In the vibrant fashion world, where trends are ever-changing and cultural influences intertwine, Le Reve stands out as a brand that melds local traditions with global fashion. In 2009, Le Reve began its journey as a sister concern of the REVE group. The group started its journey in 2003 as a predominantly ICT company that has customers in around 80 countries of the world.
Recognising Bangladesh’s rich heritage in the textile sector and the robust state of its ready-made garment industry, Le Reve started with the opening of its first two stores in Uttara and Banashree. Within 15 years, it now operates 24 stores in Dhaka, Barisal, Comilla, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Narayanganj, Chittagong and even in an international location in Singapore.
Fostering cultural fusion
From the beginning till now, Le Reve has garnered attention for its unique approach to clothing that appeals to all generations while fostering cultural fusion. When AR asked Le Reve’s CEO Monnujan Nargis about the inspiration behind Le Reve’s cultural fusion concept, she said, “Le Reve’s brand logo symbolises the aspiration to expand both domestically and internationally. We aim to create a unique fusion of traditional ethnic and Western fashion, allowing customers to enjoy contemporary trends in colour, silhouettes and print motifs. While targeting non-Bangladeshi customers, Le Reve emphasises the importance of sharing and embracing Bangladeshi culture and values. We always strive to maintain a balance between the country’s rich heritage and current global fashion trends.”
In addition, local artisans in conjunction with designers, play a massive role in enhancing the vibrancy of the cultural fusion at Le Reve. Monnujan averred, “Amongst our dresses, saree plays a very vital place. In designing and manufacturing sarees, we depend on the skills of our local artisans. Other than our dresses, we also try to imply modern taste in products like Ethnic Bath Towel (gamcha), Sarang (lungi). Also, we have leather products with a modern taste that is made with the skills of local artisans.”
Designing for every generation
While offering a diverse range of products for men, women, teens, kids as well as newborns, Le Reve’s comprehensive approach allows it to cater to the entire family, which Monnujan believes sets themselves apart from brands that focus solely on menswear or womenswear. Monnujan shared, “By addressing the fashion needs of all family members, we create a one-stop shopping destination, enhancing convenience and building stronger customer loyalty. This inclusive strategy not only broadens our market reach but also reinforces our position as a versatile and family-friendly brand in the fashion industry.”
“We have seen many of our dresses have been passed from mum to daughters or vice versa. Though we do fast fashion, but our dresses are worn by different generations of a family. And we promote that in our communication,” she added.
Harnessing technology in fashion
Currently, more than 30 professionals work at Le Reve’s design studio. This team works on developing samples as well as conceptualising designs. CEO of Le Reve told AR, “We use a robust ERP system to provide designers with historical data that informs decisions on customer preferences, such as colour and size preferences. They then plan to incorporate machine learning technology alongside international fashion forecasting to better understand customer needs. After conceptualising a product, they create design and production samples, followed by model shoots for all products to evaluate appeal, functionality and comfort. Final production is approved only if the editorial team is satisfied with the designs.”
“At Le Reve, because of our background in technology, we always try to introduce technology in our daily operations to enhance our service quality and product offerings. Seamless Integration between our Mobile Apps and POS systems improves the shopping experience of our customers. Our advanced ERP also continuously monitors our stock level to ensure product availability,” she further said.
Future brand vision
When querying Monnujan about their goals to grow the brand in future, she enthusiastically replied with a narrative, “One day I was walking through our shop in Singapore. Our Singaporean sales girl was talking to me about our different dresses. She showed me one of our newly launched red salwar kameez and told me that the day before, two Chinese ladies purchased it to wear on a wedding tea party.”
She then continued, “This story not only talks about our dresses, but also about our dreams. We want our dresses to be worn by people from every ethnicity on every occasion with comfort, confidence and love. We don’t sell dresses, but we serve confidence, we serve comfort, we serve enjoyment. And in the next phase, we want these good feelings to be carried from Bangladesh to SAARC, ASEAN and Gulf Countries. And after that to the other parts of the world.”
