Fashionable weekend bazaars are changing the way shoppers view local brands, writes Aznim Ruhana Md Yusup
WHEN Hari Raya was around the corner, Pia Lisa decided to come by Sentul Depot in Kuala Lumpur for the Riuh Raya event.
The three-day open bazaar in late May had many things on offer – local fashion brands selling Raya clothes, food to break fast and entertainment for the entire family.
“It was a cosy atmosphere and not too hectic. Most importantly, it’s kid-friendly so I get to bring the family,” says the mum-of-two.
“My husband likes it because of the food options and I get to browse and shop at the different stalls while the kids watch a show or do the activities they have there.”
Pia adds that she’s a frequent visitor to Riuh, which is held once every two months at different locations in the Klang Valley. Its name changes according to themes such as Riuh Raya, Riuh: Safari in the City and Retro Riuh.
“It’s a good place to discover less mainstream brands and the organisers would often change it up because it’d be boring to have the same people every time. What I buy depends on what’s there, for instance at Riuh Raya I bought clothes and brooches. I’ve also bought homeware and other things previously,” she says.
Pop-ups and open bazaars for occasions such as Hari Raya are not uncommon – they are in various shopping malls and public spaces up and down the country. But events such as Riuh, Pasar Seloka or the Sunny Side Up Market are somewhat different, and tend to attract a younger, more fashionable crowd.
They usually start with social media marketing using attention-grabbing posters. Because the bazaars are held in stand-alone locations at a specific time, they can’t rely on foot traffic or shoppers randomly showing up. So they have to market the event in such a way that makes people want to come.
Organisers also pay attention to the brands or vendors. The brands are almost always local and most are small with only an online presence. Their products are made in-house for the brand or by the brand proprietors themselves, which makes them somewhat exclusive to those that attend.
Meanwhile, the events are set up with trendy decor and great music along with fun activities on the side – the latest Pasar Seloka last Saturday had a beyblade tournament.
PLATFORM FOR ALL ARTS
None of that is accidental, of course. Organisers behind these pop-ups often have a specific aesthetic and objectives to achieve, which go beyond the buying and selling of goods.
Riuh, for example, is part of the government arm MyCreativeVentures and was set up specifically as a platform to elevate Malaysia’s creative ecosystem. So it puts a lot of thought on how to carry this out, starting from the look of the event.
“We emphasised on design because, as we all know, first impressions count,” says communications representative Gina Subki in an email.
“In order to encourage creativity among vendors, visitors and stakeholders, we made sure that design factor was present from the start.”
“We studied the market, assessed the target audience and determined the impression we wanted to give. After that, the process was easier. You can see it applied everywhere like the customised booths and signages.”
Although most people come to Riuh to shop, Gina stresses that the event has a lot more to offer. Part of its mission is to educate the public on creative pursuits and past workshops at Riuh include classes on ceramics, embroidery and calligraphy.
Riuh has also set itself as a platform for performing arts, both cultural and contemporary.
Riuh Raya, for instance, had dikir barat performances by the Baizam Generation and shows from indie artists such as The Impatient Sisters and Lust.
Only Malaysian brands as vendors were chosen to highlight local talent.
“We are aware of the abundance of great local products and we genuinely believe in the value they can bring to the industry. Having the ability to support these brands as a platform is fulfilling.
“It’s also crucial to assist shoppers identify with homegrown products. The more people are exposed to and associate with these brands, the more they are encouraged to see the value in products that are homegrown, artisanal, unique and made with care and love,” she says.
EXPAND YOUR SPACE
On the other hand, Pasar Seloka is a private entity that started about seven years ago as an offshoot to the popular cafe Wondermilk in Damansara Uptown.
What was originally a design studio and event space, the Pasar Seloka pop-up brand has become so popular that it had to seek bigger venues and for longer periods of time.
For Hari Raya, it was open for more than four weeks at the Avenue K shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, in addition to its other weekend pop-ups elsewhere.
Last Saturday, it hosted an event at The Grounds, also in the city centre, with vendors including Ayanka Delights that makes Turkish sweets, handmade ceramic maker Bendang Studio and skincare brand Tres Lala. It has also hosted Islamic religious talks and crafting workshops previously.
“Wondermilk started by joining pop-up markets and we believe that a brand can successfully grow given the right community support and events,” it said in an email.
“People are more aware of the value of locally-made goods and brands now. They believe in supporting local brands that have a smaller production scale. They are getting a higher quality product that are more personal as they’re able to connect with the proprietor.”
A recent addition to the event is getting customers to go cashless by using MaybankQRPay.
Pasar Seloka says this is an easy way to encourage people to start using e-wallet facilities, as there are interesting promotions for both shoppers and vendors.
WE SEE YOU
One brand that’s making its name at weekend bazaars is MaryamBayam. It makes one-of-a-kind batik hair accessories such as scrunchies and hairbands.
The company is based in Nilai, Negri Sembilan and usually sells its merchandise online, so it welcomes the opportunity to open a booth at the recent Riuh Raya.
“Riuh gave MaryamBayam the recognition it needed, thanks to its fantastic marketing and social media followers,” says founder Maryam Mutalib.
“There were also many other vendors selling batik clothes which complemented our accessories. I made a lot of new customers who are just discovering Malaysian batik and it was a great opportunity to help educate and promote local heritage. Our inventory was almost completely sold out.”
She reveals that Riuh Raya was her first time selling at the event although she had try to join previously. But the experience made her appreciate how carefully the organiser curated its vendors.
Meanwhile, fashion brand Oh Sebenar first joined Riuh in March 2018.
Based in Kuala Lumpur without a physical store, the brand is no stranger to other pop-up events in the Klang Valley even though it also sells online from its website and FashionValet.
“Face to face interaction with the customer is very important,” says co-founder Nadzareen Azizi.
“Bazaars like Riuh and Pasar Seloka allow us to talk to customers about the garments that we don’t get to do online.”
Oh Sebenar’s latest collection, Onoma Eid, features classic baju kurung and kebaya with a modern twist, such as a shirt collar detail on a baju kurung or kebaya using cotton spandex fabric.
Nadzareen says it’s rewarding to get direct feedback on these designs.
“It gives us the opportunity to understand the customer’s perspective about our collection, which is helpful in planning for the next campaign. And it is always a delight to see loyal customers who support us every year or even every collection,” she says.
Going for another pop up event this weekend? Book a car online and get discounts with exclusive SOCAR promo code.