Page 54 - Arabian Business

INDIAN ACES POWERED BY:

B Mushtaq
A

D Shaikh
C

E
Founder
F Lobo Tailors
G Retail
H

I
J
K

L
M
N
O
P

Q
R
S

T IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT
Mushtaq Shaikh only had 300 rupees
U – equal to AED19 today – in his pocket
V when he first landed in Dubai as a
teenager in the 1960s. Today, the tailor
W has an 8,000 sq ft factory next to Dubai
International Airport, where he makes
X
clothes for around 35 international
Y airlines, including Emirates, as well as
corporations such as Al Tayer Motors.
Z More impressively, perhaps, his
other clientele include a number of
former cricket stars including the likes
of Ian Botham and Imran Khan.
Shaikh’s story is, indeed, a genuine
rags-to-riches tale, as the founder
initially slept on the streets – and
sometimes inside dhows – when he
arrived in the city by boat. His first job?
Working at a construction site.
But his days of scrabbling for work
opportunities are over, as he now
employs over 100 workers at his
factory alone. Even more notable is his
abstention from using any advertising
to advance his business, relying solely
on word of mouth.
His bespoke tailoring services cater
to both men and women.
54 Vol. 19/04, January - February 2018