F AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL

UNIVERSITY - BANGLADESH

Faculty of Business Administration

Course: Corporate Entrepreneurship and

Entrepreneurial Management
A Study

On

“Domestic Entrepreneur – Bibi Russell”

Submitted To:
Professor S. M. ZAKARIA

Submitted By:
Name: Nayan Paul ID: 20-91648-1

Email: 20-91648-1@student.aiub.edu

Date of Submission: 08 November, 2020

ORIGIN OF THE STUDY:

Entrepreneurs now a days play a mythical role in economy of any country. They're
risk-taking adventurers & heroes of the new economy. Our course conductor Prof.
S.M. Zakaria, Former Secretary of the Bangladesh Government has discussed the
various aspects of entrepreneur’s role to the society throughout the class. For better
understanding he gives us a case study on successful entrepreneurs as part of EMBA
program on “Corporate Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Management” course.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The prime objective of the study is to determine how a successful entrepreneur made
his dream turn into true. Knowing his decision-making process to attain the optimum
goal of his organization and what are the challenges he faces to reach the success.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY:

Economic development essentially means a process of upward change whereby the

real per capita income of a country increases over a period of time. Entrepreneur
plays a vital role in economic development. Entrepreneurs serve as the catalysts in
the process of industrialization and economic growth. Technical progress alone
cannot lead to economic development, unless technological breakthroughs are put
to economic use by entrepreneurs.

It is the entrepreneur who organizes and puts to use capital, labor and technology.
Accordingly, “development does not occur spontaneously as a natural consequence
when economic conditions in some sense are right. A catalyst is needed and this
requires entrepreneurial activity to a considerable extent, the diversity of activities
that characterizes rich countries can be attributed to the supply of entrepreneurs.”

The entrepreneur is the key to the creation of new enterprises that energize the
economy and rejuvenate the established enterprises that make up the economic
structure.

METHODOLOGY:

The following methodology has been used to prepare the report.

• Primary Source:

Primary data has been collected from class lecture, various types of individual
professionals.

• Secondary Data:

All the necessary data has been collected from the-

✓ Website of Bibi Russell

✓ Reference Book
✓ Deferent reports collected from the website
INTRODUCTION

Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a

common goal Effective leadership is based upon ideas (whether original or
borrowed), but won't happen unless those ideas can be communicated to others in a
way that engages them enough to act as the leader wants them to act. Put even more
simply, the leader is the inspiration and director of the action. He or she is the person
in the group that possesses the combination of personality and leadership skills that
makes others want to follow his or her direction. Leadership includes three
fundamental cluster of skills and abilities, creating vision, garnering commitment to
that vision and monitoring and managing progress toward the realization of that
vision.

We select fashion designer Bibi Russell as a leader. In July 1995, she opened ‘BiBi
Productions’ she works with and for crafts people. Her aim is to save and revive
crafts and help crafts people to live better life. She believes in positive Bangladesh.
She believes fashion can be used for social and economic development. Fashion, for
her, is a cultural identity, a necessity. In today’s world no one can go naked. We
need a piece of cloth to cover our pride. This holds a very fundamental truth that
fashion is a part and parcel of social and economic development which opens up
many doors of opportunities for us.

Bibi Russell is often considered is the pioneer of fashion industries in Bangladesh.

She was never considered the typical Bangladeshi model; with supernatural height
almost touching the 6 footmark, lanky and dark skinned, most of her countrymen
turned their backs on her. During late1990s, she started emerging the fashion
industries in Bangladesh, bringing renaissance to fashion industrial growth in the
country. It was her ideas to bring the nation together and promote the fashions
retailing emerge in the country. It was her idea to revolutionize the art of fashion in
Bangladesh. Since, she was a fashion icon by herself, she took the fashion retail to
next level working alongside Aarong, nurturing the fashion industry by herself,
bringing a new voice in the country, the art of fashion. She partnered with UNESCO
and brought in over thousands of weavers and artisans and raise the voice of fashion
in the country.

