Hitting the home run

Young, hugely successful and well-travelled. What would home mean to those, who by virtue of the nature of their work, end up spending relatively less time in it? It was a question we posed to Danube scion Adel Sajan and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan at the launch of the brand's biggest showroom in Al Barsha last week. "I lived in a home where my father was born," said Mahira. "When we had to give it up, I cried. So, I would say home is where my family is." Adel couldn't agree more. A self-professed family man, he says travelling for almost six months in a year means he barely gets to spend any time at home. "However, whenever I return and lie down on my own bed, it's the best feeling in the whole world. So, I agree with Mahira, home is where the heart is."
Home is also where our most cherished possessions are, and Danube's new store promises to add to that list of desirables. Spread across 100,000 square feet of area, there are about 40,000 pieces of home furnishings, but Mahira's gaze is mostly fixed at the gardening section. "I am not much into gardening, but I find it to be a calming activity, which is why I was curious about that section. The furniture range is as elaborate as it is interesting," she says.
Seated on a beautiful beige sofa, Adel himself is not oblivious to the power of the brand he is spearheading as the director. He was initiated into it fairly early too. "At the age of 13, to be precise," he quips. Too much too soon? Adel thinks otherwise. An early exposure to the business has shaped his acumen. "By the time I graduated, I had gone to China around 12 times, visiting all the exhibitions and warehouses, while my friends had just started interning. So, I was 10 years ahead of the curve."
This foresight is evident in the ethos of Danube. At a press conference held right after the official launch of the store, we were introduced to a new employee called Dan. Dan, we were told, is tasked with helping customers with their shopping experience, offering suggestions and noting important feedback. What's new, one might wonder. Well, Dan is a robot. Artificial intelligence is currently a global buzzword, and Dan is Danube's way of recognising its importance in the world of customer care.
Adel and Mahira are both young achievers, and spotting them at the opening of Danube Home begged another question - how do their respective personalities reflect in the homes they live in? "You can see there's clutter, there are lots of books and boxes full of photographs. I like light coming in. It's very 'me', there's clutter and yet there's a method to the madness. It's a total reflection of who I am," explains Mahira.

THE BIG LEAGUE: Danube Founder and Chairman Rizwan Sajan (second from left), director Adel Sajan (cutting ribbon), Pakistani actress Mahira Khan (centre), Sameera Sajan (second from right) and Anis Sajan (in orange blazer)
Travelling around the world, says Adel, means constantly collecting interesting things. "If you come to my house, you will see there are lots of bits and pieces of things that I have collected from my travels over the years." This sensibility is also evident in Danube's collection that is as much about a sense of grandeur as it is about offering an intimate experience.
The coming year looks promising for both. "The next year is a full year," says Mahira. "We're all excited about Maula Jutt [her widely anticipated Lollywood film that pairs her opposite Fawad Khan]. The teaser should be out in December." Adel, on the other hand, is focused on expanding the footprint of Danube, telling us that there are two more store launches in the pipeline.
"We have been lucky that, in today's tough market, we have been growing by 50 per cent, and we have achieved this growth in the last four years. In 2014, we had set a short-term six-year plan of growing 10 times, and so far, we have achieved that target. We will be opening 6-7 stores every year. So, we just opened a store in India last month and we have three more store launches in the next two months," he says. Talk about making themselves right at home!
anamika@khaleejtimes.com