From a home-based workshop to 14 stores: redefining the traditional thobe

The urge to customize his clothing led one young Saudi to quit his job and launch his own garment startup.

When Jeddah resident Loai Nassim took a job with 3points he suddenly found himself required to wear a thobe, the traditional Arabic garment. He drew on his artistic talent and started to add his own personal touch.

With the help of a tailor from his mother’s workshop, Nassim began to produce his own design in a small room in house. The year was 2001, and demand began to build.

One of his earliest clients was Marwan Qutub, Nassim’s former colleague at 3points and current business partner. Nassim tried to talk Qutub out of the order by raising his price.

“I wanted to avert him from the idea by asking for an exaggerated price of 10,000 riyals ($2,266) per thobe, but he insisted and bought of 10 thobes at this price,” Nassim recalled.

Orders kept coming in, and in 2005 Nassim left his job and launched his brand,Lomar, with a capital of $186,000, some of which Loai had saved from his previous job, and some of which was in the form financial aid from two former partners.

Lomar is a combination of Loai and Mona, his wife’s name. His wife played a crucial role in the establishment of Lomar, helping him Loai make and sell clothes from their basement for three years, even as their team expanded to 15 tailors in the basement.

Original article by Ahmed Gabr

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From a home-based workshop to 14 stores: redefining the traditional thobe