Loveaisyah founder on bringing women together through the baju kurung

Aisyah’s journey to becoming a Muslim began when she met a stranger at a bus stop. The man would eventually become her husband.

“I come from a very small family and my dad passed away when I was 14, so the only person I had to convince regarding my conversion was my mum. She saw a change in me when I was going through the process—I started showing her more respect and patience. It was evident I was becoming a better person every day,” she says.

But she makes it clear that the conversion wasn’t because of her marriage: “It came from the bottom of my heart.”

And not that it was without challenges: One of hers was putting on the hijab.

“Muslim women are told to wear it to retain their modesty, but we are not forced to do it. Back then, I wasn’t ready as I was worried I would be judged by non-Muslims, though ironically, I was also afraid to be judged by fellow Muslims. I overcame it after I stopped judging myself. After I started Loveaisyah, I started to write and share more about myself and my religious journey. The supportive responses I received really warmed my heart.”

Apart from versatility, Loveaisyah’s baju kurung feature lace, jacquard and satin materials so that they can be stylishly paired with everyday pieces. In addition, they are comfortable and boast flattering cutting.

“Our customers are usually blow away by the comfort of the baju kurung after trying on our designs. I have also gotten feedback that they are flattering for body shapes. I understand Asian women’s body curves very well and am very particular about how clothes should fit, so every measurement is carefully thought through,” explains Aisyah.

She is also proud to be offering her pieces at affordable price points. At present, blouses and bottoms range between $59.90 and $79.90 while a set typically retails between $119.90 and $159.90.

Check out the brand’s IG page and you’ll see that its bio says “bringing modern women across different races and backgrounds together through exclusive yet modern baju kurung designs and modest wear”. This is because she aims to make the baju kurung more accessible to non-Muslim women through her collections.

“My customers come from everywhere including Japan, Australia, USA and UAE. I also have non-Muslim customers both in Singapore and other parts of the world because they feel the designs are feminine and chic—they appeal to modern women who want to dress modestly.”

Because Loveaisyah’s production and quality control teams are based in China, major challenges arose following the Covid-19 outbreak.

“It wasn’t an easy process to source fabrics via video calls because I cannot feel the materials. Plus, costs went up because we have to regularly courier fabrics and samples to and from China. I can’t say there was any way to overcome this challenge and the only way we had to get things done was to increase communication all around,” explains Aisyah.

At present, she is working on expanding her product range and sourcing for more interesting fabrics, and apart from being available both on the online store and Zalora, her collections are also available on Shopee.

“Business has grown after onboarding with Shopee. It’s not only a great platform for small businesses to widen customer base and followers, but also makes it easy for us to upload product information and participate in campaigns.”

If you’re interested in picking out a Loveaisyah piece for yourself, there is currently a Raya-exclusive Shopee x Loveaisyah promotion. Simply enter ‘LOVETV10’ at the checkout page for a 10 per cent discount under Shopee TV or ‘LOVETOK10’ at the checkout page for a 10 per cent discount under Shopee Tiktok.

And if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, she also has some advice to offer.

“Don’t be afraid to embrace digital tools as they can help your business and productivity grow. Also, have an open heart so that you can continue to gain new knowledge along the way.”

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