However it was only recently, after having identified the various loops in the industry that we decided upon this venture. Zarqash was launched with the vision catering to the growing demand of wearable lawn, that would provide not just style but also comfort. Despite the fact that the market is infiltrated with several lawns, we wanted to bring something extraordinary for women. That can be seen by considering the affordability element our lawn has as opposed to the majority of lawn brands. Secondly, we understand that retail industry is the future for a country and what better way to do it by providing the hottest commodity right now! What ethos and what kind of distinct features did you adopt when coming up with Zarqash? Areeba: I have always had a growing passion for calligraphy and Arabic. The word Zarqash is an Arabic word which is a derivative of zari which means brocade, an embellished fabric. The spirit of Zarqash is in the aesthetics that are used in order to create works of art for women of varying tastes. The ideology behind this brand is to build customer loyalty whilst giving something stunning for the woman of today to adorn and style herself with. Zarqash is everything intricate, exquisite and detailed. With the market saturated by so many designers, how lucrative is it to come up with your own? It is a fact that the market has seen a sudden influx of lawn brands, there are two ways to look at this. Our industry has been very welcoming for the various brands, and there is room for each brand to create its own special niche. The competition is fierce which forces the designers to keep creating indigenous pieces for the increasing demand. The only condition is that your product should be worth the money spent, and in that case there will be plenty of loyal consumers out there. That is why we focus more on building long-term brand loyalty as opposed to profits. How should women be dressing up this season? What colours should they be wearing and what trends are you ready to see die? This season is all about embracing your inner artist, and keeping it simple. The silhouettes are shorter and clean-cut, the ’70s no fuss look is back, with shorter hemlines and flaired pants, bell-bottoms, and tulip shalwars. The long hot summers have seen a great demand in fabrics with cool undertones, which are breathable and soothing to the eye. Excessively bold prints and loud colours are not fashionable, and women should opt for minimalism. The overly done make-up needs to go out the door, along with over-the-top golden locks and longer shirts with tights! What about a men’s collection — have you thought about coming out with one? We are most certainly coming up with menswear around fall 2016. The collection is going to consist of formal unstitched fabrics for men, with 100 percent cotton and cotton silk. In addition to this we are set to launch our flagship stores nationwide by 2017. How competitively priced is Zarqash lawn? Our lawn collection is extremely easy on the pocket, as it costs Rs 5,950 which is at least 20 percent less than the average market rate of unstitched lawn. We are not ripping people off but providing them with quality par excellence with stunning designs. What are you giving to the market which isn’t already available? Our USP is the uniqueness of design and the expertise behind the creation of all our prints. We are the only brand that has launched an entire collection which is digitally printed, and compared to the average quantity of fabric for the shirt which is 2.5 metres, Zarqash shirt fabric is 3.2 meters. All our embellishments and duppatas are made from premium fabric which not only looks beautiful but promises the best value for money! Are you launching an Eid collection? Yes, we are currently working on our festive Eid collection which is going to be bejewelled and extremely regal!