Malaysian Fashion Designers Ready for CovEid

Nelissa Hilman, Nurita Harith and Ezzati Amira restrategise marketing approaches
By Rohaizatul Azhar

Nelissa Hilman’s shop in Bangsar Village II, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Image taken from Nelissa Hilman’s website.

Slightly over one year since Malaysia went into lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, things are starting to look up. Officially known as the Movement Control Order (MCO), it was implemented in March 2020 to restrict movement as a preventive measure in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. This has greatly impacted businesses across Malaysia. A study conducted by Singapore-based logistics company, Janio, on Malaysia’s fashion industry in 2020 revealed that retail performance dipped by 30.9% in Q2, between April and August, with many stores closed during the MCO. 

Since March however, several states in the country, including its capital Kuala Lumpur, have eased certain restrictions, allowing businesses to reopen and operate but in a more controlled manner. And with Hari Raya Aidilfitri taking place on May 13, the relaxation of regulations could not have come at a better time for many fashion businesses looking to recover from the past year. 

Historically, the month leading up to Eid celebration is the busiest time for many designers, with multiple shopping exhibitions, bazaars, and exclusive showroom events taking place around the country. But the pandemic, and the resulting lockdown, has forced them to rethink their approach to focus more on the digital landscape to reach customers, and maintain relationships. After all, with more Malaysians choosing to stay home, almost everything, including shopping, is done online. Last September, a survey conducted by Standard Chartered found that 73% of the 12,000 Malaysians polled said the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has made them more positive about online shopping. 

Photograph of Nelissa Hilman. Image taken from Nelissa Hilman’s Twitter page.

Indeed, as popular shoe designer Nelissa Hilman notes, social media is king, especially in times of the pandemic. In the last year, Nelissa has increased the budget for social media advertisements for her eponymous label. She also relies heavily on the brand’s digital platforms to update their consumers on what they are working on. “We've somewhat survived the past year thanks to technology,” says Nelissa. “Sales in store went down by more than 50% , compared to 2019, but the website sales saw a steady growth. At the start of the pandemic last year, my team and I were working from home and started creating graphics and illustrations for our campaign and content.” 

Nelissa Himan's in-store shoe display. Image taken from Nelissa Hilman's website.

As part of their customer service, the brand also created a WhatsApp business account to follow up on orders and requests, and provided a ‘Buy now, Pay later’ programme for online purchases. “We worked with a warehouse that helps fulfil our online orders, and also offered contactless curbside pickup service from our store,” elaborates Nelissa. “With every purchase made, sales proceeds were donated to COVID-funds”.

Focusing on digital campaigns is starting to pay off, and several fashion designers are already seeing an uptick in sales of their Raya creations compared to the year before. Response for the Nurita Harith Lebaran Luxe 2021 collection, for instance, has been overwhelming. In a recent interview with Malaysia’s ‘Malay Mail’ newspaper, the popular designer, known for her soft colour palettes, feminine silhouettes and drapes, revealed that she has stopped taking orders for her custom pieces, priced between RM2,800 (SGD910) and RM6,500 (SGD2,100), since March 13. 

Photograph of Ezzati Amira. Image taken from Nona Malaysia.

Another trend that has taken off is live-streaming, especially on Instagram. Up-and-coming fashion designer Ezzati Amira shared that the lockdown had forced her brand to build an online presence and to focus more on digital marketing. This included going on Instagram Live to introduce and talk about her new collection, which has proven to be especially helpful. “People are more convinced to buy when they see the designers explain the inspiration behind the collection and how we can style the looks as separates, mixing and matching with different pieces,” she says. 

The IG Live sessions were also opportunities for Ezzati to gain new customers as the sessions are open to the public. This has allowed her to receive valuable feedback not only from her client base but from those who are new to the brand.

The easing of restrictions has brought new opportunities for her brand. Till end May, she will be joining the Melium Group, Malaysia's leading retail group in international luxury fashion and lifestyle brands, for a Raya pop-up corner at their M Store in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. But Ezzati shares that she will still be concentrating on her online sales. 

The designer is also selling her latest Raya collection exclusively on multi-label e-commerce platform, Zalora. Previously, the Raya season often means welcoming customers to her showroom and trying on the clothes. “The exclusive part of shopping straight from the showroom is that we also offer alteration services for the ready-to-wear pieces to fit them”. 

The latest collection is a step away from what the brand has come to be known for, and is reflective of the times. Instead of the usual bold colours and prints, this year’s offering features modern baju kurung silhouettes in soft colours, and with puffed up chiffon and soft satin sleeves to give them movement. “It is more relatable to what is happening now,” says Ezzati. “People want to have something comfortable and practical to wear at home.”