Good professionalism is the keystone, says garment expert Dhyana van der Pols

06 Jul '07

3 min read

She was born into a family of artists and quite literally, stitched her way up to becoming one of the leading experts on trends in fashion export. Her blend of creativity and keen business sense has given her an edge in each and every nuance of the fashion industry — from cutting and styling to buying and sourcing.

Meet the charismatic Dhyana van der Pols, Centre for Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI) garment expert who trains fashion exporters in the commercial aspects of the field and prepares them to face European buyers with a foolproof strategy. In an exclusive interview to Fibre2fashion.com, she talked about her experience in Pakistan and her vision of the fashion industry.

Dhyana believes in 'transparent costing' by which she means that a garment supplier must give clear information on every step of the production, from assembly minutes to raw material costs. On being asked how she achieves this, her answer was "good professionalism and very firm pricing strategies".

This is an important task that Asian suppliers must achieve because according to Dhyana, "European buyers are very particular about costing and delivery of products. Up-to-date production info will build their trust."

Dhyana talks about her stint in Pakistan back in '99, when her then employer Vilenzo cut loose eight of its offshore production plants and she decided to take the reins in her hands. She says, "It was difficult setting up a firm in Pakistan as it required continuous efforts and explanation. Coupled with that, the political roadblocks came in the way of the firm's smooth functioning. "But Pakistanis are very friendly", adds Dhyana.

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