KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — Love to be fashionably different? Try Lulu Lulu Handmade Purses, set up by former broadcast journalist Azreen Zaharin, a local brand with a range of handbags, clutches and more, all in eye catching prints.
What sets her brand apart from others is the thoughtful consideration that goes into each of her designs, making each item functional.
The catalyst for Azreen to start making handbags was just pure boredom. Twiddling her thumbs during the three months’ confinement period after she had her baby, she had randomly clicked a link on her Facebook feed and found a video clip from The Martha Stewart Show on the art of making handbags.
She adds, “I got interested and it’s not so hard. The challenge was I didn’t know how to sew.”
Nevertheless, the self-confessed handbag lover decided to give it a try even though she was clueless about hand sewing. Her first item was a small clutch using fabric stored at her mother’s place in Rantau, Negeri Sembilan. “When I completed my first handbag, I felt so accomplished.”
After her first project, she enthusiastically started to make more, using an antique Singer sewing machine. “I will click, buy frames and fabric online, as everything was accessible,” she said.
When she returned home, she decided to look into making a slouchy, fold over bag. “I made it for my own benefit but after I posted it on my personal Instagram, my friends asked if I was selling it.”
Azreen didn’t think much about it until a random stranger from Singapore messaged her and asked her if she was selling it. Soon she was selling bags she made herself over Instagram.
Eventually, the penny dropped that it was time to earn money to fuel her passion to make handbags. “I decided I better make it a business when my husband saw his credit card bill and told me I must pay for all that,” she said.
In 2012, she started her brand that takes its name from her eldest daughter Lulu who is now six years old. “She won’t come if I call her Lulu, so the name for my brand is exactly how I call her,” she explained.
Once she started her business, she stopped buying designer handbags. “I used to buy and covet designer bags but I now feel I can customise my bags to my needs.” Nowadays, when she purchases a bag, it’s more for research.
When it comes to her designs, Azreen believes in keeping it incredibly personal. “I tend to make bags that I can use and I hope my customers enjoy using.” She’ll test out the bags, like her Jalan-Jalan bag that she took on a vacation which she swears is incredibly useful to stuff maps, your travel documents and etc. as you move from place to place.
This testing makes her bags incredibly functional and usable. Customer feedback is also important, as you can see her adapting some items to fit their requirements, like the tote which comes with a hook inside to keep your purse secure.
With her minaudière — those compact, dainty accessories perfect for an evening out — she moves with handphone trend and sizes, since her customers like to pop their electronic devices inside the bag.
Currently, she is moving away from slouchy bags to a structured look. “I don’t want people to have a perception that just because it’s handmade, it has a homemade look. I put a lot of care in my bags.”
Work is done in her small home studio where she cuts the patterns and sews each bag with a sewing machine. Production is done in incredibly small batches depending on the fabric (sometimes less than five pieces), giving an exclusive limited air to her range.
Rather than make the same item using one fabric, she’ll make different styles, giving variety to her customers. She tries to make them just like a production line, focusing on each step in the making on a daily basis. Usually it takes her about a week to make five to 10 bags.
When it comes to choosing the fabric, she follows her personal preference for bold, colourful and vintage fabrics. As her brand matures, Azreen’s selection has also evolved, from whimsical prints to more sophisticated, gilded fabrics. “It gives a more mature and exclusive look.”
Azreen can also take in custom orders, using any fabric, type of frame finish or style to suit her customer’s needs. Of course, prices will vary depending on the fabric chosen.
Her bags are a hit with women aged between 24 to 40 plus. It’s a varied range of customers from sophisticated ladies to the younger crowd.
Azreen explained that these include seasoned designer bag users who look for variety or a new style since they often attend numerous dinner events.
“For the young women, they appreciate the handmade element,” she explained. Most of her sales are made via Instagram. “There’s not so many in Facebook that translated into sales.” She reckons, once they find something they like on the social media platform, they can order straight away.
Azreen is also a great believer of local pride. With her brand, she has collaborated with others like The Batik Boutique. Back in 2014, she joined hands with the local batik maker to use their silk batik to produce a Raya collection.
Another notable collection is the one she paired with Dura Hana Korumtallee, a Malaysian illustrator and abstract artist who is based in Mauritius. Dura Hana is famous for her work and collaborations with local accessories maker Sereni & Shentel.
Azreen jumped over the opportunity to work with the talented lady back in 2015 when she was asked. The bold artwork was painted on bright sateen silk which Azreen used to make into accessories. Recently, another capsule collection was released.
Next up is an exciting collaboration with weaver Yuzminmakes. Both of them had met via yoga classes and know each other. It is still in the works but an early prototype — a colourful weaved piece being fashioned into a funky clutch — looks promising.
In addition, Azreen also helps out with Biru Bakery (https://www.instagram.com/birubakery/), a joint effort with her family that specialises in home baked goodies. Each family member is given various tasks by her mother whose signature item is her steamed fruitcake.
Azreen will bake eggless cookies, salted pistachio chocolate cookies and such. For last year’s Raya festivities, their baked goods were packed in handmade batik baskets complete with leather handles for an unusual touch.
Looking back at how she started, Azreen realises that when she started this business, she should have been more aware of its pitfalls. “When I started the business, I went in blindly and didn’t know the business,” she said.
She also related that knowing how to make is not the main thing but one needs to be also business savvy. Even though it’s more practical to sell online, she admits that she still dreams of having a shop.
She looks at American Clare Vivier who set up Clare V., a brand that has grown from a small one to a well-known name in California for her clutches, as her muse.
“She started with one laptop bag and how she manages all the bags in business. She’s also helping out her local economy.”
Lulu Lulu Handmade Purses
You can shop at:
Ilham Gallery
Menara Ilham
No. 8, Jalan Binjai, KL
The Labels
No. 16, Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 1
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lulululu_handmade/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lulu.lulu.handmadepurses/
