Duri Lifestyle: Affordable designer wear for fashionistas

Owned by Nowrin Sultana Adury, a visionary fashion designer and artist, Duri Lifestyle stands out as a shining example of exclusive designs and contemporary fabrics. The word 'Duri' roughly translates to "brightening stars" and that is exactly how you are bound to feel upon wearing these dresses.

Driven by her love of fashion, Adury started her career with a study in fashion design. While diving deep into the technical aspects was no piece of cake, it was during one of her work submissions that Adury got the perfect motivation telling her that she was indeed on the right path.

"I had submitted a dress after doing surface work on it and the appreciation I received was beyond imagination," she explains. "The dress was sold in an exhibition there almost immediately."

 From then until now, Adury has not looked back.

 The aim for Duri was simple — to establish itself as the brand that will make your dress dreams come true without costing you much. The dresses in store, fusion and traditional, start from a very moderate range of Tk 4000 and given that only one piece is available for each dress, it's a steal.

 Each series of dresses and saris by Duri brings an unmatched uniqueness with its thematic approach. "To Eternal Chloris-Winged" is one such series inspired by the goddess Chloris of Greek mythology. Just as she was associated with spring flowers, nature, and new growth, each sari in this series is a stunning piece of art embellished with a touch of nature in its purest form.

Perhaps, what sets Duri apart from most other brands in the country is the bridal consultation they are providing free of charge! Brides are often seen looking for a dress that will just look good on them, and Duri invites them to wear it with their personal touch, allowing them to add a piece of their heart and their most cherished inspirations into their special dress.

Adury stresses the fact that bridal wear should be a reflection of the bride's personality; it is not wearing a sari or dress that matters but feeling like yourself in it. Hence, the bride is involved in every step of the way, starting from the colour, and design, to each detail of the handcrafted magic to go in the dress making it truly the one she had dreamt of.

 Nowrin Sultana Adury pays homage to the skills of local artisans and remains steadfast in her commitment to collaborate with them. Recalling the initial scepticism of artisans with a smile, she shares, "They would often question why I insisted on local craftsmanship when faster alternatives were available from other countries. It took months for them to accept the idea that our local artistry was my sole preference, and I had no intention of seeking designs elsewhere."

 With an eye for detail and a goal to preserve the distinct essence of each dress, Duri stands strong on not going for mass production. Looking at 2024 as a year of endless possibilities, Adury hopes to expand on her line of fusion dresses as well as perhaps stepping into the territory of Men's wear as well.

"I don't want people to shy away from designer wear anymore," concludes Adury. "Exclusive can be affordable with Duri!"

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