The rest of the world, however, was more welcoming – such has always been the
irony of Bibi Russell’s life. On the personal front, the rebel inside, never stopped
once to prove her worth and we were extremely delighted to be able to enjoy an
exclusive rendezvous with the maestro herself. There are so many people working
relentlessly to place Bangladesh on the world map, and one of them surely is Bibi
Russell. The designer has experienced an illustrious life with atop-notch modelling
career with the likes of great international brands like Issey Miyake and Jean Paul
Gaultier etc.

Having had the opportunity to live in an advanced and privileged world with all its
luxuries, Bibi Russell chose to come back to her motherland, instead and work
directly with the weavers in the rural peripheries of Bangladesh. She did all this, just
out of sheer love for the country and its people. “Bangladesh is deep rooted in my
soul,” said the eminent designer. “There is nothing in the world that I like more than
to work with its people and for its people.” Bibi Russell has led the way for local
designers since a really long time. Following her lead, Bangladesh should
have been way ahead in the field of fashion by now, but ironically the real scenario
is quite on the contrary.

Bibi Russell continued her discussion about Bangladeshi fashion industry by

admitting how talented the national weavers and artisans were - “Our country is full
of gifted people; our weavers are one of a kind with extreme talent and mastery over
their field of work. We also have the abundance of some of the most unique textiles
in the world; 'Gamchha' being one of them.”

Almost everyone knows about the incredible position the humble gamchha has been
brought to by the efforts of Russell alone. Because of Bibi Russell the gamchha has
entered the prestigious high fashion market of the western world. Celebrities and
international figures like Antonio Banderas and the Queen of Spain endorsed the
material extensively. Bibi Russell repeatedly noted need for paying due respect- “Be
it to the craft itself or to the employees, people must pay their due respect and work
towards a united goal ensuring a positive future for our textiles and
weaving industry.”

Because of few great thinkers like the famed designer herself, traditional textiles like
the gamchha and Grameen check have progressed back into the mainstream in leaps
and bounds. Itis the dream of the ace designer that future generations be able to bring
it forward to a point where Bangladesh's lost glory regarding textiles is revived. With
strong aspirations like these and a united effort, maybe someday we might just be
able to save our dying industries and revive our glory textiles like gamchha, khaadi
and muslin.

ABOUT BIBI RUSSELL

She was a highly successful model with the world at her feet; working with top
designers, photographers, top fashion magazines and brands, travelling all over the
world, at one point, her agent event suggested her to act in movies. Yet, she gave up
all that and returned to her homeland with a dream to do something for her people
and country. Yes, I am talking about none other than Bibi Russell, the famous
fashion model and fashion designer of Bangladesh. She played a big role in reviving
our handicrafts and textiles industry. The profile of Bibi Russell is given below –
BIBI RUSSELL’S FAMILY AND CHILDHOOD

Bibi Russell was born in Chittagong to Mokhlesur Rahman and Shamsun Nahar. She
was the third of five children. Her parents had a big influence in her life. She did her
schooling at Kamrunnesa Girls’ High School in Dhaka.

Since childhood, Bibi Russel had great interest in clothes. She did not like the
dresses her mother made for her. When she was ten, her father bought her a sewing
machine. She could barely hold scissors but operated a sewing machine. Sewing
clothes made her very happy. Using the yellow from her house, she produced dye
for her clothes.

She was 16 years old when her father brought home a book on fashion written by
famous fashion designer and entrepreneur Coco Chanel. The book introduced her to
the world of fashion. She told her father that she wanted to study fashion designing.

She received her B.Sc degree from Home Economics College. She went there
because it would help her to study fashion. In the college, she had Siddika Kabir, the
famous Bangladeshi nutritionist and cook, and Hosna Banu Khanom as her teachers.
They encouraged her to pursue her dreams. One day, she received a prospectus of
the famous “London College of Fashion.” She decided to study there.

