Inaaya is one of the start-up businesses part of Invest2Innovate’s (i2i) third batch. Their business model is based on connecting artisanship in Pakistan to the global marketplace – with women’s clothing and jewelry as the products. Through the platform that Inaaya is currently providing and aims to expand on, the world gets access to artistic pieces with strong cultural and traditional undertones, and the artisans working on the products are able to benefit by having employment and better incomes.
Business Model: Philanthropy or Social Enterprise
This business model has a great potential for success if executed properly, and requires balancing the social mission with the business/quality side of things. Inaaya is bringing the artisans working on their products to the forefront by making them the face of their marketing efforts as well as including their improved well-being as a central part of their business’ mission:
“By commissioning the production of, and facilitating the sale of these goods, we at Inaaya hope to play our part in stemming the growing income divide, and improving the quality of life of scores of honest, deserving workers, and their future generations.”
On the other side of this equation, Naushaba Brohi (the founder) aims to get “Pakistani craft… endorsed for its skill and finesse and not just patronized for philanthropic reasons.”
The need to balance both aspects of the business and communicating the social mission as well as the quality of the products to prospective customers is definitely a challenge that businesses like Inaaya need to overcome. While Inaaya’s positive effect on its employees’ lives is a noble outcome, long-term sustainability would definitely rest on the quality of the products and the value they hold for the customers on their own.
Accolades
Other than being part of i2i’s new batch of startups, Inaaya’s founder has been able to leverage other platforms to move towards getting the right resources to move the business in the right direction. She got selected in British Council’s Young Creative Entrepreneurs (YCE) program that brings entrepreneurs to the United Kingdom to gain insights into the UK industry as well as making business contacts that can help expand their businesses.
Inaaya’s Facebook feed shows Naushaba speaking at LUMS about Inaaya’s business model in the sustainable fashion sector. Such outreach can not only help get Inaaya more popularity through the important medium of word of mouth, it creates opportunities for future collaborations and business partnerships.
Inaaya already has celebrity endorsement in the form of Amal Alamuddin (George Clooney’s wife) wearing Inaaya’s necklace, and Meesha Shafi sporting an Inaaya necklace in her Coke Studio performance. Such visibility of their products provides a great platform for Inaaya to establish itself as a high quality fashion brand with positive social outcomes.
Aesthetics and Social Media
In terms of the website and social media presence (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), Inaaya is doing a great job of maintaining an active presence as well representing the brand with great photographs and design. Good aesthetics in the web presence of a fashion brand goes a long way to endorse the good taste of the team behind the venture.
Keeping consumers engaged with the latest updates about the business or the activities of the founder is essential to maintaining their attention in today’s fast moving online world. Investing time and money in a good social media presence is also indicative of how dedicated the business is to be a long-term success.
Tomorrow’s Fashion Brand
Inaaya’s promising start bodes well for its future as a potential fashion powerhouse that becomes the face of artisanal fashion in the global marketplace.
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