When passion and self-expression meet sales skills, an entrepreneur and his or her business are ready to thrive.
One step ahead of the trend, Dramaqueen Fashions, a social media-based clothing and apparel store, established itself long before the online sale buzz of the pandemic period.
According to owner Shiwani Narayan, Dramaqueen Fashions began in 2016 as a side hustle and continues to be a significant source of additional income for her.
“I have been multi-tasking with Dramaqueen as my side hustle and being a full-time realtor,” Shiwani said.
“It has been very much challenging. I’ve been working hard and I’m proud of where I am today with all the blessings from my loyal clients.”
Born in Lautoka as the eldest of three, Ms Shiwani says she always had a lot of familial support, a huge help when juggling the pressures of entrepreneurship and a full-time job as a realtor and sales associate with ReMax Tropics Fiji.
“Honestly, I had no difficulties when it came to start a new venture. I had supportive parents and friends who gave me motivation and encouraged me,” she said.
“My journey has been a smooth one, having the most supportive client base.”
Smooth as it may have been, starting almost any business requires an initial investment and Dramaqueen Fashions was no exception.
With Ms Shiwani’s talent for sales, however, this initial investment was easily recovered.
“I had to renovate a whole room to start off my business, getting a mannequin and setting up racks,” she shared.
“With God’s grace I did eventually make back my investment.”
A contributing factor to any successful business is knowing how to appeal to your target market, and a classy set-up for showcasing your products is only one part of effective fashion retail.
Dramaqueen outfits are hand-picked and sold only in single pieces.
“My products include the trendiest styles from high-end to affordable clothing, shoes and handbags, and my products are only available in one piece each. My client reviews always say that they shone wearing a Dramaqueen outfit that day,” Ms Shiwani said.
“Most of my products are from Asia, so I travel twice a year to various parts of Asia to get the best hand-picked supplies. I also do Shein orders,” she shared.
Her passion comes from a desire to offer her customers the same experience she would want for herself; staying ahead of the curve when it comes to her appearance.
“Fashion entrepreneurs have the opportunity to influence and set trends. The passion lies in self-expression; for myself to express my identity through clothing,” she said.
“As far as compliments on my fashion style go, it’s been admired by many as I carry myself in both Western and Indian outfits.”
Ms Shiwani occasionally falls in love with the outfits she chooses but prioritises client needs.
“There was this beautiful white dress I wore and posted a picture of on my social media once,” she shared.
“But there was this client who really wanted it and even offered $100 so eventually I sold it off.”
Determined to keep her loyal customer base close and her business thriving,
Ms Shiwani has the classic “never give up” attitude needed for entrepreneurship.
“There is a group of people who have inspired and helped me out along my journey, especially my parents; they always told me to keep on going and never give up,” Ms Shiwani said.
She also has plans for expanding Dramaqueen Fashions, looking to one day set up her own showroom and have fashionable products across a range of inclusive sizing options.
The Dramaqueen Fashions catalogue is available on Instagram and Facebook pages at DramaQueenFashion’s.