BECOMING A MODEL

Bibi graduated in 1975. The next day after her graduation, her principal told her that
famous model agent Laraine Ashton wanted to take her. Initially, she did not want
to get into modeling but her professors suggested her to become a model for it would
help her to gain further understanding of the fashion world.
Russel’s first modeling assignment was a spread for the famous fashion magazine
Harper’s Bazaar. For a fresh graduate like her, it was a matter of great prestige. She
regularly appeared at the pages of Vogue, Cosmopolitan and other renowned fashion
magazines.

Bibi did her first show for famous Italian fashion designer Valentino. Other top
designers for whom she worked for were Yves Saint Laurrent, Karl Lagerfeld and
Giorgio Armani. Japanese designer Issey Miyake is Bibi Russell’s favorite designer.
Bibi, Jerry Hall, Abdulmajid mononymously known as Iman; were top models at
that time. She walked the ramp with Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer. 5’10”
tall Bibi Russell’s biggest appeal was her oriental background, black complexion
and long hair. She modeled for top automotive brands like BMW, Jaguar, Rolls
Royce, and Toyota which was very uncommon in those days. Bibi’s work took her
to different parts of the world; Italy, France, Germany, New York etc. She even
travelled in private jets.

Bibi did a photoshoot for a shampoo with famous fashion photographer Norman
Parkinson. They went to Barbados for the photoshoot. In one of the shots, Bibi had
to dive into the swimming pool from a diving board. Bibi was not afraid of heights
but she never dived from a spring board. For the next ten days, she practiced diving
with her feet tied by nylon cord.

An ordinary Bangladeshi girl thrust into the limelight of the fashion world; it was
not an easy ride but Bibi learned a lot. She travelled the world and learned about
different cultures. Modelling helped Bibi to become more matured. In 1982, Bibi
went to Milan.
BIBI PRODUCTION

After one and half year of hard work, Bibi started her organization Bibi Production
in July 1995. Bibi invested her life’s savings in Bibi Productions. With meager
financial assistance, she started her office and then started to collect Jamdani sari
from Rupganj, near the banks of the Sitalkkhyariver. She also went to Tangail,
Sirajgonj, Rajsahi, Comilla, Candina, Kushtia. Along with handloom clothes, she
collects jewelries sold by local craftsmen. She has very good relation with the
weavers.

Bibi Production does not get any funds. It is entirely funded by Bibi Russell.
Whatever money she earns, she invests in Bibi Production.

Bibi has great respect for the rural people. She achieved all her success because of
them. She says, “I am who I am and where I am today because of my parents.” Her
father was from Rangpur and mother from Dhaka. They were cultural activists. They
supported her a lot. They helped her gain a deeper understanding of the Bengali
culture. Since childhood, many famous cultural personalities frequented their house.
Famous song writer and an icon of Bangladesh Abdul Gaffar Choudhury, knew Bibi
Russell since she was a child. Later, he made a documentary on her.

When Bibi was working as a fashion designer, many people used to tell her parents
that they turned their daughter into a tailor but they supported her all the way. Bibi
inherited her parents’ house. She converted it into her office. She stays in a small
apartment. She leads a very simple life and has no qualms about it. She wears
colorful dresses. Most of the time, she wears a “gamcha” style turban or stole. She
says “I grew up with the culture of Tagore and the philosophy of Gandhi; I grew up
with my feet rooted firmly in the subcontinent and I saw beyond the poverty.”
Currently, Bibi Production has more than 30 employees and work with over 100
thousand weavers and craftsmen in Bangladesh.

BIBI RUSSELL AS FASHION DESIGNER

Bibi designs dresses and accessories bags, shoes, stoles, bangles etc. The materials
she uses in her products are hand-woven and natural. She says “I do not use synthetic
materials. The fabrics I use are khade, cotton, silk, gamchha (Bengali check-
designed washcloth), jute, tribal textiles, recycled fabric and the opulent Jamdani,
once used by the royalty.”

