Rubayyat Chowdhury Founder and CEO, Chowdhury’s
Interviewed by Raiyan Rabbani, Team MBR

Chowdhury’s was started in December 2019 by Ms. Rubayyat Chowdhury and it works with handmade products. The owner’s love for Bangladeshi handcrafted products and crafts led her to this venture. Since then, they have been making traditional outfits that include jamdani, cotton, half silk, organza silk, etc. for both men and women. They also sell hand-loomed rugs, wall hangings, and tapestries that are made by the local artisans. Team MBR was in a conversation with Ms. Rubayyat Chowdhury, Founder and CEO, Chowdhury’s, to learn about her inspirations and vision behind Chowdhury’s.

Raiyan Rabbani: Chowdhury’s is in the business of making traditional outfits and handmade home decor. What were the motivations for you to enter into this business in the first place?

Rubayyat Chowdhury: I have always loved desi sarees while choosing my own outfits, be that jamdani, monipuri, silk or cotton, from a deep love for desi outfits. I believe fashion reflects the traditions of a culture, and it is something that defines the culture. Our outfits are purely handmade, which represents the hard-work behind these outfits, and I want to represent these people of our country through the means of making these traditional outfits and handmade decor available to our target group.

Raiyan Rabbani: Chowdhury’s puts a strong emphasis on promoting the local textile and handicrafts industry. How successful is your venture in creating a positive impact on the local textiles and handicrafts industry?

Rubayyat Chowdhury: I always believe, “You are the main promoter of your own brand.” People have always admired me for those traditional outfits and the dedication of the people behind the brand. So, they purchase these products knowing that they are helping uphold the people behind the products. This has also motivated neighbouring women entrepreneurs to set up their own brands selling similar products.

Raiyan Rabbani: Apparels of Chowdhury’s are distinctive in terms of designs and choice of fabrics. Would you please kindly share where Chowdhury’s takes inspiration from while designing its products?

Rubayyat Chowdhury: We have always put greater emphasis on local markets and traditional designs. We also take inspiration from the designs that have always been very close to us and the ones that we encounter every day, be they leaf or flower motifs, or abstract art. We also learned about different kinds of art, especially recent works by well-known artists like Mr. Ranjit Das.

Raiyan Rabbani: In the context of Bangladesh, doing something different as a woman is undoubtedly very challenging. Did you encounter any obstacles when you first attempted to start your own business? How did you tackle those problems?

Rubayyat Chowdhury: It is true that doing something different as a woman is undoubtedly very challenging in the context of Bangladesh, and it has been a roller coaster ride for me, like many others out there. Though I had full support from my whole family from the very beginning, especially from my husband, from managing the rural people to sourcing the raw materials, it has always been a tough journey. But, I have learned to manage them along the journey. I have always believed in hard work, patience, and politeness. They can overcome any obstacle in their way of success.

Raiyan Rabbani: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a severe economic downturn, and the downturn badly impacted the fashion industry. How did it affect your business? What measures did you undertake to remain resilient amid the pandemic?

Rubayyat Chowdhury: Like any other venture, Chowdhury’s had to face the adversity of the pandemic. It had to keep its entire operations closed for three long months. As a result, the main victims of COVID-19 were our local weavers and craftsmen. During the initial period of COVID-19, we had no cash inflow. Luckily, at a later point, we managed to raise funds to look after our people. It was managed from our personal sources at that time, and we somehow managed to complete our pending deliveries by maintaining proper health guidelines the government imposed during the pandemic.

Raiyan Rabbani: As a relatively small venture, the reach of Chowdhury’s to its target group is not yet at the optimum level with no web presence. How are you planning to expand your reach in the near future?

Rubayyat Chowdhury: Even though our online presence is relatively low in comparison to other similar ventures, we are working on developing a website of our own at present, and we are also planning to open our very own physical outlet in Dhaka very soon. This will allow our valuable customers to buy from the retail outlet directly, and thus the value and trustworthiness of the product will increase in comparison to only having a social media presence. We are also planning to export our products in the upcoming years.

Raiyan Rabbani: Sustainability is a trendy topic nowadays in the world of business, let alone in the fashion industry. What sustainable practices does Chowdhury’s follow to ensure a better tomorrow?

Rubayyat Chowdhury: As our products are completely handmade, we have zero emissions and are able to minimise wastage compared to other polyestermade clothing. We try to keep a portion of our profits separate for our workers behind our venture so that they can get some financial support in case of any financial hardship they face.

Raiyan Rabbani: What are the challenges Chowdhury’s facing in its way of smoothoperations? How are you planning to overcome them?

Rubayyat Chowdhury: The increased cost of production is the main issue that we are currently facing. Prices of all the raw materials have increased due to rising inflation and higher import costs. As a result,it has become a big challenge for us to keep the prices low. Either we have to pass the increased costs to our customers or we have to incur a loss. We are working on keeping the production costs low by going for mass production and putting emphasis on exporting to other countries.