@Halal September/October 2026 | Page 29

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September-October. 2026 | @ Halal
MODEST FASHION
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From numbers to new possibilities

Datin Sharifah Salwa Syed Shafie did not begin her working life imagining a future in fashion.
An accountant by training, she took a bold step beyond the world of numbers in 2010 and began building CASALWA.
What began with ready-to-wear pieces soon became more personal. By 2011, Sharifah Salwa began producing her own designs, starting a creative journey that would define both her label and her as a designer.
Sixteen years later, CASALWA has evolved into a contemporary modest fashion label recognised for comfortable womenswear, inclusive sizing, premium fabrics and modern interpretations of Malaysian heritage and nature, with Sharifah Salwa’ s Terengganu roots continuing to influence her creative
language.
Sharifah Salwa has also received recognition, including Ikon Pereka Fesyen Modest and Anugerah Pilihan Juri at the 2026 Bisnes Sinar Awards. Yet she continues to see her work as evolving.“ Every year, I see growth in my collections and ideas. I am confident in my vision,” she said.
Part of that development has come through the Malaysia International Halal Showcase( MIHAS), where she has participated for the past three years.
“ For me, MIHAS is a platform for Malaysian designers to share their ideas and talents,” she added.
Her collections reflect that progression. Earlier designs incorporated Malaysian flowers and multicultural influences. Her latest work draws inspiration from the country’ s natural surroundings and everyday life, with elements such as the sea and coconut trees creating a more relaxed, casual expression.
A JOURNEY OF PURPOSE AND POSSIBILITY: Datin Sharifah Salwa
Her interpretation of modest fashion is equally broad.
“ For me, modest fashion is not defined by the hijab alone. It is about dressing with confidence, appropriate coverage and elegance, while allowing every woman to express her individuality,” she explained.
That philosophy allows CASALWA to appeal beyond any single community or market, combining comfort, coverage and contemporary design.
Signs of its international potential are already emerging. Last year, an African buyer purchased one of CASALWA’ s cardigans, demonstrating how a Malaysian label can attract interest beyond its home market.
With MIHAS and MyFashionChamber providing greater exposure and industry opportunities, Sharifah Salwa now wants to take CASALWA further and establish it internationally.
Sixteen years ago, she exchanged the certainty of numbers for the unpredictability of design.
She has been creating her own possibilities ever since.

The mark that made a brand

A birthmark on her forehead became the unlikely starting point for a fashion label carrying Sabah’ s stories to the world.
For Nancy Jullok, the distinctive birdshaped mark she has had since childhood inspired the name P’ LO Borneo Fashion Design— turning something intensely personal into her brand’ s signature.
“ My brand is about my identity, about myself, about my story,” said Nancy, who began her fashion journey in 2010.
Growing up in Sabah, she was surrounded by striking colours, patterns and fabrics. Those influences became central to P’ LO, with Nancy drawing from the State’ s diverse ethnic communities to create contemporary fashion.
Her designs have since appeared on fashion platforms in New York, Qatar, Indonesia and Malaysia.
MIHAS Modest Fashion Week opened another direction.
After encountering the platform in 2019, Nancy challenged herself to explore modest fashion while retaining what made P’ LO distinctive.
“ I still keep our ethnicity, but
I use motifs that are in Sabah,” she said.
Her MIHAS collection brings Sabah-inspired motifs together with silk and batik across outfits for different occasions— from casual wear to cocktail events, dinners, and weddings.
For Nancy, adapting cultural elements for contemporary fashion comes with responsibility. Motifs cannot simply become decoration because each carries its own story and significance.
“ When we have a motif, we don’ t let it slip away. Because it has a meaning,” she said. That approach allows her to experiment with fabrics, cuts and silhouettes without losing the stories behind the designs.
Platforms such as MIHAS, supported by
MyFashionChamber, give designers like Nancy opportunities to introduce
WEARING HER IDENTITY: Nancy Jullok their work to new audiences and explore markets beyond Malaysia.
For P’ LO, that international journey has already begun. But Nancy wants to take it much further.
“ We can make this a fashion that reaches the world,” she said.
From a birthmark that became a name to a label appearing on international stages, Nancy has turned something uniquely hers into something she hopes the world will recognise.