The logic for the retail boost and ‘ready-made’ fabric was essentially the same: Hassle free, pre-designed clothing, with the added advantage that you could style it as you deemed fit and your Pakistani body didn’t have to subscribe to the pre-packaged sizes on the racks. Of course, the most crucial of all, there was no haggling with the kaam walas.

While Bareeze was a pioneer in the craft of embroidered fabric, a steady stream of retail stores like Threads and Motifs, Motifs, Frills and Needle Impressions made their mark.

Joining the bandwagon this summer is a chic little store, Cross Stitch, a subsidiary of the Ayesha Group. Cross Stitch’s first flagship store was launched on May 2 in Lahore.


A manufacturing concern with varied interests — textile just being one of them — the Ayesha Group chose the perfect time to expand their industrial experience towards retail. Their cousins, the Crescent Bahuman group, recognised the golden value of retail years ago, when Shoaib Shafi took a risk with StoneAge. This summer, the company launched their own lawn as well, marketed by the sultry Sushmita Sen.