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Glam Halal | March-April . 2022

BY FATIHAH MANAF

Together with her husband , Iskandar A . Suffian , she manages the company and consistently caters to the fashion needs of Muslim women in Malaysia , Brunei and Singapore .

Hidayu , who had previously worked in the oil and gas sector , took the risk of setting up the company in 2014 despite the lucrative salary she was earning then . Even though some people were against the decision , she was determined to prove her bold move would be worth it . As a result , Shawlpublika is now known nationwide for its high-quality and stylish clothes .

“ Shawlpublika has been in the industry for six years , but it was three years at our Setia Alam HQ . We produce 100 per cent women ’ s apparel , but now we ’ re exploring men ’ s apparel and scarves ,” said Hidayu during the Halal @ Selangor programme , where media

Before Shawlpublika , I worked in Petronas KLCC . I loved to wear baju kurung saree . Every Friday , I went to work wearing a baju kurung saree . So , whenever I got on the LRT , people would ask where I bought my clothes , and I could see the demand from there .” — Nur Hidayu Zorkafli

was brought to visit the Shawlpublika HQ .

“ We ’ re based in Setia Alam . Since the movement control order ( MCO ), we have closed all of our boutiques and converted them into warehouses . So now , we ’ re operating 100 per cent online .”

Shawlpublika HQ is a three-storey building with most of its day-to-day operations of packing and receiving customer orders conducted on the ground floor . The floor is filled with stacks of beautiful well-decorated boxes that come together with customer orders , nicely arranged on the storage racks .

Those who visit the Shawlpublika HQ may be intrigued with the arrangement as they give the ground floor of the building the boutique-warehouse-office vibes all in one place .

Shawlpublika stylish collections

Hidayu shared that Shawlpublika had many collections . Before the MCO , the brand did not produce scarves as they focused more on apparel . However , since the MCO , Shawlpublika decided to change its business niche . From catering to the middle class and above , it now caters for all categories and has started producing scarves .

“ We ’ re divided into two : Shawlpublika and SP Casual . For Shawlpublika , we will introduce two new collections every month . For SP Casual , almost every week , we will have new designs ,” said Hidayu .

When asked about the preparation for Eid collections , Hidayu said : “ For Eid , it would be a megaproject . So , by December , we would have finished with the designs .

“ If for monthly designs , it will be just one month before the release . The preparation for megaprojects will take longer . That ’ s why we need outsourced tailors . It ’ s my in-house designer and I who design the pieces . Even for textiles , we have our designer .”

How it started for Shawlpublika

Hidayu shared how she first got the idea to set up the business . Pioneering the baju kurung saree in Malaysia , she said the inspiration came from her love for that type of clothes .

“ Before Shawlpublika , I worked in Petronas KLCC . I loved to wear baju kurung saree . Every Friday , I went to work wearing a baju kurung saree . So , whenever I got on the LRT , people would ask where I bought my clothes , and I could see the demand from there ,” stated Hidayu .

She then thought it would be better for her to start selling the clothes instead of just helping people buy them .

“ Then , I started selling them on a small scale . That ’ s how Shawlpublika happened .

Nur Hidayu and her husband , Iskandar A . Suffian .