AARONG – THE BRAND STORY
The Beginning
Aarong started with a clear ‘Purpose’, a purpose that emanated from BRAC’s core vision of alleviating poverty and empowering people towards a better future. BRAC started its operations soon after the liberation war, on resettling and rehabilitating refugees returning from India. Later, in 1976, BRAC began training women in sericulture in Manikganj and Ayesha Abed, who worked at BRAC, initiated many of the major activities of Aarong by identifying and experimenting with various crafts that women could produce at home. At that time there were only a few buyers who were scattered across Dhaka. Weeks, even months, would pass before the women would get their payment. The idea of Aarong was born out of a need to ensure that the women silk rearers, embroiderers and block printers of Manikganj were paid for their goods upfront, so that they could feed their families. When BRAC decided to open its own retail outlet under the brand name Aarong, meaning ‘village fair’, it broadened its arms to include other artisans and master craftsmen throughout Bangladesh who were involved in the making of handicrafts for generations, and were finding it extremely difficult to survive in the newly formed country. Bangladesh has a long history of folk art and crafts but in general art and crafts were infrequently marketed as a meaningful enterprise for the poor. In the 1970s, BRAC was examining any and all possibilities for alternative forms of productive livelihood, especially for women, and the proper commercialization of art and crafts turned out to be a promising option. The first Aarong outlet opened its doors in December 1978 with jamdani and block printed silk sarees, nakshi kantha quilts, jute products, clay pottery, silver jewellery, leather goods and many other beautiful handmade products.
The Social Enterprise Model

To keep Aarong sustainable and true to its social mission, key elements were incorporated in order to ensure the livelihood development of the artisans. Instant payment as opposed to the market practice of payment after sales ensured Producers a steady cash flow to reinvest into their businesses, and pay their artisans immediately after production. Low interest loans with no collateral further provided access to much needed capital which would otherwise be too difficult to secure through a bank. A dedicated team of designers and product development experts would assist in producing apparels and non-textiles items that the market demands. A strong quality control process would further ensure that the products are competitive and build a strong reputation in the market.

The Evolution

In the late 1970s and early 1980s Aarong focused on developing its product lines and production capabilities. Aarong’s designers began to study and catalogue the designs and motifs of traditional art forms, visiting museums, elderly craft masters and private collectors. They experimented with indigenous materials and forms, adapting them to possible new lines. Aarong hired master craftsmen to help train village women and created a Textile Design and Service Workshop in Manikganj to experiment with materials and technologies in stitching, weaving and dying.
In 1982, the Ayesha Abed Foundation (“AAF”) was established by family and friends to commemorate the memory and work of late Ayesha Abed who died unexpectedly during childbirth in 1981. The Foundation was created to provide an appropriate working environment, financial and technical assistance and training to develop rural women’s skills in various crafts. Aarong would buy all of the products produced by women under AAF.
During the 1980s, in addition to starting the AAF, Aarong opened more retail outlets and began exporting a small percentage of goods to fair trade organizations in Europe. By the mid to late 1980s Aarong began to emerge as a fashion brand due to its innovative designs and high quality products despite the fact that the majority of urban Bangladeshis had little fashion awareness and consciousness.
Aarong was the first brand to start doing photo shoots and hold fashion shows, well researched craft exhibitions and other forms of media publicity focused events. Through these groundbreaking marketing initiatives Aarong was able to grow its popularity and brand awareness within the country.
By the early 1990s Aarong had become the leading fashion house in Bangladesh and had created a one-stop, destination location for middle to upper class urban shoppers. During the 1990s, Aarong continued to build brand equity through fashion shows and publicity events while benefiting from the emerging prominence of fashion in Bangladeshi society. At the same time, Aarong’s unique product designs were able to bring consumer attention back to the crafts that are indigenous to Bangladesh as its designers blended the traditional with the contemporary in a way that was able to win consumer appeal and start a revolution in trends that has now been taken up by countless other boutiques and brands.
Aarong Today

Today, Aarong has grown into a thriving enterprise showcasing ethnic wear to beautiful crafts from hand-woven silks, cotton, endi to terracotta, bamboo, jute, brass, leather and much more. From a small initiative to protect the interest of a rural community, Aarong has grown into one of Bangladesh's biggest retail chains, with 13 stores spread across the major metropolitan areas of the country - in Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla, Sylhet, Naryangonj and Khulna. To compliment brick and mortar operations, an e-commerce website is being launched to reach global markets. The brand’s reach has spread throughout the country as it operates 13 AAF centres (with nearly 638 production and sub centres) and works with over a 800 artisan groups and entrepreneurs while ensuring the livelihood of over 65,000 artisans and their families (80% of whom are women), thus directly benefiting 320,000 people. In addition, through the profits it generates and redistributes through BRAC’s development programmes, Aarong benefits hundreds of thousands more people as well as provides a service to consumers.
The brand generates a strong emotional connection and loyalty while bringing people together to showcase the best that Bangladesh’s highly skilled artisans have to offer. In addition to Aarong’s strong brand awareness and presence as the leading fashion house in Bangladesh, a key point of differentiation is the department store level product range and destination location status. Aarong is a one-stop shopping location from clothing to household items, gifts and fashion accessories to children’s toys. Aarong outlets have unique and convenient features such as parking areas and in-store cafes to round out the shopping experience.

Aarong’s customers are not only the urban and middle to upper class Bangladeshis and expatriates but also include Bangladeshis living abroad who are looking for products that connect them to their country and roots and represent their identity as a Bangladeshi. Customers also include foreigners visiting Bangladesh, as Aarong is a must visit destination that has a prominent mention in The Lonely Planet guide to Bangladesh. It is a place to pick up a piece of Bangladesh with a souvenir to remind visitors of the culture, vibrancy and warmth of the people and the country.

The unique positioning of Aarong as a ‘Bangladeshi Brand of Pride’ is built on its visionary and pioneering role in preserving, promoting and popularizing Bangladeshi crafts and the values of innovation, integrity, empathy and continuous learning that drive the brand to this day.

E-commerce Launching

The launch of an e-commerce website is Aarong’s latest initiative to provide greater market access for marginalized Producers in rural areas. Consumers globally will be able to experience the rich cultural craft of Bangladesh through the convenience of purchasing products online. Aarong joins the first wave of retailers in Bangladesh to offer online shopping to its customers.

The website features products from all Aarong product lines. Shoppers will be able to view the product and instantly purchase items 24 hours, 7 days a week. Cash on delivery, credit cards (VISA & Mastercard), and bKASH are all accepted forms of payment. The items will be shipped directly to any address within Bangladesh through courier service, and soon extended globally. Additionally, customers are able to exchange or return the product if they are not satisfied at their nearest outlet.