Aima Dora is the lingerie brand on every girl's lips at the moment. Traditional french lingerie is fused with bursting, lush tropical flavour, to offer products that have an exotic, playful sensuality.
Today's article contains images of the latest Aima Dora campaign, shot by Kunal Jankee, and an interview with Alma Stanonik, director of LMA Creations (the company owns Aima Dora).
Aima Dora
Photographer: Kunal Jankee
Make-up Artist: Jo-Ann Regnard
Models: Emily Bauluck, Anne-lise Ramooloo, Sheliz Wambui
How did Aima Dora start?
Our sister company, Nouvelle Lingerie Mauricienne, has been producing lingerie for 25 years. With LMA Creations Ltee (created in 2012, owns Aima Dora), we wanted to use the expertise and knowledge of the company to produce high quality ladies lingerie. Aima Dora lingerie is therefore inspired by this know-how, combined with sheer creativity and the perfect mix of French lingerie and the imagination that stems from a tropical island.
Inspiration is also generated through the fitting process and design, of course. The basic principle is to offer a collection which is classical, conceptually innovative and diversified but offers comfort and quality, at an attractive price.
Aima Dora is a woman who expresses her versatility and adds indefinite and imperceptible softness to her charm. Aima Dora loves to imagine; she contrasts, rather than contradicts, and lies between two opposites, which never meet but melt in harmony. Straight lines and curves, flowery cotton prints and lace or micro-fibre, classical and bright pop colours.....
How has the brand worked out in Mauritius so far?
I must say it has worked out really well, considering that we are starting from scratch. Receiving editorial support, especially through Essentielle Magazine and Lifestyle Magazine has proven to be very, very valuable, especially after the fashion show with Essentielle (Pin Up Night).
We are so grateful for all the support we have received from magazines and newspapers here, and it's great to see that the media is happy to embrace newcomers. We can certainly say there is interest in the brand. We have an Aima Dora boutique in Ruisseau Creole (which opened mid-November) and an Aima Dora corner in Designer Avenue (opened early December). However, we know that we need something in the middle of the island and with good foot traffic, as that would give the brand better accessibility to clients, and it will also generate greater exposure.
I must also add that it is so encouraging to see that we have local clients who have come to the boutique for the second or third time to purchase Aima Dora products, and this is already proof that there is potential for this brand to grow further. At the same time, we have tourists purchasing three or four sets in one visit. We just have to keep on working, developing and promoting the brand, which is great because it is our absolute passion and pleasure to do so, and being accepted by clients and seeing the brand grow is our ultimate reward.
What are your future projects?
The very first project is to build our presence in Mauritius. It is very important for us to give to Mauritius the opportunity to have a brand with a high level of know-how at an affordable price. We live in Mauritius, we work in Mauritius ... what else is there is to do first?
In the short term we are definitely looking to develop the brand further and develop the Mauritian market as well as expand overseas. We are always looking to increase the originality of the brand whilst simultaneously developing new collections, to add more value to the product, source great fabrics of high quality and at the same time manage the costs and price points, which is always very challenging, but it is part of our company’s ethos to stay as close as possible to the local Indian Ocean market. That’s why you can find in our boutique sets ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000, which are of the same quality as those products manufactured from major brands that are double the price, or even more!
We have worked with a french stylist for some of the products of our 2013 collection. Again, it's part of our company's vision: to share, to introduce other ideas, other views, local but also international in order to have a product that grows and is of a high standard. For the same reason, we also work with pattern makers from France. I learnt from our partner company, Nouvelle Lingerie Mauricienne Ltée, how imperative, how important, how essential patterns are, and how time consuming the process is, to ensure that the fit is perfect. With a perfect fit, great quality and great design, you will have very satisfied clients and above all, a brand Mauritians will be proud to speak of in the near future.
Yes, there are many future projects that we are studying for the very near future. We are always thinking about how to go ahead, what could be done, and so on...But we need to have a very precise strategy with regards to how we grow the brand. One very important project is definitely the addition of e-commerce to the business. Another is to extend the brand to cover swimwear and beachwear. How can you live in Mauritius without such a range of products? The island itself is a marketing program! We are also working on the lifestyle aspect of Aima Dora, such as a loungewear line.
I have noticed in your previous campaigns that you take models of different shapes and sizes, with greater ethnic diversity than is usually seen in Mauritius (and that's such an amazing thing!). Is this on purpose?
Yes, and I am so happy you have mentioned this, and that you like the idea! As I have mentioned above, Aima Dora always seeks diversity and contrasts, yet those elements must always be in harmony, and we want to express this in our marketing campaign - well, we try, and hope we can get better and better at it.
