WHEN local label Lilit. started at the end of 2018, it was very much a fashion brand, similar to its contemporaries.
Its fashion forwardness was manifested in its collaborations — with Izzara Aishah and Scha Alyahya, for example — as it tried to bridge being up-to-date with being modest.
In early 2020, Covid-19 happened and with it, came the sweeping changes in consumer behaviour. Lockdowns have pushed loungewear to the fore and comfort reigns in the fashion industry.
Even as restrictions are eased, it looks like heel heights have permanently reduced and comfortable clothing have become the new wardrobe normal.
Navigating the pandemic was tough for fashion brands, and so Lilit. made a conscious decision to pivot itself to be a fully modest brand, bringing clothing solutions and comfort to women who prefer covering up, by choice or religion.
Its marketing manager Ravisha Sekharan says the brand opens up what was once something limited.
"No one brand tackles the needs of the local modest women. We have foreign brands like Zara, but sometimes, a loose blouse could be see-through or a nice pair of pants could be cropped.
"Lilit.'s business is to see all items from the modest woman's point of view," she says.
MAKING MODEST EASY
Its line-up reflects this. It has a shirt extender that's like a cotton skirt with elastic waist which a woman can wear if her top is too short.
There is also a dickie, tucked under the top's neckline if is too wide, especially tricky when you wear the hijab. It also has tights with slit at the toes for ablution (or pesky pebbles and sand), so the wearer doesn't have to take it off.
"We want to provide solutions for women, make their lives a little simpler and chores, faster. Women already juggle a lot, so they appreciate little things that make their lives easier," Ravisha says.
The brand has its sellout Comeback Sets — loose top and long skirt in iron-free, knit material — that keep on selling out, especially in popular sizes, from UK8 to UK12.
The top and bottom are sold separately, but at the time of writing. I could not even find a pair, in any colour, in my size, which is UK10.
"For this one, customers wait for the drop and snap them. It is so versatile and chic. The knit drapes nicely and the iron-free material is a big bonus," she says.
BIG MARKET
Revisha says 20 per cent of the brand's customer base, across Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, are non-Muslims.
"The idea that modest clothing is only for Muslim women no longer applies. How women dress is their choice and some women, irrespective of religion, prefer loose, modest clothing.
"And because our line-up is made up of modest basics, they can shop a knit skirt and match it with a top they already have."
The brand is also inclusive in their sizes, as it moves from sizes ranging from UK6 to UK14, to UK6 to UK22.
"Some brands cater only to plus-sized women but we want to cater to all," she says.
Admitting that making clothes for bigger women doesn't mean merely cutting them bigger, Ravisha says the brand is thoughtful in its approach.
"If we launch something in a wide range of sizes, we will make sure the design works for these sizes," she says.
COOL COLLAB
Under its modest banner, the brand has also collaborated with actress Mira Filzah and local brand FiziWoo.
Mira Filzah's collection skewed towards femininity while FiziWoo's collaboration is all about knitwear that is cool and chic.
Lilit. also has an Active line with sports clothing made for modest women, including another sellout — the bucket hat hijab that you can wear for your morning walk or easy hike.
"It's important that Lilit. meets women for their modest clothing needs, and active wear is one of them. We also have a maternity line with clothes that are versatile enough to be worn after a woman has given birth.
"I think at any life stage a woman is in, there is something for her in Lilit.," she adds.
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