Rooted in Tradition

The power couple, Preeti and Asish Modi, conceived their brand, Kiara, almost five years ago. Today, the duo has ventured on to open 2 other brands and has managed to lay concrete in the fashion industry of Bangladesh. COLORS Magazine speaks to Preeti Modi to unfold more on what to expect from the brand.

By Tamima Islam

Born and raised in Bangalore, India, Preeti Modi, and Asish Modi are names that have managed to gain a respectable amount of popularity in the fashion and business industries of Bangladesh. Preeti’s knack for business was inspired by her father, who himself ran a family business in which Preeti was involved since her teen years. During this time, she managed to complete her degree in business management and attain a diploma in fashion alongside.

“I always knew I wanted to build my own business,” shares Preeti. “And I also recognized my love for fashion.”

Preeti’s other half, Asish Modi, shared the same goals and mindset from the very first time they met. Together the two managed to harness their dreams side by side and converge them into one big reality. This was no less the case with one of their biggest business successes, Kiara.

Kiara, named after their daughter, is a brand of Sarees that Preeti and Asish specially designed to cater to all the different women of Bangladesh. After carefully studying the market in Bangladesh, Preeti realized that the younger niche of girls and adolescent women have little to no interest in wearing saree unless on a special occasion. Kiara, the brand, was initiated to change that.

By bringing lightweight, comfortable, and trendy sarees into the fashion scene through its signature collection of mulmul sarees, Kiara managed to gain a well-established brand image amongst young and trendy women of Bangladesh.

“We prioritize the needs and wants of our customers,” says Preeti. “And that’s what makes up the foundation of Kiara.”

Along with its mulmul sarees, Kiara has a collection of beautiful silk and cotton sarees that centers around motifs that combine nature with fashion; dragonflies, flowers, and birds are among her signature designed motifs that Preeti tries to input in almost all her collections. Geometric patterns reign over her silk collections of sarees, an exquisite piece to own for any silk lover. To add, as Bengali culture is one full of color and life, Preeti and Asish try to incorporate this aspect into all their designs, keeping their collections parallel to Bengali culture. 

In each collection, half of the designs incorporate the trendiest fashion, while the other half Preeti leaves to experiment and explore new realms of fashion, creating saree pieces that you would never have thought of, through using different materials and awe-striking motifs.

This summer, Kiara’s new Eid collection will not only be bringing new and comfortable saree’s, but for the first time, Kiara will be bringing a range of unique Salwar Kameez designs that will make looking gorgeous and feeling comfortable synonymous.

“When it comes to Kiara, quality is something we never compromise on,” adds Preeti.

The tradition of passing on a saree from generation to generation is something that Preeti holds dear to herself. With this in mind, Preeti and Asish ensure all the saree pieces they put on the shelves aren’t anything short of top-quality products so that these pieces can be passed down for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

“We want to make sure that the price our customers pay for each piece is worth every penny” explains Preeti. 

Alongside Kiara, Preeti and Asish have established two more fan-favorite brands – Juttiwala and Kiara Jewels.

Juttiwala is a brand of trendy Nagra shoes – a fashion statement that has been carried down from our Mughal ancestors.

“This season, we’ll be bringing a range of trendy jutti designs that promise to stand out,” says Preeti. “The latest collection of nagra’s for the upcoming Eid will showcase backless styles that are perfect for the summer.”

As for Kiara Jewels, Preeti focuses on Kundan Jewelry, a popular choice for bridal jewels. However, Preeti doesn’t feel that needs to be the case.  She uses Kundan Jewels to create pieces and designs that would fit all occasions and ages. This Eid, Kiara Jewels will also be launching a new and upgraded collection. 

Starting off as an online venture, Kiara has managed to establish a strong ground in Dhaka’s fashion market. Although the pandemic has been a tough time for most businesses, Preeti mentions how having already been established as an online store by that time had helped them surpass an otherwise major obstacle. On top of that, Preeti and Asish have been heartily accepted into Bangladesh’s fashion industry by their peers, which has made it easier to establish a ground for all their ventures here.

“I admire how the entire industry bands together if even one brand is facing any issues or a threat. It is truly commendable,” Preeti tells COLORS while commenting on the fashion industry. 

Through every venture, it’s quite clear how Preeti and Asish have focused their success on keeping our culture and traditions alive through the times. It is through this credence that Kiara continues to grow as a brand, and the duo is working to see their brands become established on a global front. Currently, their products are all available for shipment to the US, UK, and Dubai, and Preeti hopes to further their reach.