Noir is a one-stop solution to global fashion trends. It is a youth-centric clothing and accessories retail brand aiming to provide the best possible service to all our customers. Noir designs are unique, quantities are limited and styles are constantly changing depending on seasons and trends. Noir focuses on keeping tradition untouched; however, we design our products around the cultural sense of Bangladesh – thus, our fashion is known as a fusion between the East and the West. Currently, the brand has 4 stores in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Noir is a concern of Evince Group, a leading manufacturer of garments and textiles in Bangladesh. Recently Team Textile Focus had a conversation with young, dynamic and visionary industrialist Shah Rayeed Chowdhury Director of Evince Group about on local clothing business, challenges, latest collections etc.  For our readers, the key point of the conversation is mentioned below- Â
Textile Focus: Could you please share with us the recent scenario of the local clothing brand business?Â
Shah Rayeed Chowdhury: In Bangladesh, the fashion clothing business relies mainly on 5 seasons, we have Eid-ul-Fitr, Baishakh, Eid-ul-Adha, Pooja, and Winter. Apart from these major seasons, there are some special days and noteworthy holidays where we observe some sales boost. These make up the entire year’s revenue. Also, nearly 60% of the entire year’s sale is generated only from 1 Eid, Eid-ul-Fitr. Having said that, since covid, it did take some time for the industry to get back in shape. Since last Winter, we are seeing gradual improvement and also the last Eid-ul-Fitr was fantastic for everyone because it was the first time after covid we were celebrating Eid, going out with family and friends. So, not only do our sales depend on seasons but it also depends on the mood of people, the mood of the economy. Fashion is one of those things where the economy has to be vibrant, people have to be happy, and willing to go out and spend as it’s not a necessity. Recently the price of everything is increasing and it did have an impact on the overall sales in the industry as we saw fewer people where coming to stores after last Eid. But then again from Winter, we experienced that sales are increasing again, which is why we are we are very much hopeful for a great sale this Eid. For the first time, we have launched our collection both in stores and online, ahead of time. So far, Alhamdulillah Noir is getting a very good response. People are already shopping and some products are also selling out. So we can see that for the first time, after covid, people are back to their festive shopping mood. This gives us great hope to gear up for one of the best years since covid.
Textile Focus: At this hard moment, how Noir clothing would support its Customers, and what are the challenges?Â
Shah Rayeed Chowdhury: As I mentioned, the cost of everything is gradually increasing, and people need to be in a good mood to go to a shop and spend their money on non-essential items like clothing. So what Noir has done is instead of increasing the price, we went for better sourcing. We did a lot of innovation on sourcing, raw materials, and fabric quality, and actually, we are reducing the selling price of a lot of our product lines. We are offering a big collection at a price that is affordable, to all of our customers. Another thing is, for the first time we are working with many banks and payment gateways to give benefits to customers. As Noir itself is an exclusive brand and produces in very small quantities we don’t give discounts that much. So this Eid, we are collaborating with all banks and other payment service providers so that customers can get a small privilege. We are also focusing heavily on our online platform, and we are trying to deliver products to customer doorstep who are very busy or unable to come to our shop. Our online service is available all over the country.
One of the challenges could be people are travelling a lot right now. So most Bangladeshi customers are traveling to neighboring countries like India. So rather than shopping from their home country they like to purchase from abroad. They are buying products at a higher price range when they can buy quality items from their own country. So we need to encourage people to spend more locally as they are not only getting great products but also helping the economy.
Textile Focus Could you plz share us the Product ranges of Noir Clothing
Shah Rayeed Chowdhury: Noir has a huge range of products in both Ethnic and Western styles, but as it’s Eid, we have launched a massive ethnic collection. At Noir, we are always analyzing trends and innovating. This time we have launched Kurta sets with matching pajamas. We have an affordable range of Kurtis this time which people can not only wear during Eid but also can be used on an everyday basis. Noir is a very fashion-forward brand and we are continuously studying the global market to deliver innovative designs in various product ranges.
Textile Focus: Special collections for the Eid festival?
Shah Rayeed Chowdhury: This time our Eid collection is versatile, functional, and at the same time innovative in style and design. We have matching top and bottom Kurta Sets. Our popular father-son duo combo Kurtas is also there. We have classic designs to really modern ones, people can choose what they prefer. For the first time, due to customer demand, we are also launching inners to wear with Kurtas. Our Zinari line of Kurtis offers the best quality and designs. This time customers can expect a lot of variation in design, colors, and styles from our Eid Collection.
Textile Focus: Future plan of Noir Clothing?
Shah Rayeed Chowdhury: Post covid things have been more challenging, but it gives us a chance for innovation. We are now focusing on building our online presence not only through our websites but also through our social media. We are trying to make more affordable clothing and focusing a lot on our basic essential wear, things that are not dependent on seasons and that people can wear throughout the year. One of our main focuses is to move past the seasonal trends and create a brand that will be suitable for people throughout the year.
