From an online store to a clothing brand

Ambassador Designs focuses on delivering ladies formal wear.

Ladies in Nepal know how hard it is to get customised formal wear. Talking through experience, when a lady goes to get a suit from the tailor, the fit feels uncomfortable and the shape is weird.

I still remember the first time I had a suit made, I told the tailor not to put the shoulder pad but he did not listen to me. Now the coat still hangs in my cupboard never to be worn again.

Shrija Shrestha, founder and managing director of Ambassador Designs, shares, “The whole idea of female formal wear came when I went out to look for formal clothes when I landed my first job. My thought was to make a capsule wardrobe for my workplace but finding a whole look in one place was very tough. I had heard about a few places but most were out of my budget. And that is when the question popped up in my head, ‘Why is it so tough to get formal wear in Nepal’?”

When Shrestha started her career in 2016 she had no idea about what she wanted to work on. “It was all about exploring ideas initially,” she adds. During her graduation years, she participated in many events and got interested in branding and marketing.

However, all along the way she always wanted to open her own business. That is when she started an online store while working for Shikhar Insurance as a marketing executive.

Shrestha says, “Before opening an online store named ‘Finery Wear’ I did a little survey with my colleagues. I asked them if they would be interested in buying ready-made formal wear in one place, and I got a very good response. But most of them advised rather than just doing ready-made clothes, I should also look into customisation.”

Since she had two days off a week, Shrestha managed running the store and her work.

“I knew I wanted to do something on my own but again I thought it would be better if I continued with my job till I was 30 and build my public relations in the meanwhile,” she reminisces. “While my dad was okay with me running my own business, my mom was sceptical about it,” she adds.

After much cajoling and convincing her mom, she finally got the go-ahead to run her business for a year.

After operating ‘Finery Wear’ for almost a year, she opened a physical store in partnership with a friend. Shrestha explains, “The store was doing good but the problem was my friend had a different vision to what I had. And since in Nepal we don’t bother much about having proper legal documents when we open a business with a friend or family member it becomes even more difficult. So, we decided that rather than breaking up a good relationship, we would just part ways.”

That is when ‘Ambassador Designs’ was conceptualised and introduced, in January 2020. Shrestha explains how she does not design the clothes; she just adds her essence to the designs that already exist.

Though Shrestha was involved in online sales since December of 2019, she opened a physical store in Jhamsikhel only in January of next year.

One of the most difficult tasks before actually starting the business, she says was in finding a competitive tailor. “I shortlisted a few tailors and asked them to submit their designs. Among all the designs, one stood out but it was more of like a men’s wear. So I asked him if he would be willing to travel to India to study a diploma course on designing for ladies before working for us. He was okay with the idea and I sent him for a course just for my brand.”

However, just after three months of opening the store, the government imposed a nation-wide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Sadly, we had to shut down our store for good.” But rather than just sitting idle, Shrestha used the time to come up with other ideas to save her business.

“I needed to look after my employees but I was also scared that the brand would fade out. Since all the offices were closed no one was looking for formal wear. That is when I worked on the brand’s marketing and made videos of tricks and tips of dressing up for work,” she shares.

Since everyone was working from home, the brand introduced a collection of pajama sets.

Shrestha says, “Our brand mainly focuses on customised wear so it was very difficult for us during the lockdown as mobility had been curtailed. That is when I came up with the idea whereby our customers had to fill an online form on our website and give their measurements. And if they did not know how to take their measurements, I had even attached a tutorial video. But if someone wanted to make a suit, we provided home service. Our tailor would go to their homes to take measurements along with the fabric and I would also be giving instructions through Zoom.”

Since the lockdown has been lifted, Ambassador Designs is back with their slogan, ‘One stop for formal wear.’ Shrestha says they are reopening their store at Shakya Arcade in Durbar Marg very soon.