Pahela Baishakh draws large number of fashion lovers

The sales of fashion wear at the city's shopping centres and boutique houses have gathered momentum ahead of Pahela Baishakh -- the Bengali New Year's Day.

Meanwhile, most of the shop owners expressed satisfaction over their business on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh. To attract the customers they have put their colourful and fashionable wear and accessories on display.

A good number of fashion house owners said their sales have increased nearly 50 per cent compared to that of last year as the fashion lovers are looking for their desired dresses in the shopping malls. However, some traders seemed frustrated at the poor response this year.

Last year, the traders faced continued political unrest. So they did not get targeted sales during the business period. But this year the traders are not facing any such political trouble.

"The sales at my outlet increased by at least 50 per cent compared to the last year's," said a salesperson of M-Kraft, a fashion house in the city's Bailey Road area.

He said the sales have increased to Tk 100,000 each day from Tk 50,000 last year during the same season.

He said the item being sold most for celebration of the New Year is sari, the prices of which vary from Tk 875 to Tk 1,250 each. Besides, Panjabi has also a good demand, the prices of which range between Tk 790 and Tk 3,000 each.

However, a number of traders expressed frustration over their sales which, according to them, did not increase. The salesmen of Shareeka, a sari house at the city's Karnaphuli Garden City market, however, said they were not getting desired number customers.

"We have kept new collections for the festival but we are not having enough customers," said Karim, a salesman of the outlet.

Some traders at the Mouchak market were also of the same opinion about their sales. Sales manager of Dallas Fashion Mr Rafiq said he didn't get even half the customers they had last year. The showroom sells baby and teenage girls' items.

On the other hand, Shirin, a salesperson of Kay-Kraft, said the sales have increased notably in comparison with that of last year in her showroom as the political environment is normal.    

Ms Shirin said now-a-days the customers are not only fond of the traditional red-white combination but are choosing dresses of different colours as well.

"So we have kept in our collection such saris, salwar kameezes and Panjabis," she said. The fashion outlet has also displayed frocks along with 'churidar' salwar for women.  Rang, another boutique house, uses 'gamchha' (towel) as the motif for its Pahela Baishakh wear.

The fashion house has designed all types of festival clothes with gamchha. The prices of Rang saris vary from Tk 890 to Tk 3,280, other women's dresses from Tk 1,500 to Tk 3,500, Panjabi from Tk 1,050 to Tk 3,000 and kids' wear from Tk 500 to Tk 1,200 each.

Khairul, sales manager of Banglar Mela, said the sales of Baishakhi clothes are better than those of last year. The fashion house has kept in its collection saris, salwar kameezes and Panjabis of red-white combination based on cotton fabric.

The price ranges of the items were Tk 1,850 to Tk 4,500 for each set of salwar kameez, Tk 550 to Tk 12,000 for each sari and Tk 850 to Tk 1,250 for Fatua.

Kalam, a roadside shop owner in front of New Market, also expressed happiness over Baishakhi sale. He said his sale has grown 60 per cent on the eve of Bangla New Year.

Lower-income groups are able to buy Baishakhi red and white wear at Tk 100 to Tk 800 for their near and dear ones from makeshift shops.