Apparel April 2019 Apparel May 2019 issue | Page 85

ENTREPRENEUR SPEAK
WHAT WAS THE VISION IN SETTING
UP ODHNI?
ODHNI was started with the objective to beautify
women in ethnic wear and to make them feel like
a celebrity in their own way. Back in 1999, we
saw increasing demands for designer wedding
trousseau and traditional wear as these enliven
the festive mood at any occasion. So, we
decided to tap into customers actively looking
for voguish ethnic apparel that have both quality
and price par excellence. Indian ethnic wear
is something that people can’t stop drooling
over, no matter how popular Western wear
becomes. From small family gatherings to grand
festive celebrations, women’s desire to flaunt
the elegance and gracefulness of Indian beauty
knows no boundaries. And it’s not only from the
Indian women that ethnic wear receives love; it
also receives admiration from non-Indians and
Hollywood sensations. This makes the Indian
ethnic wear market most lucrative amongst all.
HOW DID THE JOURNEY START?
Back in the ’90s, women in metros were inclined
towards Western wear. Slowly and steadily,
the industry witnessed a big gap in its implicit
demands for statement traditional/ethnic wear,
and the run-of-the-mill collections flooded the
market. Consumers were facing problems in
explicitly explaining their needs and wants,
and brands were unable to comprehend their
evolving tastes and preferences. To address
INDIAN ETHNIC WEAR IS
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN’T
STOP DROOLING OVER, NO
MATTER HOW POPULAR WESTERN
WEAR BECOMES.
this problem, Anju Jain and Shashi Jain came
up with an exclusive store that was meant to
meet the demands of the contemporary Indian
woman—educated, confident, and fashion-
savvy. The journey of ODHNI began in 1999 with
only a 500 sq. ft shop in Pitampura, New Delhi
under the leadership of our mothers Anju Jain
and Shashi Jain, who impressively demonstrated
their entrepreneurial skills. Later, we joined our
mothers’ venture and helped them in business
expansion. In a short span of time and without
any external funding, ODHNI emerged as one of
the top players in the ethnic fashion wear market
of New Delhi, thanks to our mothers, our team,
and loyal customers.
APPAREL
I
May 2019
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79