Mamunur Rashid Chowdhury | |
|---|---|
মামুনুর রশিদ চৌধুরী | |
| Born | Mamunur Rashid Chowdhury 19 November 1961 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Title | Founder and co-director of London Tradition |
| Spouse | Jahanara Chowdhury |
| Website | www |
Mamunur Rashid Chowdhury (Bengali: মামুনুর রশিদ চৌধুরী; born November 1961) is a Bangladeshi-born British businessman, and founder and co-director of London Tradition.
Early life[edit]
Chowdhury is of Bangladeshi origin from the village of Moynabad of Chunarughat in Habiganj, Sylhet District, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Having completed his education in Bangladesh, after a short period in the Middle East, Mamun arrived in[1][2] London[3] in December 1991.[1][2] From 1993 to 2013, he lived in Poplar, Tower Hamlets[4] before moving to Redbridge.
Career[edit]
In 1994, Chowdhury began his career in the United Kingdom establishing London Clothing Limited, importing ready-made garments from Bangladesh and selling to clients in the UK and rest of Europe. This was supported by setting up his own factory to manufacture garments in the UK.[1][2][3]
In 1996, he changed his business model and focused only on high-end outerwear and worked with some of UK's top designers.[1][2] He concentrated on making British traditional outerwear, including duffle coats.[3] In 1998, his business was large enough to provide opportunities for fashion students to gain work experience.[1][2]
Chowdhury used his designing skills to design and develop his own range. In January 2001, he set up London Tradition with Rob Huson, a city fashion Executive,[2] designing and manufacturing luxury duffle coats.[5] The company now exports 40,000 to 50,000 coats a year, 90% of its output, and has seen overseas sales rise by 865% between 2007 and 2013.[3] In July 2014, the company was awarded a Queen's Award for Enterprise for International Trade in recognition of its business performance.[6] Chowdhury was invited to meet with Queen Elizabeth II at a Buckingham Palace reception party.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Qadir, Nadeem (20 March 2016). "Made in Britain by a Bangladeshi". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f Karim, Mohammed Abdul; Karim, Shahadoth (November 2014). British Bangladeshi Who's Who (PDF). British Bangla Media Group. p. 12. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ a b c d Tran, Mark (3 October 2014). "Duffel coat dreams: Bangladeshi man's mission to sell Britishness abroad". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ^ Obubayo, Jessica (28 April 2014). "Queen's Award for Bow Businessmen". East End Life. London: Tower Hamlets Council. p. 1. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ^ "Fashion businesses celebrate Queen's Awards for international trade". Fashion United. 21 April 2014. Archived from the original on 25 April 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ^ "Duffle coat company gets top award from Queen". BBC London. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
External links[edit]