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	Ramazan hails in a season of exhibitions for dressing up and dressing homes, but with so many happening everywhere, it can be hard to decide which ones to attend. The one in particular that did stand out was a furniture exhibition by two remarkable women – Seema Shirazee and Uzma Mirza, recipients of the recent ‘Nesvita’s Women of Strength ’09’ award for ‘Best Interiors and Furnishings,’ held at the Expo Centre in Karachi by the Dawn Group. The ‘White Fall Collection 2010’ display comprises indoor and outdoor pieces for the home, which include beds, dressers, coffee-tables, dining table set and other accessories, with fabrics in white jacquard or sheer and tabletops in natural stone, glass or leather-bound. The word ‘zunn’ means ‘woman’ in Persian. The House of Zunn has two components: made-to-order furniture and clothes. Possessing a natural flair for creativity, it was with clothes the two fast friends started out with, and when they built their own homes, they received plenty of admiration from family and friends for the interiors. “Whatever we put our hands in was appreciated and liked,” Mirza said. Inspired, they decided to launch into their next business venture: designing furniture.

	Mirza and Shirazee enjoy experimenting by blending mediums and styles — what Mirza describes as ‘eclectic’— depending on the season, as in their present fall collection, or a client’s specific demands. Where outdoor furniture in Pakistan is commonly available in cane, wrought iron or plastic, Zunn uses solid wood and natural stone, durable materials that ensure the asset remains for life and they do offer a limited lifetime warranty and after-sales services. Competition? None so far. In terms of quality, they use only the best of solid wood and materials for the making, “unlike those who cut corners and fill in with chipboard.” They have been the first to introduce natural stone furniture indoors. For exterior furnishings, unlike the common use of varnish to coat the wood, which only lasts so long, Zunn imports high-quality polishes and stains that are able to withstand varied weather conditions.

	They attribute their early success to Shahid Abdullah, their mentor and trainer, who gave them their initial projects and guided them on technical aspects. The furniture was, at the time outsourced, but what began in 1998 was not temporary, but a full-scale production house complete with an in-house factory set-up. Orders poured in for smaller, residential as well as large high-end projects, such as the executive and president’s floors of the MCB Tower in Karachi. They now have clients from all over the country and abroad, exporting to the USA, Canada and UAE. They also have a showroom in Dubai, UAE and intend to open their next in Lahore. Their current corporate project involves refurbishing the entire Nishat Linen chain of stores and continue with their clothes line alongside. — Afra Abadan Contact details: Zunn Furniture (Pvt.) Ltd. F-17, Bloc