Figure #1,2&3 (Vogue PK, 2021)
The STIFC Company is an Ethnic Women’s wear retail store Located in the heart of Pakistan, Lahore. The company was founded by four international students, Shaanzay Chaudhry, Carla Ward, Imama Mudassar and Farhana Upannash, once they realized the potential growth in international retailing.
The reason we decided to open up our retail store in Lahore, Pakistan was because of few factors; the textile quality available in Pakistan, our target market which is South Asian women, and lastly the beauty of Pakistan’s culture. Our company focuses and takes pride in delivering top-quality Shalwar Kameez with new high fashion trends and colors. We have custom tailoring available as well, where our customers are more than welcome to customize their Shalwar Kameez according to their liking and styling. This ensures that our brand includes every body type without having our customers scared of ordering because of sizing availability.
Interest in researching international retailing in Pakistan lies in the fact that it is a country that has many prejudices associated with it and our company wants to educate itself along with its peers. As it is a culturally rich country that is misrepresented in society. Some misconceptions include the belief that all Pakistanis speak one language or only have one skin tone, eye, and hair color that are native to this region. In addition to this is the falsity that Pakistani women are oppressed because of their religion. Although true in certain cases, it is not representative of the culture as a whole. Many progressive individuals belong to this nationality. Furthermore, two out of the five group members’ ancestries begin in Pakistan. Both of whom are from Lahore, Pakistan. While one was born and raised in the United States and the other back home, arriving in the U.S.A at the age of thirteen they are both strikingly similar.
