The Zulkifli sisters behind popular label Mimpikita tell Nadia Badarudin about their journey and aspirations
I MEET the Zulkifli sisters of Mimpikita while they are taking a breather after preparing for Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week Ready-To-Wear.
The three Johoreans, who aspire to own a powerful fashion house, are all prepped up for the interview at their flagship store in Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
Nurul Afidah Zulkifli, 34, the eldest of the three, is a picture of confidence in her practical yet elegant mix of black tudung, casual white top and maroon pants.
Amirah Hanis, 32, looks stylish in a dressy, kaftan-like blazing orange top matched with white skinny pants and black tudung while Fatimah Ani Syahira, 29, is all sweet and feminine in a floral top in exclusive Mimpikita print that complements her white palazzo pants and tudung.
“As you can see, each of our style is distinctive. Mimpikita (which means “our dream” in Malay) is a creative blend of all these elements. It is a reflection of the three of us,” says Nurul, the founder and designer of the rapidly growing homegrown fashion brand.
“And that is our signature — a combination of three looks borne out of three personalities. That is something that you cannot find anywhere else,” she says.
Mimpikita is popular for its bridal and ready-to-wear collections with fine craftsmanship and quality fabrics. Modernity and functional sensibility are jazzed up with exquisite detailing and colours. This label is a favourite among fashionably chic, young women, especially the tudung-wearing crowd who are influenced by the sisters’ knack for hijab-wearing styles.
Mimpikita has 186,000 followers on Instagram.
BOUND BY PASSION
The label has grown by leaps and bounds since its establishment in 2009. Starting from selling clothes via a blogshop and weekend bazaars in 2008, the Zulkifli sisters now run the business via their website and social media platforms.
The collections are also on e-commerce fashion platform FashionValet as well as at Isetan, Suria KLCC and at independent boutiques in Singapore and London.
The brand is slowly blazing a trail in the UK following its debut at Fashion Scout, London Fashion Week in last September.
Mimpikita is on the fast track, considering the fact that the sisters do not have any background in fashion.
Nurul, for instance, has a master’s degree in electrical engineering and used to work at their family-owned architecture firm run by their father and elder brother.
So, how do they play the game?
“I guess it is about passion. We are bound by our passion for fashion,” says Nurul.
“Our upbringing has sparked our interest and creativity in fashion too,” says Amirah. She adds: “Our mother, Rabiah Suleiman, was a seamstress. She used to sew clothes and dressed us up, experimenting with styles.”
Due to the sisters’ lack of related educational background and experience in business, their parents were reluctant to give them the green light to start the venture.
“In the beginning, our parents felt that the three of us were not ready or were not tough enough to face business challenges. Our mother, for instance, related her hardship and experience of being a seamstress,” she says.
DREAMING BIG
The sisters eventually managed to convince their parents when their blogshop business picked up. First, they were given a small space at their father’s office in Kota Damansara to run their business. Amirah says they made cookies and corporate gifts for their father’s clients to raise funds to expand their business.
From selling outsourced clothes - mainly batik and kaftan - for Hari Raya, they came out with bridal wear and ready-to-wear items in their own designs.
“Our goal is simple: We make clothes that we will wear with confidence,” she says.
On their flagship store in Bangsar, Nurul says that was among their dreams from the beginning.
“We drop by Bangsar every time we make a trip to Kuala Lumpur from our hometown in Johor Baru. Besides visiting our relatives, we love to hang out there,” says Nurul.
“Our dream of opening a store in Bangsar came true in 2010,” she says.
MORE VENTURES
The sisters (former students of Sultan Ibrahim Girls School, Johor Baru) launched M.Kita in May, a ready-to-wear line to complement the seasonal Mimpikita collections.
M.Kita is a laid-back, fuss-free version of Mimpikita. It offers basic daily wear such as a plain top that will go well with a dressy coat from the Mimpikita line, says Nurul.
“M.Kita is our way to give back to the society where part of the sale proceeds go to charity.
“M.Kita is where we form partnership with our long-serving employees and train them to be entrepreneurs as well,” she adds.
For Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week Ready-To-Wear to be held later this month, the sisters will be rolling out a collection which is a cross between Malay and French. “It is related to our collaboration with French perfume house Annick Goutal to mark the brand’s launch of a new perfume,” says Nurul.
MOVING ON
After 10 years in the industry, do the Zulkifli sisters have any regrets?
Nurul says: “It would have been better if we had basic background in fashion. Although things turned out just fine, the pace is slower and longer for us. “It is like continuous learning. But, being constant learners keep us grounded.”
Success for them, is about being passionate, having distinctive tastes in fashion and most importantly, not being afraid to dream big, says Nurul.
“We are never afraid to dream big. And we are lucky we are sisters.
“In our pursuit to reach our dreams, disagreement is a norm. But at the end of the day, we know we will always have each other,” she says.