Of Icons and Muses

it all started with Maysaa. :)

i didn't even know what Maysaa was then, until i got news that my UK-residing cousin was coming back to KL some time in November last year. 

he was apparently collaborating with a few people to launch a Muslim-inspired wear from the UK in Malaysia.

okayyyyy.... i know he's been hanging around with a group of moderate Muslims there (in this context, moderate means 'practising'), so in my mind, i was imagining a clothing line which is akin to Malaysia own Munawarrah.

my aunt who is always supportive of her niece/nephew's endeavours * prodded me on to check it out. so i did open the website and was surprised to see non-hijabed girls parading a modern, chic and minimalist clothing line. which i liked, of course. :) 

but not enough for me to buy yet, because i have to see them in order to buy. more so, because it was an emerging brand. suffice to say, my cousin's vouch of quality was not enough to convince me.

later on, at my aunt's insistence (well, okayyyyy, i was also curious), i went to the preview of Maysaa's maiden collection at Damansara Heights after they arrived in Kuala Lumpur. mind you, the team had to wait a few weeks to get the items, after they have disembarked, as the clothes were manufactured in another country. but long enough for them to get their bearings in this hot and humid country. therefore, i would say it was a blessing in disguise.

oh, before that, i met Hana Tajima and her husband (whom i knew before this, through my cousin) at my nenek's in Kampung Baru during an Eid Al-Adha gathering. my aunt (again), told me that she is a famous blogger. yes, apparently my aunt was more 'hip and happening' than me. :)

i was not that impressed with Hana when we first met, because i thought she was kinda snooty. but then again, i was no Ms Charming either. i didn't think i need to swoon over her because of her popularity which i didn't even know about. well, when Ms Reserve meets up Ms Reserve, this would inevitably happen. she seemed typically British, and i am NOT the typical friendly-at-first-meet Asian. :)

so there i was at the preview which was for close family members only as this was done to gauge the marketability of the products. i went with my 2 boys and maid. so i had to be fast. i wanted a skirt and a dress. but after trying out that kimono dress, i know my body type was not built for it. teehee. my aunts and cousins were also there and we were trying out different items of clothing. but knowing us women, we usually would like to have what the other woman is buying. so i ended up trying out different (unplanned) stuff in various rooms of my cousin's house. my boys were understandably by then restless, so i made my decision fast and took the body skimming straight viscose skirt and the uber cool hoodie top.

(i nearly bought the snood but i knew even with discounts, i could not afford to buy another item, so KIV-ed it for another time. but turned out it was sold out pretty fast after the launch. dang!)

by the way, Hana was actually lovely when i met her at her own turf - she gladly advised her customers on their clothing preferences and which ones flattered them most.

so there. it all started with Maysaa. because from Maysaa, i found Hana Tajima's blog called Stylecovered. then i got to know that she has group of Malaysian followers and i somehow found my way into their blogs.

firstly it was Adriani's Bows and A Rose, because Hana complimented on her style. and then i found Maria Elena who was naturally funny and effortlessly chic at the same time. she made me laugh! i dont really recall how i 'got 'lost' inside her site but i gathered it must have been either Adriani or Hana. she reminded me of a young Lucille Ball who inevitably wears hijab. :) by the way, she is widely popular that she in now modelling for a few online shops.

from them, i was acquainted to the Scarflets. to read further on what they actually are about, i let you read Maria Elena's interpretation of it. click that self-titled link.

in essence, these girls,  the Scarflets, who are mostly in their mid twenties, dress really well. i mean, not only they have revolutionised the way Muslim girls wear their hijab, they made wearing hijab COOL.

and they spent less money to look presentable and polished. so hence why i was captivated by how these girls who could spend less than me, ended looking more chic and ultra svelte than moi.

this goes to show that spending more on clothes (and scarves/shawls/instant hijab) does not necessarily mean guaranteed style.

(but aren't those delectable designer items just utterly  fine and intricately and exquisitely created? *gush*)

one of the Scarflets is this fashion-forward young lady called Ami Schaeera whose unorthodox dressing is in a class of her own. that made me go into Ami Schaeera's blog and was inspired by her enterprising nature. she obviously loves fashion so much that she is making a living out of it. and so far, business looks thriving. good for her! ( i have also mentioned her in my earlier post : Confession )

i also found out that Adriani partnered with Shea, another Scarflet, to come out with an online clothing store called pastelina. check it out if your sizes are  between UK 8 to 10. *sigh* their stuff are fun and feminine, but other than being sold out almost immediately after posting, they do not carry my ample hip UK 12 size.

then i found Sue Anna Joe (who was featured in Ami's Schanaz Scarves Styling Album). this dimunitive lady is quite a force to reckon with. not only did she has won several accolades for her edgy photography work, she has recently continued her studies, pursuing Masters in Mass. Comm. and she is not yet 30 years of age, this mother of one.

anyways, along this road of rediscovery, i also got myself reacquainted with Sugarscarf, which i had visited earlier in 2009. i am glad they have evolved since then, with more systematic customer service and mature and visionary outlook, because i really believe they could go far in this line.

so here i am, greatly inspired by these young ladies and thought that if they could do these valiant ventures into the unknown solely driven by their passion, i could also aspire to become one.

insyaAllah - watch this space.

PS : the * is to remind the said aunt that she should support this niece as well, later on. :)