A study on the surge in demand for mekhela Chador and challenges faced by the fashion boutiques handling mekhela Chador in Guwahati, Assam

Boutique is a French word which means “shop”. In this study the word ‘Boutique’ is used to define a small shop dealing in fashionable clothing especially mekhela chador (a traditional two-piece costume worn by women in Assam) and accessories. In fashion boutiques, relationship between boutique personnel and customer is much closer and thus they can often hold loyal customers by offering good services. This traditional Assamese attire, once reserved for special occasions, has now become a fashion statement, with many designers and boutiques incorporating modern twists into their designs. These boutiques not only sell mekhela chador of traditional designs but also offer contemporary variations, blending the old with the new design and patterns. Though the idea for the boutique business is to provide the apparel and accessories for women that cannot easily be found elsewhere this study aims to identify the issues and prospects of boutiques of Guwahati city that deals especially with mekhela chador. According to the findings of the study, huge capital investments, charge of the weavers and no protection of Intellectual Property Rights are found to be prominent issues faced by these boutiques.