Leading jalabiya brand, Beenas, is embarking on a phased expansion programme with the opening of a boutique in Mumbai, followed by a strong presence in Doha this year.

The brand currently operates boutiques in Sharjah, Al Ain and Abu Dhabi and is strongly looking at the prospects of opening a stand-alone store in Dubai soon, said a statement from Beena’s.

“Our expansion programme will start with Mumbai in March/April this year. This will be followed by our stores in Doha and Dubai as part of the GCC expansion programme,” said Beena Soni, the first non-Arab designer of jalabiyas who successfully gave modern cuts, luxurious looks and fantastic finishing to the top traditional Arab women attire.

“Nearly 35 per cent of our customers come from Qatar and other GCC markets like Bahrain and Saudi Arabia,” she said.

Soni said a lot of GCC nationals frequently travelled to Mumbai for business, family holidays and for shopping. “Over the years, we have been getting queries from our clients and others whether we have a boutique in Mumbai. It is the right time to enter the Indian market as there is tremendous awareness and likeness for jalabiya among the foreign visitors who come to India.”

Her jalabiyas combine Arabic tradition and modern fashion, and each one has an individual work of art in terms of technique, design, material and cuts.

Soni also started the concept of bejeweled jalabiyas three years ago, the statement said. – TradeArabia News Service