In opening the business, he provided young designers a venue to exhibit their designs. “I wanted to start a business in something where they could benefit as designers and we could benefit as investors, and this project is a win-win situation for both of us,” he said.
Daghestani wanted to involve the youth in his project as part of his social responsibility. “I wanted to benefit young Saudis by offering them a place to invest in their powers and energy by utilizing it in something beneficial that could serve them and serve their society,” he said. “I drew up a full research and a business plan for the project before executing it to study the market and to see if this project would work. Based on that I started recruiting the designers,” he added.
The idea of the boutique came to Daghestani after he realized that thobe shops in Jeddah are only limited to the designers’ styles and cannot be modified to his own taste. “I tried many times to ask the tailors to modify the thobes I wanted to wear, but they all turned me away claiming that they only sell their designs and their styles as they are,” he said. “Now people can go into the Young Designers boutique and they will not find one but five different thobe designers who can help you with creating your own image,” he added.
“I believe that this will help young designers showcase their talent by offering people different styles of thobes,” said Daghestani. “As the shop owner, I provide each designer with all the materials and methods needed to help them design and tailor their thobe creations,” he added.
The 22-year-old businessman gives the young designers freedom in their designs even if they make their sale under the Young Designers banner. “Each designer has full access to all materials and a creative section for them to start and design their own styles,” he said.
“So far we have five designers, three young men and two young women. I made sure to hire ladies to add a feminine touch to the store. I wanted to make sure that the customer will find whatever he is looking for under our roof,” said Daghestani.
Designers Reem Faisal, Abrar Ali, Wael Nazer, Shaker Almoqri and Reda Umda are a part of the Young Designers’ boutique. “Looking at the boutique’s name, you automatically know that you will find a wide range of designs. Some of us have taken a classic theme, while I make more outlandish designs,” said Faisal. “The concept is very general and it doesn’t go in one particular direction, as it is not defined as a high-end boutique or casual and sporty. It is very general and organic,” she added.
The idea of the boutique is very enterprising as it gives young designers a platform to showcase their talent, according to Faisal. “It is a good start for young talents to find out how to start a career in designing and is a good platform for them to figure out if their designs needed tweaking in the future and what the response of the public would be,” she said.
“It’s a case of trial and error for young designers who can go ahead and try out new things and absorb the public’s response without losing too much, especially as Daghestani has shouldered all the expenses and matched the requirements of those designers,” she added.
Offering unique designs is what sets Young Designers’ boutique apart from any other thobe store, said Almoqri. “I used to design my own thobes for a while because I’m always searching for ways to be one of a kind. When Daghestani approached me, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to make people feel special like I do,” he said. “The project is liberating each designer to style a traditional thobe by flipping fabrics and creating something special and spectacular out of it,” he added.
“I believe that most young Saudis are fed up of wearing thobes because they are not creative and have limited designs, but in this project young Saudis will find different colors, fabrics and lines produced by young people just like them,” said Almoqri.
