GoDeshi-Made in Bangladesh: Promoting local designers during the pandemic  

Sabera Anwar is the owner of Panache Hub, a platform for local boutiques. However, due to the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic, she had to shut down her 3,500-square feet store in Banani. 

Since then, she had been thinking about how to revive the fashion industry and came up with an idea to create a social media group to connect everybody in the fashion community and help entrepreneurs promote their clothing lines. 

From her passion for promoting local fabrics and the culture of Bangladesh, Sabera created a Facebook group 'GoDeshi-Made In Bangladesh', an online marketplace for local fashion designers to sell their products. 

"I created the group with a motto to turn it into a platform to help the local fashion designers and promote Bangladeshi clothing lines and other items," Sabera told The Business Standard.  

Almost six years ago, she started working in the local fashion industry and through her platform Panache, she has worked with nearly 32 designers and organised exhibitions and fashion shows. 

The group was first created in 2017, as Sabera wanted to build a non-profit organisation to assist the designers. 

During the lockdown, the group was renamed 'GoDeshi-Made in Bangladesh'. 

"I felt that it was the right time to relaunch my idea and become active in the group, and I have received tremendous support from the big names of the fashion industry so far. Within 15 days, we had more than 22,000 members in the group," she said. 

Sabera set a few rules for the netizens to be members of the group. Currently, a website is underway which will work as a permanent platform for fashion enthusiasts, designers, and artisans. 

The platform aims to promote all kinds of local products, not only clothes but also local food, handicrafts, decorative pieces, scented candles etc. 

Entrepreneurs can post as many as three posts every day but any kind of promotional activities such as live videos etc are not allowed. Mentioning the price range is not obligatory. 

Some of the brands on this platform include Sarah Karim Couture, Kathgolap, Jhijhi Poka, Koinya, Benz, and Onndor, among others. 

Renowned fashion designer Emdad Haque is involved with the platform as an advisor. 

"When the entrepreneurs call and tell me so far they have sold products worth two lakhs, or three lakhs, and they thank me for it, I become very inspired," said Sabera. 

She added, "I never thought of making it a profitable organisation, my only target is to promote our deshi products and save the entrepreneurs from huge losses. Of course, people were not sure if the platform was authentic or it would work out, but thankfully, it turned out as I wanted it to be."

She shared with us that many corporate gurus also buy clothes from the group which is very inspiring.

Sabera plans to keep the platform engaged and run campaigns, workshops, and exhibitions for the local craftsmen. 

Since we live in the golden age of technology, she aspires to launch an app as well. 

To know more about GoDeshi-Made in Bangladesh, you could visit their Facebook page: https://web.facebook.com/GoDeshi-Made-in-Bangladesh-103304535204100, or join their Facebook group: https://web.facebook.com/groups/1408270762599455