Among the myriads of self-proclaimed couture clothing stores sprouting all over the city, Armadio is one store that is a cut above the rest. A few cuts may be, if you will. Walking into their store, you will be gusted with an air of sophistication and that effect escalates exponentially as you adorn yourself in one of their offerings. The store specialises in Western wear such as casual and formal dresses, tops, jumpsuits, suits and blazers and traditional wear such as kurtis and shalwar kameez. Armadio does not disappoint the men too; they have a stunning collection of suits and shirts for men to choose from.
Over a tête-à-tête we uncovered from Farheen Lalarukh Khurrum, the brains behind Armadio, about the makings of her brand into a personification of suavity and sophistication and every splitting detail about their Eid collection.
Farheen ventured into the fashion world with the sole aspiration of wanting to gift her clients something unique in the true sense. According to Farheen, "the modern Bangladeshi women and men aspire to high quality, high fashion wear that fit their bodies perfectly. They want to wear outfits that stand out from the crowd. Yet there is also that desire to wear something that is made locally. That is where Armadio comes in. Armadio makes it easy and affordable for customers to get custom tailored clothing for a look that is professional, fashionable and truly sophisticated." Armadio truly lives up to its promise of delivering exclusivity; only 3-4 pieces of each outfit are made. Think about the odds of finding someone wearing the same outfit as you again.
Despite the accolades the road thus far had not been easy. Farheen tells us how she took every bump in the road as an opportunity to start new. Like every other entrepreneur, she wanted her brand to be unique and trendsetting. As a brand, she believes she has achieved that by providing both tailoring services and off-the-rack office/semi-formal wear products to the urban men and women. "A couple or a family can now get all their tailoring needs catered to and have access to latest global trends in one place.", Farheen tells us as she explains what sets Armadio apart in the fashion game. When asked about the competition she might have had to face she tell us, "We do believe that there is indirect competition, but at the moment we are working to excel within ourselves."
Coming to the Eid collection, Farheen tells us her M.O while designing the collection was comfort. Her collection exudes a nice mix of understated sophistication and comfort which is a breath of fresh air in the Eid market overrun with typical gaudy wear. Keeping summer in check, she played with a lot of ruffles and cuts for some added comfort. She also incorporated floral prints with bold colours and laces that just scream summer. Farheen believes small details can draw a lot of attention to any outfit. Most of her collection has intricate detailing in the buttons or embroidery that makes each piece a standout on its own.
Why did you decide to name your store Armadio?
Armadio means wardrobe in Italian. Inspired by the Italian tailored fit and tapered cuts, we hope someday to occupy most of the modern, urban women and men's wardrobe with Armadio products.
Describe Armadio in three words
Bespoke. Formal. Value.
Who would you say is your style icon, both national and international?
National- Working moms and fun, innovative dads.
International- Classic movie stars.
Describe your personal style.
Women's: Armadio pleated chiffon tops paired with slim fit linen pants and wedges!
Men's: tapered on the waist suits and shirts with super, fine materials.
What will you be wearing this Eid?
Armadio crepe silk kurti in the morning and saree in the evening for me and Armadio panjabi for husband all the way. Not to forget Armadio dresses and Panjabi for the kids as well!
What would you say is a must-have for every girl's wardrobe this Eid?
Light colored floral tops or kameezes.
How do you stay on top of current design trends?
We do an online research on the latest fabric trend, patterns and design on our own.
Name your 3 favorite outfits.
Pintuck flowy tops, wrapped around gowns and fitted jackets
Name your favourite international clothing brand and tell us what you like about it.
Zara- for its every day simplistic and tailored look; Karl Lagerfeld- for the innovative wearable works of art.
Which is your favourite piece from your Eid collection?
Armadio floral printed jumpsuit for women and sleek linen panjabi for men.
