How KYNAH Is Changing The South Asian Clothing Retail Experience

← Go back Oct 10, 2023

Forbes Leadership How KYNAH Is Changing The South Asian Clothing Retail Experience Mehrunnisa Wani Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I write about diplomacy and development in South Asia. Following Oct 2, 2023, 10:34am EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Aisha Rawji’s fashion company KYNAH (pronounced “KYE-NAH”) traces its roots to an unconventional business she observed during her childhood. The model was simple, if a little onerous. Rawji’s mother, Anise Rawji, would fly to her native land of India several times per year, meet designers, and pick up clothes. Returning back home to the United States, she would sell the trendy, contemporary Indian outfits from their living room to fellow members of the South Asian diaspora. The success of the business pointed to a very real gap for South Asian consumers. Ethnic clothing stores in Little India’s across the United States - Artesia, Edison/Iselin, and Jackson Heights - didn’t offer much choice. Selections were démodé (you pick what you see). Shoppers were forced to be itinerant. If they had the means and the time, they would perhaps even go to India for a personalized experience and more options. The difficulty of finding a good outfit was apparent to Rawji at weddings in the expatriate community, where many of the clothes worn by wedding guests seemed out of fashion or ill-fitted. In the early 2000s, Rawji's mother sold trendy, contemporary Indian outfits from her living room. ...