| Lyna Mohamad |
VENTURING into the fashion industry is by no means an easy feat.
Like with most business forays, the path is fraught with risks and challenges. And there is also the need to be highly creativity and focused, always staying two steps ahead of the competition.
Successful local fashion designer Jacqueline, who manages Bajoo Boutique in Brunei Darussalam, shared this and a little bit more with the Bulletin in an interview during the recently-launched Modest Fashion Network event.
The talented accountant-turned-designer, better known as Jackie, said her venture into the fashion world began after she had taken up the challenge of helping her mother-in-law breathe life back into her dying tailoring business, which at the time had the tailors running the show.
“My background is in accounting, banking and finance. When I finished my Degree, I was planning to go back to the bank, but the offer was not good because of the weak economy. I decided to wait for a government offer instead. This is when my then future mother-in-law told me she planned to sell the shop, unless I helped her do something about it,” she explained.
Her mother-in-law had opened the business five years earlier, making school costumes and uniforms for Seri Mulia Sarjana School. Eventually they branched out into a boutique, and Bajoo was born.
Starting up with a small project of making Tutu Kurongs, Jackie quickly discovered that its popularity had exploded beyond imagination.
And with this came the upsetting news of counterfeit products being pawned off as originals, resulting in one unhappy customer coming in last Hari Raya to complain that Bajoo was selling inferior products.
The customer had purchased the item online, thinking it was from Bajoo.
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Hajah Siti Radhiah binti Pengiran Maharaja Lela Sahibul Kahar Pengiran Anak Haji Mohd Yusof with Jackie and her team at the Bajoo Boutique booth. – RANOADIDAS
“We had to explain to the customer that what she had bought online was not ours, but a copy of our item. One crafty individual in Kuala Lumpur was taking photos of the design and mass producing them in China. It would then be shipped to all home sellers in Brunei, bringing about a lot of problems,” Jackie explained.
It was hard to control, despite having the items trademarked and copyrighted. Lawyers were brought in, costing them quite a sum of money but ultimately it yielded little.
So the only thing to do was to come up with fresh designs every year and to stay ahead of the competition.
Jackie put a boutique in front of the tailoring shop, starting their very own ready-to-wear line designed and produced by her. She started very small for the second year.
“What we have right now is a line of clothes for kids and adults. The kids collection is sold in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
“Due to cost, the adults line doesn’t get sold outside of Brunei, though we have received orders from Singapore and Malaysia. For this, we have them text us their measurements and then we will post it to them, but it is quite a lengthy process,” Jackie said.
Malaysian celebrities – among them Linda Jasmine, Scha and Awal – have taken to Jackie kid’s collection, which is inspired by characters from ‘My Little Pony.’
“We have to study the kids market first. When I speak to children and they say, ‘Mummy I want a ‘Pinky Pie,’ then I know they want a pink outfit. If they say ‘Mummy, I want a ‘Flatter Shy,’ it means a yellow outfit with pink frills,’ Jackie said, noting that each ‘My Little Pony’ character is different, a subject she is well-versed in.
Bajoo has its own label, with its designers being Jackie and a junior designer trained by her.
The Modest Fashion Network, a platform connecting fashionistas in an exclusive setting, was officially launched by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Hajah Siti Radhiah binti Pengiran Maharaja Lela Sahibul Kahar Pengiran Anak Haji Mohd Yusof at The Empire Hotel & Country Club on March 9.
The Modest Fashion Network featured 30 local and international brands offering modestly stylish and elegant wear for special occasions
Jovian Mandagie was also flown in from Kuala Lumpur to adjudge a competition among local brands.
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