The fight for morality in clothing advertising has forced entrepreneurs to close their businesses in Chechnya

The campaign against "inappropriate advertising" of women's clothing, organized by the Chechen authorities, has made retail trade unprofitable, since customers prefer to choose and buy things in online stores.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" reported, in Grozny, at the request of the authorities, four women's clothing stores have been closed due to inappropriate advertising on social networks. Aide to the head of Chechnya Amir Sugaipov called on store owners not to use photos without a headdress and from the back in their advertising, promising to take action otherwise. Some social network users approved of the closure of the stores for the advertising not conforming to the Chechen authorities' ideas about morality, while others considered it excessive.

Grozny resident Khava has owned a small women's clothing store in Grozny for the past 20 years. By profession, the 68-year-old woman is a baker-confectioner; after graduating from the Plekhanov Institute, she worked at the fourth bakery and recalls the years of work as a baker-technologist as "the happiest."

"Two Chechen wars had turned everything upside down for us, and we couldn't find a job in our field. A friend suggested that we go into trade: her brother had a beat-up pickup truck, and we went to the wholesale market in Pyatigorsk. At first, we brought food, which was profitable then, and then we started bringing clothes. We sold on boxes, in winter and summer, and then, when the Berkat market opened, we moved there. By that time, I had already saved up the necessary amount to rent a retail outlet and buy goods," Khava told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent about her first steps in business.

The area of her store is 15 square meters, and 20 years ago she paid three thousand rubles for rent. "I decided to sell women's clothing, flew to Turkey several times, the women's dresses and dressing gowns I brought were sold out quickly. The first few years it was profitable to have a "point" at "Berkat", but every year the situation changed for the worse for the entrepreneur. Now I pay 30 thousand rubles for rent for 15 square meters. You also have to pay for electricity: 2-3 thousand in the summer, when the weather is cold, you have to turn on an oil radiator, and the electricity bill doubles," she said.

Khava's husband is disabled, he recently suffered a stroke, he needs rehabilitation, but the family has no money for a massage therapist: over the past month, the woman has not sold anything except a set of kitchen towels and two women's summer dressing gowns. "Two police officers came and saw that two mannequins were not dressed in uniform - they should have headscarves on their heads. They told me to buy headscarves in the store on the first floor and bring the mannequins into proper condition. I had to buy these headscarves, and that was an extra expense. I don't have enough money for groceries, and they were picking on me with these headscarves," Khava complained.

Not expecting any improvement in trade, she decided to close her business. "I posted a sale notice at the entrance two days ago, but no one comes. Apparently, I'm not the only one in this situation," the woman said.

Khava's neighbor at the market, the owner of a lingerie store, is also closing down her business, the entrepreneur added. "A relative sends her very beautiful products from Riga, including peignoirs and satin dressing gowns. The samples of underwear were hung on a special mannequin for advertising. These samples caught the eye of the police. They told her to keep all the goods in boxes and not hang them out for customers passing by the store, including children. She tried to convince them that it was impossible to sell otherwise, women should see the goods and not buy a "pig in a poke". They wouldn't do anything - put them away and that's it," Khava said, quoting her colleague.

Her neighbor plans to take the remaining goods to Pyatigorsk to the Lyudmila market and sell the entire batch wholesale at the purchase price. "She hasn't decided yet whether to continue doing business. That means another outlet will be closed," Khava concluded.

The first boutique stores opened in the center of Grozny in 2003 and in the following years they appeared "like mushrooms after the rain," said Malika, a former co-owner of four of the most visited stores on Pobedy Avenue and Pervomayskaya Street. "Women who had lived through all the horrors of military action, leaving all their belongings in the ruins of their homes, were frequent customers in these stores, buying things despite the high prices - thus transforming themselves and returning their former selves," recalls Malika.

According to her, such high profits from sales of women's clothing as in the first years were no longer observed. "Instead of women's clothing in the store located in the university area, we began to sell, and quite successfully, children's clothing for children under six. In 2003, a serious conflict arose with dubious individuals, behind whom influential representatives of some structures were guessed. They made brazen attempts to "squeeze" the children's clothing store from us. We tried to assert our rights, and everywhere we complained, they seemed to meet us halfway," the woman told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

There were no specific threats against Malika and her partners, but on the way to Nalchik at the Ekazhevsky circle, the brakes of their car failed, and the old "Fiat" crashed into a concrete slab with the inscription "Magas". There were no serious casualties, the driver suffered a broken leg. "It happened in 2003, and Wildberries appeared in 2004. And it was clear that a new era was beginning, and the population would give preference, of course, to online stores. We quickly resolved the issue with the children's clothing store, almost giving it away to these individuals. In Grozny, we still have one store on Avgustovskaya, almost all the profit from sales goes to rent," she said.

25-year-old Khadizha worked as a sales consultant in a wedding dress store, now closed. Due to the closure of trade, the girl was left without work. According to her, the closure of the store was not preceded by any inspections. "They didn't close us, they closed themselves. It was unprofitable to pay rent, keep a salesperson, a cashier, a security guard, if not a ruble had been deposited into the store's account for a month," she explained to a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"Our store also offered dresses for bridesmaids. All items were purchased in Milan. The store had to be closed because the rent went up. And, in my opinion, there were no more luxurious wedding dresses like those of Kheda Goylabieva, who married Guchigov in 2015. And in general, everything has become much more modest lately: both dresses and suitcases for brides have become more modest," said Khadija.

The girl herself buys both clothes and shoes in online stores. According to her, sometimes she and her friends go to shops to look at dress styles, check prices, and sometimes try on shoes. "We went to Firdaws Fashion House several times. There were few customers, the prices of the products were affordable. For example, a floor-length wool skirt costs 13 thousand, a dress 40-50 thousand rubles. This is cheaper than in brand boutiques, but neither I nor my friends would buy any of the products on sale. I am not an expert on women's clothing, I just didn't like it," she said.

Islam welcomes a person's desire to be rich when he achieves prosperity by doing only honest work, noted candidate of historical sciences Magomed. "We must not forget that wealth, in addition to satisfying personal desires and needs, also carries certain responsibilities, such as paying zakat and engaging in charity. "If a rich person provides financial assistance to poor people, orphans, Islam encourages this. These measures help minimize the difference between the rich and the poor, ensure mutual assistance and unite society. According to the Chechen Nokhchalla code, which was in effect among the Chechens long before Islam, rich people must give 10 percent of their wealth to the poor," he recalled.

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