KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — Inspired by Neelofa’s headscarf success, 14-year-old Nur Iman Safiyah Mohammad Shahree decided to start up her own business offering her own designs.
Today, she sells an average of 500 headscarves — or tudung as they are better known locally — a month under her own label Tudung Sekolah Iman Safiyah!
“Most of the school scarves are hard to shape and are made out of non-breathable fabric so it can get really hot, and that gave me an idea to sell scarves that can provide optimum comfort.
“I initiated the tudung business myself. My parents are not entrepreneurs but they support me and my business,” the Form Two student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Subang Bestari old Malay news portal mStar Online.
She related that when she first started, she was greeted with scepticism. But she didn’t let the naysayers put her down and worked on her designs in the evenings while balancing school life in the day time.
Instead, she looks to her idol, 28-year-old local actress-turned-entrepreneur Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor whose designs and business under the Naelofar Hijab brand has reportedly earned her RM200 million in sales last year.
“Kak Neelofa is not only beautiful and talented, but her tudung business is very successful. I want to be like Kak Neelofa, I hope I can emulate her success,” she was quoted saying.
Nur Iman currently has three tudungs under her label: a simple shawl, the “tudung bawal” and school scarves.
