03 December 2011

The start in 2011 - Finding a brand name

We started to implement the idea of ​​an own clothing brand in January 2011. In this year Marapulai is born and we hope it will grow in future.

Ilham designed the logo and the first drafts of the first pair of shoes. The logo should include subjects from Indonesia, such as flowers, animals, and ethnic-style pattern. 

And we were looking for a suitable brand name. That was one of the most difficult initial hurdles, because we have to find a name that does not yet exist and not registered. That is really a challenge.
We also here wanted a reference to Indonesia, so we rolled the dictionary and wrote down all the fine-sounding words with a beautiful meaning. As there were several possible names and shoe designs, we started a little research. We asked friends and acquaintances at every opportunity, what they like best and why. 


So we came, for example at the beginning to the brand name Kemayu. But after the research in the Innovation and Patent Centre in the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, we had to discard it.
There was already registered the name kemajo, and because of confusion with this other name, it would not be good to take a similar name.


I now found also another link for the marks research direcly on the website of the Patent center. Just search the name here on Register search.

The search continued. Our second idea of a brand name was Marapulai and it was free and none brand that sounds like it. We were lucky. So our new clothing brand has a name: Marapulai Clothing! You can have a look at our Facebook Fanpage Marapulai Clothing.

Ilham went on to the revision of the drafts of the logo

and the shoes and I did the research of the conditions for registration of the mark, something like international Classification for the Registration of Marks (Nice-Classes) and the corresponding list of the products.

And while this, we want to find seed money for starting the business in reality, because to the theoretical planning is good and important, but you truly want to start in some time. So we begin to write a business plan.

30 October 2011

Every beginning is difficult, but possible

My husband and I are starting a small family business. With much hope, positive thinking and a portion of good luck we hopefully will make it!

Marapulaiclothing is a new clothing brand. My husband Ilham is the designer and head of Marapulai clothing. In the last year he ambitiously follows his idea with great energy, because his passion is designing clothes, especially sneakers.


In the next time I will write here about our business, our experience we make while the start up and maybe tips for you.

If you want to follow us also on facebook: Marapulai Hamburg 
or on Twitter: Marapulai_HH

For us it is a really exciting time right now.
Greetings from Hamburg

Saskia & Ilham