You know that one part of the closet that you never dare approach? It’s filled to the brim with a vast array of structured, Avant Garde blouses, statement Ottoman-style Ramadan dara’as (we’re talking dramatic drapes and billowing sleeve styles, not the cute ones you wear around the house), and that designer bandage dress you just had to have. What do these pieces have in common? The dreaded price tag is still on them, only to remind you of yet another impulse purchase you’ve made. And every day, you live with the guilt of not wearing said items, and more importantly, the social and environmental cost of your fashion consumption, all for the sake of feeling better about yourself for a total of five minutes. What if we told you that there is a better way to score those gram-worthy looks? Enter Naz World, Kuwait’s first solution to a more conscious way of consuming fashion.
Yes, we’re talking about a form of retail therapy that’s actually good for your soul, wallet, and preserves the creative integrity of designers who agonize for months before they can pin down those runway looks for you to enjoy oh-so-frivolously when they have to slash their prices to meet sales targets. Naz is a fresh digital space, it’s that tab you want to keep open on your browser while you’re working. The luxury designer clothing rental platform arrives as both an online and offline experience to customers in Kuwait and soon in the GCC. Founder and CEO Dalal Behbehani starts us off, “We like to turn Buyer’s Remorse to Borrower’s Delight,” she says, “so why pay KD 1200 for something you won’t wear except only once?” But we love fash-un so much, isn’t that reason enough to score that new outfit to wear to that next restaurant opening we’re invited to?
“I strongly believe that there is a profitable customer in the rental business. Sadly, 20 years of fast fashion has built-in an insatiable hunger for new and different outfits. Multiply that by Facebook and raise it to the power of Instagram and we have a digitally native customer base who is unknowingly contributing to the Climate Crisis.” In further conversation with Dalal, we also learn that the fashion industry now employs one out of every seven humans globally, and that the fashion world is now the second-largest industrial polluter. Simply put, this industry is impacting our planet and the humans inhabiting it, and “If we continue this linear business of make-consume-dispose then most of the negative impact will be irreversible.”
Sure, this might not be new information to some, and we know that some of our readers are already avid advocates of the slow-fashion movement, and purposefully seek out designers who employ more sustainable and ethical practices when it comes to their offerings. But ethical consumption usually comes with hefty price tags, and fashionable options can sometimes be limited. This is where Naz comes into play. Naz is not a solution to all of the woes of the fast-fashion industry, but it surely arrives as a clever and more importantly, a mindful approach to consuming couture that you love. Think bold overstated florals by Johanna Ortiz, bespoke gowns by Rasario to the radically beautiful (but mighty expensive) cuts of Alexandre Vauthier, all at appetizing rental periods of four days, eight days, and four-weeks at a fraction of the retail price. Naz’s gorgeous closet is home to a roster of incredible pieces by designers such as Toni Maticevski, Sacai (we can’t get enough of those structured vests!), Perfect Moment, Alessandra Rich, Carolina Herrera, Halpern, and Richard Quinn.
“We’ve unbundled access from ownership; and by doing so, we priced the value of access without the price of ownership and will build our operating model based on that. Consumers are more ‘woke’ and we are amazed at the positive feedback we have gotten from our members; they appreciate the choice we are providing, and it is our responsibility to curate for them a gorgeous and accessible wardrobe.” Dalal explains, “We believe that we should all invest in our wardrobes. Invest in high quality, long-lasting garments…. and for that statement outfit? That ski trip that happens once in a few years? Our annual Ramadan wardrobes? RENT!”
With her impressive background in the investment field, Dalal decided to set financial practicality aside, and provide a different kind of incentive for Naz members. “We believe in pursuing an ideology that creates a positive impact, and financial success will ultimately follow. We are building a platform that is obsessively customer-centric. We look at the attributes valued by customers and build the experience around it. So, what do shoppers value? Novelty, variety, sustainability and convenience. All of which our operating processes are built around.”
When it comes down to it, the key conversation that everyone is having about the luxury fashion industry is the notion of exclusivity versus accessibility. Dalal is well aware of the fact that 70% of luxury customers in Kuwait and the GCC alone are below the age of 28. These digitally native consumers don’t necessarily care about owning a luxury item as much as they care about enjoying it or accessing it. “With Naz, we bring accessibility to the table, as well as giving customers the option to do what’s right.” She says, adding that the most common emotional trigger she sees with Naz members is how they feel smart when they pop by the Naz Stylist studio and walk away with a rental, or ten!
