What it takes to run a clothing brand in Pakistan - Musings, Journey and Tidbits from behind the scenes action! Ep. 3

Date: 2 July 2026

We originally started this series to document the real, unfiltered processes that go on behind the scenes in Pakistan’s fashion industry as a small, independently owned business.

We wrote the last entry way back in early 2025. By then, we realized we had already forgotten so many of the early hurdles—the challenges that felt like the end of the world for a new brand, but are now just distant memories. We gave up on the diary for a while.
Now, in mid-2026, we’ve had an epiphany: instead of trying and failing to remember things from years ago, why not just resume from exactly where we are today?
Think of this as our professional diary. Whether you are a curious customer wanting to see how we operate at Tabassum, or a fashion graduate looking to understand the realities of this field, we hope you find some helpful tidbits here.

Stepping into the Unknown: Our First Aangan Drop

As we walked into the office this morning, our main challenge was finalizing the team for our upcoming—and first-ever—Aangan drop.
For those who might not speak Urdu, an aangan is the open, in-house courtyard of a traditional home—a place of comfort and daily life. That is exactly the meaning and intention behind our new everyday casuals range.
This is our first rodeo into everyday casual wear, and to say we are excited is an understatement. But we are also nervous. Even after years of doing this, the fear of the unknown still takes hold. Who would have thought that running a small business with limited resources would mean wearing so many different hats every single day?
But every day brings a new lesson. Alhumdulillah, the model and MUA are finalized, and we are hoping to shoot by the 9th of July—or the 11th, if we run into sampling delays.

The Pure Cotton Promise (No Polyester Allowed)
Here is where the real behind-the-scenes problem begins. We have been working on the sampling for our summer co-ord sets, which are cut from pure cotton. When it is scorching hot outside, pure, breathable cotton is the only thing that works.
We refuse to use "wrinkle-free cotton silk." Let's be honest: that is just a fancy PR term businesses use to sell you cheap polyester at high prices, leaving you sweaty and uncomfortable in the summer heat.
The co-ord sampling is actually going well. We reviewed pieces yesterday, made some adjustments to lengths and fits, and those tweaks will help us finalize patterns for the rest of the collection. However, our sampling master has been taking repeated days off, causing delays that leave us anxious.
We prefer having things done perfectly and well in advance, but heading a team of humans is incredibly humbling. Everyone comes with their own unique skills and their own real-life problems. We can’t control everything. We are learning to trust our team and accept that they will figure it out. Honestly, it feels like a dream to even say that. A while ago, we were handling all of this entirely on our own and bordering on burnout. Now, we have a team to help carry the load, allowing more room for experimentation.

Scrambling for the Perfect Summer Scarf Fabric
The biggest hurdle right now is our scarves. We envisioned pairing our pure cotton co-ord sets with soft voile scarves, and we had found an amazing fabrication during the sampling phase.
But after taking over a year to research and finalize the prints, the bulk fabric we ordered arrived—and the quality didn't match the sample. The fabric has a lot of unflattering slub, while other backup samples feel stiff, rough, and entirely unbreathable. We even tried treating the fabric with permanent softeners to improve the texture, but the results just aren't good enough for Tabassum.
Now, we are scrambling to source the right material from other vendors. We are waiting on a new sample today, and also reviewing a lawn alternative, even though it’s different from our initial vision.
This is the scary reality of running a small fashion business. Vendors promise one thing, but when it’s time to deliver, the quality drops. It is incredibly frustrating, but it’s part and parcel of this industry.
It is daunting knowing our shoot is planned for next week and we are still hunting for the perfect scarf fabric. We could take the easy way out and use stiff, poly-silk for scarves like many others available in the market. But silk slips off the head and is completely impractical for Pakistani summers.
Our scarves are meant to be your summer staple—the comfortable, breathable piece you reach for with your eyes closed. InshaAllah, we will figure this out and bring you something truly great. We even have a beautiful name picked out for the scarves range, but you'll have to stick around to find out what it is!
Meanwhile, as we write this, the office cat is rolled over on herself, fast asleep. Clearly, one of us isn't freaking out about fabric sourcing today.

We know it will work out, and you will have the best scarves for the summer season. Meanwhile, we will hopefully have a better update on the scarves for you tomorrow. 

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