Vernesa and Merima founded Model madness: A growing fashion brand from Stari Grad

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Two young women, Vernesa Brdarić and Merima Omerhodžić, thanks to great effort, work, risk-taking, sacrifice, but also initial help from the Municipality of Stari Grad, started production and sale of clothing last year, with the quality of which many satisfied customers can attest.

"We officially started working on June 11th last year. The opening of our store 'Model madness' at 2 Edhema Mulabdića Street, next to the tram line, was preceded by construction work, as the space was in poor condition," said Vernesa and Merima at the beginning of the conversation. These two, as they say, best friends, and perhaps more than that, had worked together in retail for many years.

"Experience in sales and our previous fashion creativity prompted us to enroll in a three-month sewing course, and then to start looking for a suitable space where we could start our desired textile business. Support immediately came from the Municipality of Stari Grad because, in addition to being granted business premises, we also received financial incentives within the municipal Start-up project," continued the business story of these two young women. No beginning is easy, and neither was Vernesa's and Merima's, but they succeeded with great help from family and friends, without which their business path would certainly have ended very quickly.

Vernesa and Merima's main business is the production of unusual women's clothing designs, as well as uniforms for businesses, schools, hotels, and the like.

"There is absolutely nothing textile-related that we cannot do. Currently, we do not have enough client interest for men's clothing, but that will change over time," hopes Vernesa.

In a very short period, products signed by "Model madness" have reached a large number of customers, which Vernesa and Merima could not have predicted in any way.

"We entered this business with a great desire to work, create quality clothing, to be able to pay our bills and live decently from our work. We have experienced firsthand that the saying 'good news travels fast' is true. More and more women started coming to our store, who in turn brought their acquaintances, and they were all delighted that the creations they wear are produced here in Stari Grad, in Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina."

Vernesa and Merima invest a lot of resources and pay great attention to natural materials. They procure them exclusively in our country.

"Our offer is diverse, and everyone can find something for themselves here; we strive to adapt to all our customers' budgets," say these hardworking women from Sarajevo.

Launching Production and a Gift for the Municipality of Stari Grad

"For the first six months of operation, we relied on external production, and since January of this year, we started our own. Again, thanks to the Municipality of Stari Grad, we received another business space in Hamdije Kreševljakovića Street, where we located our production. There, in addition to the two of us, we have employed four more people, and we consider that a truly huge success," proudly stated Vernesa and Merima. They plan to expand their business, as they see employing more young people, like themselves, as a great priority and desire.

"Out of great gratitude to the Municipality of Stari Grad, we decided to design and donate modern uniforms for the employees of the Counter Hall. For female employees, we designed our recognizable white shirt-tunics with green scarves and the Municipality's coat of arms, while male employees have white shirts with green ties featuring the coat of arms," said Vernesa and Merima, whose uniforms have been worn by the employees of the Counter Hall of the Municipality of Stari Grad since the middle of last month.