Perhaps this is what sets Naz apart the most from other luxury clothing rental platforms. For a flat KD 5 service fee, you also get to harness the super fashionable powers of stylist extraordinaire Dalal Al Hajeri. She goes the extra mile to deliver Naz members a one-stop styling solution to accompany each rental item. Al Hajeri doesn’t just stop at styling the look for your chosen Naz piece, but she also goes above and beyond, with PDFs complete with complementing hairstyles, makeup looks, and various accessory options. “Sometimes, you look at a piece on the rack, and it doesn’t look too exciting. When it’s styled properly, however, that’s a totally different story. Not a lot of people are familiar with the concept of dressing up, or going for a completely different look, but I love to give a Naz member a totally different look based on her character.” With her incredible experience working as a stylist in Bloomingdale’s in LA, Al Hajeri breathes new life into the concept of styling with Naz, making the notion of styling a successful segway into the luxury rental platform. Dalal further adds, “[The Stylist Studio experience allows you to] touch the items, try them on, we even tailor, plan your wardrobe and meet our amazing stylist team who can give you phenomenal tips. The most recurring statement we have heard is ‘I would never buy this piece but I am so glad I tried it with you.’”
Expect season agnostic fashion at Naz, as the luxury garments are painstakingly selected by the Naz team to withstand vicious trends inspired by the fast-fashion movement. Dalal Behbehani explains that, despite their vision for timeless pieces, they will carry seasonal capsule collections that may respond to new season trends, but essentially, “You want something new for YOU to put on, not fresh out of the factory.” The pricing structure for renting with Naz is also very transparent, simply because Dalal knows that online customers are extremely price savvy, she adds, “Unlike brick and mortar stores, we follow the designers’ suggested pricing strategy with a small percentage.” Perfect for weekend trips to Beirut or Dubai, the flexible rental structure also allows you to plan your wardrobe for the entire season.
The ladies of Naz like to lead by example, and in our meeting, they showed us the gorgeous garments they wore and how easy it is to access them. Dalal donned a stunning long jeans jacket by Alexander Wang, which retails for KD 280 but a 4-day rental is KD 25, 8-Day Rental is KD 40 and 4-Week Rental is KD 50, while stylist Dalal Al Hajeri sported a gorgeous Sacai Long Vest which retails for KD 1,200, whereas 4-day rentals cost KD 100, 8-days is KD 130 and 4-weeks is KD 200, and finally Naz Content Strategy Manager Asma Al Mulla wore a bright yellow trench by Koché which retails for KD 400. For renting out this beautiful garment, you can opt for a 4-day rental at KD 40, 8-day rental for KD 55, and 4-week rental is KD 80. Should you develop intense feelings of love for a specific rental piece from Naz, rest assured, you can keep it too for a very reasonable price.
We’re also loving Naz’s content strategy, which truly delivers on the meaning of democratizing luxury fashion for everyone to enjoy. Spearheaded by the beautiful mind of Asma Al Mulla (you probably know and love her from her follow-worthy Instagram account @Vintagebaza), she believes that rather than following a mega-influencer strategy to achieve fame, it’s your personal influence in your direct community that instigates change. She explains, “We like to work with real women, real girls. At the end of the day, we’re average girls, and I am more likely to be influenced by my friends and family and not by people on social media. It’s not about having a huge platform and a number of followers- it’s about the impact you have on society and in our local communities- these are the girls we want to talk about. These are the #GirlsofNaz. Influencing their direct communities.”
The Naz app is launching in just a few short weeks, but you can and absolutely should experience the Naz Stylist Studio. Dalal advises us to “Book your appointment with us on hello@worldofnaz.com or WhatsApp 9760 7552. Pop in our Stylist Studio and we would love to show you our collection. In fact, we can plan your event calendar.” Going on that amazing ski trip in France, or traveling to Switzerland over the National and Liberation Day holidays? Head to Naz for their gorgeous capsule ski collection. Doing some early planning for Ramadan? Don’t worry, as Naz is planning an exceptionally beautiful Kaftan collection that is set to debut in March. Dalal even spills the beans on an upcoming tropical-inspired summer collection and a workwear wardrobe edit—we simply can’t wait!
For more information, please visit www.worldofnaz.com, and follow @world.naz on Instagram for amazing style inspo.
