A European brand with a Nepalese name is currently making its presence felt in Kathmandu. The first firiri showroom was opened in Kathmandu in January 2014 and since then, the European brand has gone on to open a showroom in Barcelona, Spain and a second showroom in Jhochhen, Basantapur in January this year (2015).
The firiri idea was born with the founder, CEO Raju Thapa and founder, brand and legal director Laura Rabot wanting to create a brand that represents fashion, culture and tradition from one part of the world to the other, creating a fusion between Nepal and Europe. They have comfortably labeled it “Euro Asiatic Fusion”.
With a team of 15 working for firiri and three in-house designers, Sanij Shrestha and Manisha Joshi in Nepal and Mar Rodriguez in Spain, firiri is a one-stop shop for the working women of today. The vibrant and dynamic firiri products range from Nrs 1,000 to Nrs 10,000 and vary depending on the design and fabric. firiri products are made of fine Nepalese natural fabrics such as bamboo, hemp, pashmina, cashmere, Dhaka, silk, raw silk and more.
I recently caught up with the founder and CEO Raju Thapa to know more about firiri!
Read Below!
How did the firiri story start?
firiri Europa S.L. was founded in October 2013 with the objective of promoting the Nepalese unique textile with Euro Asiatic design commercialized under the brand “firiri”. Laura is a Senior lawyer and I come from business background with an MBA from LSB University in London. We have decided to combine and unite our profiles to develop our common passion together in fashion.
We always wanted to do something that is related to Nepal, especially within fashion and clothing sector because of not only our passion within this sector but most importantly the desire to promote Nepalese garment product, with Euro Asiatic unique design using Nepalese fabric, in international market. It is our aim to promote our brand and design product in foreign market, help Nepalese finest product grow by penetrating the EU/International market through its core competencies so that Nepalese products could achieve international recognition.
What is the mission behind firiri?
Our mission is to design, develop, produce and promote our product, design and the brand, in EU/International market. It is to exceed customers’ expectations by meeting their needs and demand through providing to them excellent product, innovative design and exceptional service, giving to them value for money through offering to them choice and option of what they want, when they want and how they want.
Why did you choose the name firiri in particular?
The idea and name of the brand “firiri” came to my head one day in the middle of the night in the bed in beautiful city Barcelona, while trying to formulate a strategy alongside with my partner Laura, who came across with the logo idea, for creating together a brand that could connect people from different nation and represent their tradition, culture and Identity. Nepalese word firiri means movement with wind, waving in the air. It could be movement of an object, tangible or intangible i.e. piece of cloth, flag or an idea, using natural Nepalese fabric to create distinctive design clothing, not limited to new ideas and creativity, waving and swinging in the air like a flag.
The logo firiri represents the geometrical form that repeats itself in different colours and forms of the traditional clothes of Nepal, called dhaka. It also means the silhouette of the mountains of the Himalayas. It represents and acknowledge the nature, culture and tradition of Nepal. It inspires the fusion for creating unique and modern design.
firiri can form any shape, style or design, adapting to people’s necessity. firiri brand design, Euro Asiatic Fusion that represents Elegance, Comfort and Harmony.
Why did you decide to produce it in Nepal?
As I’ve mention earlier the idea is to promote Nepalese products in international market. In addition to this, the type of fabric we use are quite distinctive compare to what we find in EU market. It is also to create new employment opportunities for Nepalese young talents.
Furthermore, firiri has its production unit in Kathmandu. The artisan use ancient methods and techniques to produce the finest natural fibers that we use in our exclusive designs. Our products are available in little quantities (retailers) and big quantities (wholesalers) for multibrand clothing shops, boutiques and clothing distributors nationally and Internationally.
For more information on firiri you can visit – www.firiri.com
You can see more updates from firiri on Facebook – click here!
Tempted to buy your own firiri wear? Check out the offer below!
https://youtu.be/p2CQ-PfHbv0
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