An innovator who blends traditions with the new

Maheen Khan has worked in the textile regions of Bangladesh with jewellers, artisans, metal smiths, potters and many more master craftsmen, and created products that revolutionised and opened new doors for the design industry

Crowned designer Maheen Khan says she is more of an innovator, a revivalist of Bangladeshi textile and crafts, rather than a successful entrepreneur.
“What I do is not purely commercial. You can see that I am not doing pure business. Instead, I am trying to work and revive our folk art and designs.”
"Although, I may qualify for a 'successful entrepreneur', I see myself as more of an innovator and revivalist,” she says, the owner of a leading boutique, Mayasir.
"At the same time, I am neither a tailor nor a retailer. I work hard, take time to develop designs and constantly work to make a unique piece.”
Khan played a big part in the renaissance of the industry. She revitalised traditional motifs and replicated those on clothes, accessories and jewellery, and is courageous enough to experiment.
She has been blending traditional designs on contemporary materials for the last 20 years.
Starting her career as a designer at Aarong in 1986, she worked there till 2001. In 2001, she started Mayasir at an investment of Tk 15 lakh.
“Now, you can call me a successful entrepreneur, because I survived in the most difficult market of the country for nearly a decade, where I have to compete with imported luxury costumes, accessories and jewellery.”
“Every year, we have a steady growth of 30 percent in revenue. In 2009, we achieved 45 percent growth in revenue.”
Running a team of nearly 2,500 people in the factory and showroom, she plans to further promote the traditional and Bengal art.
Khan has worked in the textile regions of Bangladesh with jewellers, artisans, metal smiths, potters and many more master craftsmen, and created products that revolutionised and opened new doors for the design industry.
She was also one of the masterminds behind reviving silver jewellery across the country from 1987.

Fashion industry growth
The fashion industry in Bangladesh is growing in numbers, not quality, which is holding the industry back, believes Khan.
“Our fashion industry has not grown as much as it should have in the last 20 years. Instead, the industry has grown fast in terms of number, but not in quality.”
She draws a line to clearly differentiate a boutique from a retail outlet. "In our country, people often mix-up these two different ideas. In a true sense, a boutique is meant to develop designs and display its own designed items, while many do not meet these criteria.”
"At most times, our local boutiques work more like budget shops and retailers, who get raw materials and designs from different sources, and offer products at competitive prices,” she adds.
“They create nothing new.”
"Sadly, at times, the quality of their products is as ordinary as the items available at Gausia or New Market," Khan says.
“It's easy for the budget shops to charge lower prices. Many of them are also successful, but the quality of products is questionable."
Khan points to a lack of investment on research and training and development of arts and crafts. These are the reasons behind the poor quality of the fashion industry, she says.
"A designer wear is an art piece, which would be few in numbers. But the quality has to be extraordinary, the colours must have longevity and the fabric should be comfortable. Most importantly, the design has to be unique."
"Now, there are thousands of boutiques, but sadly, many are just copying ideas from the reputed ones. They invest neither time nor energy to develop their own designs."
Maheen Khan pointed to a lack of experienced, skilled designers, and inadequate exposure behind the slow growth of the industry. "A lack of investment and government support also creates bottlenecks to the pace of growth.”
However, Khan is optimistic.
Increased investments -- both from individual entrepreneurs and the government -- on research and development and well exposure would fasten growth of the local fashion industry like Thailand or India, she says.
Several non-government organisations are working on reviving traditional designs, but it also needs attention from entrepreneurs and the government, she adds.
“Investment on age-old art on wood, cane, bamboo and terracotta can bring bigger output.”

New dimension in her life
Khan believes she has to reinvent herself every season with a new beginning.
“I have been experimenting with my life. In every 10 years of my life I tried different things. For example, in my latest phase, I initiated a new venture with my friends named Bangladesh Arts Council to introduce our heritage to the new generation.”
The council will also work as a platform to promote Bengal art that has been neglected for ages, she says.
Khan, a graduate of the Parsons School of Design, USA, believes hard work is the thing that pays off eventually.
“If I have 10 percent of creativity, the rest 90 percent is my hard work and disciplined steps towards my goal that makes me a successful person. The bottom-line is, hard work and discipline pays off for every single dream."

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