Why is dirac and baati so expensive, and where can I find affordable ones?

Strawberry

๐’š๐’๐’–๐’„,Soomaalinimada,๐’–๐’๐’˜๐’’๐’†๐’˜
I've been wondering this for years. The price for dirac each year increases, and the materials are not even good quality. For example, the print design is not an original idea, and when they do collections, there is no cohesion.
I feel like many of them use the same cheap manufacturer in China, Bangladesh, or Turkey. Now, I wouldn't mind if they charged more than ยฃ100 for a dirac set, but when you can find the same design and cheap material in your local fabric store for $10-20 for the entire 3.5 yards + set, that seems ridiculous.

So my beef with the Somali Diarac business is that they should be making it available for all social backgrounds. That is, a dress over ยฃ100 is one that is made with a creative original design and the best silk fabric; on the other hand, a dress made with cheap polyester with digital print that is mass produced should not be more than ยฃ50.This type of business will encourage more Somalis to wear the dirac for every special occasion, from graduation to fine dining to partying to simply wearing it to look good.

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As for the baati, I think it can be worn on a daily basis. Now, hear me out. If it's made more functional, stylish, and modern (although it looks very modern to me), it can work. And we can mix it with other clothes, such as blazers, modern bags, accessories, and heels. I can see so many things working well with the daati. I feel like it can be a simple, not-trying-too-hard, but still stylish dress that can be worn during the summer and spring to many places, from vacation, beach, shopping mall, university (which I used to attend until I dropped out), to a simple dinner date with friends and family.

Finally, the baati is ridiculously overpriced. How do I pay for an even cheaper material for ยฃ30-100? Yup, even in Somalia when I wanted to get some, they told my mom that price in some stores and the diaspora are no different. And, as I previously stated about the dress, I would not mind paying around that price, which means ยฃ30-50 is acceptable when the quality of the material (cotton) and the design creativity of the print are amazing, and I'm not saying no one should invent the wheel, but I'm saying put effort into it if you want to overcharge.

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So I guess what I'm trying to say is that we should have dirac and baati stores that sell at many different prices, not just expensive, so we can all afford and wear our culture's garments more often.

Please recommend online stores where I can buy inexpensive dirac&baati (only somali owned).

some looks I think are pretty
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Strawberry

๐’š๐’๐’–๐’„,Soomaalinimada,๐’–๐’๐’˜๐’’๐’†๐’˜
more ๐Ÿฅฐ
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baati99.jpg
diraac.jpg


baati3345.jpg


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This is the vintage and original shape of the dirac as worn by wealthy women. This should also come back as an evening or day dress. I can imagine how classy and stylish it could be.
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Internet Nomad

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Garaad diinle

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I was discussing with someone how some meddle eastern females would buy baats, then just when we were about to walk in to a somali shop a ukrainian women came out with a baati or two in her hands. It's becoming somewhat popular among non somalis which is weird.
 

Strawberry

๐’š๐’๐’–๐’„,Soomaalinimada,๐’–๐’๐’˜๐’’๐’†๐’˜
Go to Pakistan and set up your own factory
No, although I plan to open one in Somalia using traditional materials (Alindi) and real silk fabrics. As for now, I will not since I am still working to save up and need to get back to university. Finally, I do have issues with fabric manufacturers from Asia and Turkey exploiting our market in Somalia, but that's another post I will make in the future. In the mean time, I will rant about this subject, and I know many business owners lurk here so they can take smart pointers because once I establish my brand inshallah, there will be no going back.
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Strawberry

๐’š๐’๐’–๐’„,Soomaalinimada,๐’–๐’๐’˜๐’’๐’†๐’˜
I was discussing with someone how some meddle eastern females would buy baats, then just when we were about to walk in to a somali shop a ukrainian women came out with a baati or two in her hands. It's becoming somewhat popular among non somalis which is weird.
I agree with you, also there are many stores in Dubai that cater to Somali consumers; owned by arabs. My ayeyo had a store there and she told me many arabs dirac shop owners lie about it being Somali-owned, but I also believe that some Middle Easterners are interested because of previous exports and business we had with them. but I personally prefer they stay away from it.

because I prefer Somalis profiting from our culture rather than strangers
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Garaad diinle

๎€š๎€ž๎€ข๎€œ๎€  ๎€ ๎€Ÿ๎€ก๎€๎€›
I agree with you, also there are many stores in Dubai that cater to Somali consumers; owned by arabs. My ayeyo had a store there and she told me many arabs dirac shop owners lie about it being Somali-owned, but I also believe that some Middle Easterners are interested because of previous exports and business we had with them. but I personally prefer they stay away from it.

because I prefer Somalis profiting from our culture rather than strangers
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Funnily enough most high quality diracs and baatis in my xaafo is exported from dubai. By the way the middle easterners that i was talking about were some iraqi arabs and kurds that buy baats as comfortable pyjamas. They don't even call it baat but dishdasha.
 

Djokovic

Somali Arab
Funnily enough most high quality diracs and baatis in my xaafo is exported from dubai. By the way the middle easterners that i was talking about were some iraqi arabs and kurds that buy baats as comfortable pyjamas. They don't even call it baat but dishdasha.
Isnโ€™t that exactly what Somalis use it for
 

Garaad diinle

๎€š๎€ž๎€ข๎€œ๎€  ๎€ ๎€Ÿ๎€ก๎€๎€›
Isnโ€™t that exactly what Somalis use it for
No. A lot of somalis use it outdoors too. It's not exclusively a home outfit. I remember a somali female walking with jeans. The whole somali female community were staring at her.
 

Strawberry

๐’š๐’๐’–๐’„,Soomaalinimada,๐’–๐’๐’˜๐’’๐’†๐’˜
Funnily enough most high quality diracs and baatis in my xaafo is exported from dubai. By the way the middle easterners that i was talking about were some iraqi arabs and kurds that buy baats as comfortable pyjamas. They don't even call it baat but dishdasha.
a what?????? dishdasha.??? they cant be serious we need to start gate keeping :yloezpe::ftw9nwa::ftw9nwa:
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