She did her first designer collection in 1996. Even today, she spends most of her
time designing clothes. Some of the fashion that she helped to revolutionized are
discussed below-

➢ Her biggest sales are accessories and scarfs. The bangles she designs are made
out of water hyacinth
➢ She also designs frames of glasses based on Rickshaw arts.
➢ During her visit to Spain last year, Bibi Russell gifted Gamcha to famous
Spanish actor Antonio Banderas and he wore it with great excitement and
pleasure.
➢ Over the years, she also worked for handicrafts industry of India, Sri Lanka,
Cambodia, Latin America, and Vietnam.
➢ While working in Cambodia, she designed products with recycled materials.
She is now an expert in recycling.
➢ One of the reasons behind Bibi Russell’s success is research. She does a lot
of research. She is also a serious reader.
FASHION FOR DEVELOPMENT

Bibi Russell introduced the idea fashion for development through Bibi Production.
By reviving the local textile and handicrafts industry, she wanted to alleviate these
people from poverty. She dedicated her life to revive Bangladeshi textiles and
handicrafts industry. She did many exhibitions in countries around the world and
introduced Bangladeshi textiles and handicrafts and Bangladeshi culture and
heritage. Many of her exhibitions were sponsored by UNESCO.

UNESCO understood that there is a connection between fashion with development,

education and health. For her work, Bibi received a lot of international support. She
visited top universities that are now working on fashion for development.

She was even invited to the World Economic Forum. The Indian Government took
Bibi Russel to help improve their Khadi industry. She is the state guest of the Indian
government.

ACHIVEMENTS

Some of Bibi Russell’s achievements are shown below-

➢ Bibi Russell is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador representing the handicraft

industry allover the world.
➢ International Women’s Day Fashion Com Passion has declared top ten
world’s female fashion designer. Among them the 4th is Bangladesh’s very
own Bibi Russel.
➢ She is a recipient of the prestigious Rokeya Medal.
➢ She became a fellow of Bangla academy in 2011.
➢ In 1999, she received `Honorary Fellowship’ of London Institute.
 ➢ That same year, the UNESCO gave her the title ‘Designer for Development’
followed by ‘Artist for Peace’ in 2001.
➢ She received Peace Prize from the United Nations Associations of Spain in
2004.
➢ “Entrepreneur Woman of the Year” by the Foundation of Entrepreneur
Women
➢ UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador
➢ YODONA Award for Humanity.

A very graceful, humble and modest Bibi has gained endless awards, respect and
recognition for her achievements

CONTRIBUTION TO OUR COUNTRY

Bibi Russel has revolutionized the handicraft, fashion and textile industry of
Bangladesh. She was a renowned model in the west and yet she chose to be a leader
and change the fashion of our country from the bottom. If there are few people to be
named who have changed and contributed to the rapid development in textile
industry, then among them Bibi Russel would be the first woman. Some of her
important contributions to our country are given below-

i. Improve the life of local craftsmen and weavers of Bangladesh:

Bibi wanted to return to Bangladesh and do something for the local craftsmen and
weavers. When she told it to her colleagues, they did not take her seriously. Her
agent even told her to think about acting in movies. But Bibi’s mind was already
setup. Bibi used to tell her mother that she would work to improve the condition of
the local handloom industry. For one and half year, she travelled the length and
breadth of the country and talked with the weavers and craftsmen. Initially, the
weavers thought that she was just another traveler who came here to take pictures of
the places and people and would leave them. They thought she would exploit them.
It took her more than a year to convince these people that she came here to help them
change their lives.

ii. Fashion for development and reviving handicraft in rural areas:

Bibi Productions has provided a livelihood to over 100 thousand weavers all over
Bangladesh, and seeks to employ many more over a wider area. For many years, her
collections have been produced exclusively in Bangladesh and this has created jobs
in one of the poorest countries of the world. However, its aspirations to touch aspects
of life other than simple economic emancipation are reflected in its recent line of
pieces made out of recycled materials. She dedicated her life to revive Bangladeshi
textiles and handicrafts industry. She did many exhibitions in countries around the
world and introduced Bangladeshi textiles and handicrafts and Bangladeshi culture
and heritage. Many of her exhibitions were sponsored by UNESCO.

iii. Putting Bangladeshi fashion in the world map:

