In 2008, Hazar Al Zadjali, along with her sister Hanadi Al Zadjali, launched Boutique Muscat as an e-commerce website, an idea that was novel in the region at the time. They started off with a vision to offer women in Oman a large variety of premium, exclusive fashion. Eleven years on, their business has evolved, with a strong brick and mortar presence – the country’s first ever multi-brand concept store – and remains Oman’s leading fashion destination!
Hazar Al Zadjali needs no introduction. She is an entrepreneur par excellence and has been a constant source of inspiration in the Omani fashion scene. She wears a plethora of hats on the daily – Founder & Managing Director of Boutique Muscat, fashion designer, creator of ‘Take a Leap’, psychologist, educator and mother.
Since the road to success in the fashion industry may be ridden with obstacles, Hazar Al Zadjali shares her exceptional expertise in setting up a fashion business in this interview that is sure to lend oodles of insight to budding and aspiring fashion entrepreneurs…
When setting up a fashion business, where should one start?
I suggest testing the product first in the real market. There are so many options to see if your product works instead of taking the risk of investing in a shop. To this end, we created ‘Take a Leap’, a platform where startup fashion designers or retail entrepreneurs can test their products within Boutique Muscat to see if opening a shop or distribution should be their next step.
What is the most important aspect to pay attention to?
Focus on your product in terms of quality and finishing. Find out what makes your product or brand stand out from the the hundreds available in the market. Don’t forget that e-commerce is everywhere; your customer has to be convinced in your brand to make the purchase, so details really matter.
How important is a business plan?
Business plans are essential to have an overview of what your goals are. While working with clients on Retail Coach (retailcoach.me) – a website where we offer consultation coaching to business owners – we work on the Business Model Canvas which gives them an overview on what their business looks like, where the gaps are, what needs work, what’s going well…
That being said, you need to be flexible and understand that business plans can change, specially in areas that you don’t have control over – such as government procedures, losing a partner, some trend in the market changing…
Why is marketing strategy important?
You can find similar products in the market, but what makes your product stand out is having a clear marketing strategy. As a small business owner, there is a tendency to cut off the budget from marketing if you have financial constraints; but I wouldn’t recommend that. Always have a plan and budget for marketing. Because in today’s world, your customers are seeing hundreds of brands and to keep you on their minds, you need to market your product well.
For your marketing to have an impact, branding has to be on point and attractive. Consistency is key. Something we’ve learned is that the simpler the branding, the better it works.
Please give some tips on pricing right…
Different industries work differently on pricing strategy. My advice is, regularly revisit your costs and try to reduce them. It’s a very thin line between lowering your quality and your costs, so you have to balance the two. Work on offering customers value for the price you charge. Whatever your price is, if your product is worth it to the customer, they will pay for it.
What are some of the aspects that are often overlooked in the setup process?
When it comes to the fashion business, something that many forget is the functionality of their product, it needs to be wearable. People also overlook how important product photography is for the product to sell.
What challenges can a fashion entrepreneur expect to face in the first few years?
Competition and consistency. You need to be consistent to have a strong brand that will stand out in the crowded market.
What is the recipe for success in the fashion industry?
I think the recipe for success in any business, not only fashion, is listening to what your customers want. Try to get to know your customers and understand their needs, because at the end of the day, if they are satisfied your business runs well.
Do you have any advice for aspiring fashion entrepreneurs in Oman?
My advice would be to always ask questions by approaching business owners who have been in the market before you. Try to learn from their mistakes. Sometimes it’s just a small question or solution that could save your business.
