The versatile designs draw from memories of heading home for Hari Raya. Photo: Aeon
Fiziwoo has teamed up with Aeon for the upcoming Hari Raya celebrations.
The designer duo behind the fashion label, Izree Kai Haffiz and Hafizi Radzi Woo, recently unveiled their collection based on the theme “pulang desa”, meaning “heading home”.
“The inspiration draws from the experience of Raya, especially the first day of the celebration – when you spend time with family, which includes the important moments and vibes of Hari Raya pertama,” Hafizi explains.
“The idea is even reflected in aspects like the material. You can see that we’ve chosen very light fabrics. So, practicality and comfort come first.”
He says this is because most people will be busy helping out with house chores and such when they are back in their hometowns.
The designers also included subtle embellishments like embroidery, which mirrors vintage table runners and curtains. .
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“When you balik kampung, the first thing that hits you is the smell of food cooking. You also get whiffs of the countryside like the scent of grass as you wind down the car window,” Izree adds.
Yet, they have managed to inject a little modernity into the collection by playing with the cuts and silhouettes.
“We did away with the pesak (gore), so pieces from this collection are more slim fitted. Instead of using kain batik as the skirt, we matched the kurung Kedah with a pareo, which can be worn in a more versatile manner,” Izree notes.
“We see this collection as very inclusive. One, the styling of it is up to the wearers – whether you tuck in the kurung top or wear it traditionally. Two, sizing-wise, we’ve included up to 7XL,” Hafizi points out.
“We don’t have a kid’s range yet, but moving forward we are thinking about it. This is only our first year partnering Aeon. In the future, we hope to have everything for the whole family with Aeon,” he adds.
The Fiziwoo collection for Aeon includes pieces for both men and women. There are kurta tops for men, for example.
Regarding Raya fashion trends, the designers believe that there is no specific ones to follow each year.
“It’s basically personal preference. In terms of colour, a family may decide on one colour that they like,” Izree says.
Hafizi Radzi Woo (left) and Izree Kai Haffiz are enthusiastic about reaching new customers with their collection designed specially for Aeon. Photo: SAMUEL ONG/The Star
“It comes back then to functionality. I believe those who celebrate Raya will consider functionality, instead of just buying clothes based on trends.”
By designing this collection exclusively for Aeon, the duo see it as a way of expanding their reach.
The Fiziwoo brand name has always been known for its over-the-top and glamorous designs, which you would think is the furthest from everyday clothing as as possible.
Nevertheless, the designers feel that such assumption is not true.
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“When it comes to design, it is very universal. When you talk about glamour, I think we’re associated with it because that’s the market we’ve been in,” Hafizi explains.
“Opening up to Aeon, our hope is that Fiziwoo won’t be just exclusive to a certain group of people.”
On the subject of how they prepare themselves for Raya, the two share that their fashion needs take a back seat to their customers.
They often need to scramble to get their brand’s orders out first, which leaves very little time to plan their own outfits – sometimes even leading to them having to sew each other’s baju Raya.
The Fiziwoo collection is available at selected Aeon stores. Every purchase comes with a special pack that includes a “pulang desa” paper bag, an envelope, a thank you card, money packets and a designed face mask.
