How did DIVAlicious begin?
DIVAlicious started as a pop up in April 2011 with only 10 participants. The concept was one of the first to be introduced in Dubai. It grew bigger and stronger as I took it to a competitive market like Mumbai. Global now, we’ve gone to London, Nairobi, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Durban, Johannesburg, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Raipur and Ahmedabad.
How did you manage to grow DIVAlicious from a one event annually to more than 10 in less than six years?
By the grace of God, family support and exhibitors’ faith in me. I started small during the first two years and gained confidence by increasing the size of the exhibition in Dubai and Mumbai. When I had a regular group of exhibitors, I decided to do pop-ups in new cities. Each city demanded a different set up, marketing plan and strategy.
How do pop-ups compare with traditional store sales?
They are the new trend because they are one-stop shops. A shopper gets to choose from an array of products from different parts of the world, from high-end luxury to affordable brands, all under one roof. Boutiques too participate in pop ups for a good reach.
What can we expect at the upcoming round of DIVAlicious?
The February 17 DIVAlicious has luxury designers such as Gaurav Gupta, Tarun Tahiliani, Anita Dongre represented by The Rack by Kachins; luxury brand Shivan & Narresh; Delna Poonawala’s hats and jackets for the races and TV celebrity Roshni Chopra. Our participants are from London, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur and Delhi.