Another way Bibi Productions is working for development is by maturing the

fashion culture of Bangladesh in general. Bibi Russell’s work has put Bangladesh
and its heritage on the international map. During her visit to Spain last year, Bibi
Russell gifted Gamcha to famous Spanish actor Antonio Banderas and he wore it
with great excitement and pleasure. Over the years, she also worked for handicrafts
industry of India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Latin America, and Vietnam. While
working in Cambodia, she designed products with recycled materials.

iv. Promoting Bangladeshi textile in the international stage:

Russell set up Bibi Productions originally in 1996 to promote Bangladeshi textiles

in the international market and her designs are reflective of Bangladesh’s rich
cultural heritage. Using fashion as a tool for economic development in the rural areas
has always been the aim of this social enterprise.

v. Promoting Bangladeshi culture and using handmade native raw materials:

Bibi designs dresses and accessories bags, shoes, stoles, bangles etc. The materials
she uses in her products are hand-woven and natural. She says “I do not use synthetic
materials. The fabrics I use are khade, cotton, silk, gamchha (Bengali check-
designed washcloth), jute, tribal textiles, recycled fabric and the opulent Jamdani,
once used by the royalty.” Thin and pedestrian to Bengali culture, Bibi transformed
its value to the status of social art-form. The beauty of the ‘gamcha’ is in its diversity.
It’s a functional fashion accessory that bridges invisible social gaps, whether around
a rickshawallah’s waist or a student’s neck. Traditional artisans are finding new
ways of supplying this demand. She does use other traditional textiles such as
‘khoddor’, cotton, etc., but ‘gamcha’ is evidently the central theme of Bibi
Productions. The store carries scarves, bags, purses, saris, panjabis, blouses,
accessories, etc. made out of ‘gamcha’.
vi. Using recycled products and contributing to the green industry:

While working in Cambodia, Bibi Russell designed products with recycled

materials. She is now an expert in recycling. One of the reasons behind Bibi
Russell’s success is research. She does a lot of research in recycled materials and
how to implement them in fashions. Boxes made of bamboo and newspaper, old
chips’ packets and posters, etc. are some examples of that.

vi. Working with street children:

Bibi supports more than one hundred street children. She sent them to NGO schools
and became their guarantor.

CONCLUSION

When people think of Bibi Russell, they think of a crafts-promoter and an artisan.
But Russell is much more than that. She is an aesthetic and philanthropic visionary.
“I only see richness of culture,” she said, “and paint a picture of beauty from the
poverty.

Bibi is responsible for the creation of each and every piece in her collection from
the very fibers to the end product. She researches her raw materials and textile very
thoroughly in order to maintain quality for the international market- and none of her
collections have been returned.

Even though Bibi is completely comfortable immersing with the weavers and their
families, she talked about the rural people's distrust of corporate culture. “There is
still a lack of trust in terms of the corporations giving them their due prof its. They
still seem to believe in being exploited,” lamented Bibi.
Through “Fashion for Development,” this distrust has to a large extent been mended,
along with contributing to economic development in the rural areas. However,
Russell has introduced a new branch of development through incorporating recycled
items. She has introduced trinkets and showpieces prepared from recycled
newspapers and old packets of biscuits and chips.

She was a highly successful model and leader with the world at her feet; working
with top designers, photographers, top fashion magazines and brands, travelling all
over the world, at one point, her agent event suggested her to act in movies. Yet, she
gave up all that and returned to her homeland with a dream to do something for her
people and country. She is one of the most influential individuals in the fashion and
business arena of our country and her work will continuously motivate others to be
a contributing functional member of the society.

REFERENCES

➢ https://www.textiletoday.com.bd/bibi-russel-one-of-the-top-ten-female-
fashion-designers-of-the-world/
➢ https://futurestartup.com/2013/07/27/face-to-face-with-bibi-russell-founder-
bibi-productions/
➢ https://www.textiletoday.com.bd/bibi-russel-one-of-the-top-ten-female-
fashion-designers-of-the-world/
➢ https://upclosed.com/people/bibi-russell/