Tushar
A new-gen happening store catering to our community? It’s already here!
The heading would have given most of you a vague idea already. Azaadbazaar.com is India’s first LGBT Pride store. It’s an online store which was launched officially this July, but has been constantly been in the Pride business since 2006, catering to Gay Bombay’s parties, and the Kolkata and Mumbai pride marches.
Free T shirt
In a telephonic interview with it’s founders Sabina and Simran, Pink Pages found out a lot about the store, it’s working, problems and the response of the community to this novel idea.
Pink Pages: When was Azaad Bazaar launched, and what was the whole idea behind launching such a store?
Sabina: Many queer people go through a phase where they feel like they’re the only one out there. So back in 2005 I thought- wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to identify like minded people, either from the community or straight supporters? And that’s why the first set of jewellery and accessories was created. From those early sales in GB parties in 2006, and the great response and amazing support, the idea behind the brand grew and grew until the launch of Jailbird t-shirts in 2007.
Simran: In late 2008 we decided to take the brand to a whole new level. We decided to broaden the product base to include glassware, mugs, accessories and home decor. We also took our t-shirts from being just witty one-liner generic t-shirts, to creating more fashion conscious cuts and colours, because we realised that while people like to make a political statement, they love to make it in style! In our small way, we’re offering the community what we do best.
Pink Pages: So what makes your items unique; what makes them different from any other Pride store?
Simran: We’re not just another online Pride Store, we’re an ‘Indian’ Pride store, and to that effect we’ve tried to create designs that use Indian imagery (see ‘Ladies special’ train mug, ‘Then You Win’ mug, and Maa da Ladla, Azaad and Jalebi High t-shirts). We also do not sell any adult material; in fact people have come to our exhibitions with their families and kids. It’s a fun clean space to be in, and we’d like to keep it that way. We design the stuff ourselves and we create new products and designs every few months because we like to stay up-to-date.
Pink Pages: What does the general clientele comprise of? And where all do you get orders from?
Sabina: A Large number of sales go to the metros-Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata; however we have had people order online from remote towns all over the country. We have a lot of gifting within the community – for birthdays, anniversaries and events, as well as people buying gifts for friends and family abroad. Another part of our sales comes from foreigners looking for Indian memorabilia, and we also make custom designs for groups or events.
Pink Pages: What has been the reaction of the LGBT community to the store?
Sabina: The response to the designs has been overwhelming! In fact, we have had to reorder several designs every few months because we keep selling out!
Simran: The best part is that about 50% of our exhibition sales come from straight supporters, who love the cricket spoof “Out in India” mugs, t-shirts and other items.
Pink Pages: So how has the modification of Section 377 changed the functioning, or sales of the store?
Simran: It has not affected the sales in anyway; however, we have done a “Jalebi High” t-shirt to commemorate the event. It is a fun university style design, and the “Est. 2-7-2009″ date in the design is the date of the Delhi HC verdict.
Pink Pages: And what are the hottest items in the store, the maximum sellouts?
Sabina: Our t-shirts have been a huge success! We’ve had to reorder designs several times since the Feb launch, and we still cannot keep up with the demand. There are always a few items online that are sold out!
Pink Pages: That must be encouraging! But I’m curious to know, do people still prefer being discreet when they buy stuff from your store?
Sabina: We offer discrete shipping, and when people shop online with us, the name Azaad Bazaar does not even show on their credit/debit card statement. There has been no hesitation as far as we can tell with shopping online.
Simran: A word for those who are closeted-remember that 50% of our customers are straight, and just because someone shops with us, does not mean that they’re gay!
Pink Pages: Well with such a high demand for your products in the market and an ever growing clientele, do you have any plans to launch a proper full-fledged store?
Simran: We would love to have retail outlets in the future, but as of now, we will continue to be an online store for another year. We also feel that people might be more comfortable shopping with us from the comfort of their home. We have had interest from store owners, and retail outlets to stock our products and are in talks with them as of now, so you could soon see Azaad Bazaar products at a store near you!
Great going Azaad Bazaar! I’d really like to see the nearest Pantaloons or Lifestyle to begin stocking Azaad Bazaar t-shirts. They’d surely be a sellout, no doubt!
As for me, I’m ordering a ‘Jalebi High’ tee for myself. And maybe a ‘Pink Sheep of the family’ mug. And maybe…well can SOMEONE help me decide!!
A sneak peak into Azaad Bazaar for Pink Pages readers!
I find myself coming to your site more and more often to the point where my visits are almost daily now!
I would like to express my appreciation for your post. That’s really great to know that there are such people like you who do their job very well and with such enthusiasm.