Here is a selection of the best trendy and timeless headscarves made by local artists and designers
In Malaysia, various tudung brands online are selling their own designer collections with different styles, materials, colours and designs, but what makes a label stand out from the rest is creativity and beauty.
An impeccable design is one where an artist’s hand-drawn design, printed motifs and even art is turned into tudung designs. Some headscarf brands come up with different collections for various occasions to complement or elevate the attire of the day.
Here, in no particular order, we have selected four designers creating beautiful, classy and delicate tudung and silk scarves that will last the test of time.
Wearable Art
Imagine admiring a fascinating painting and then realising it’s too expensive to purchase. Luckily, you get the chance to wear some art for a more affordable price.
Khainifa Khalil is a painter with an abundance of talent. She has been drawing on canvases since she was 14 years old and has even sold her paintings online. Over the past few years, she has been transforming her creative arts into a shawl or tudung design.
As she wishes to get into fabric designing, she formed her own label named Pip Of Art Hijab.
“There are way too many digital designs or art used as tudung designs. But I have never seen anyone in Malaysia have physical artworks transferred onto tudungs without any digital alterations. I’d like to be the first,” she said.
The shawls burst with vibrant colours. The shawls are made from a matte satins material and each come with a matching mask made with satin crepe fabric.
“I picked up the design based on my art journey for the year 2022. This year is about exploring abstract art (for me),” she said. Owning the limited edition shawls also means that customers are able to own an exclusive piece, as only 10 units are manufactured for each of the designs.
Beautiful florals
One of the most creative hand-drawn pieces by Amira Salehin is made with immense attention to detail. The soft satin matte or silk satin shawls and tudungs are inspired by the botanic gardens. The soft pastel colours have an elegant look, while shawls in bold colours are eye-catching.
The designer, Amira is a trained architect, who is passionate about art and is always aspired to design fabrics. She started designing tudungs when a local brand, Belhams approached her.
“I am a lover of intricate floral and botanical motifs and I wanted this collection of designs to embody that. I naturally gravitate towards creating intricate, bold, statement designs and I am not afraid to play with a little bit of colour,” explained Amira.
Every piece shown from Amira’s latest Enchanted Raya Collection 2022 captures the beauty of flowers and the pieces are versatile to wear for every occasion. The dazzling design can be viewed on her Instagram page @amiwabisabi. Amira’s Amiwabisabi X Belhams hijab is sold at www.belhams.com.
The epitome of elegance
The aesthetically beautiful pieces have motifs hand-drawn by artist Wan Nur Baiti Wan Mohd Fauzi, better known as Baiti Fauzi, and they range from traditional to arabesque floral pattern.
“Inspired by the arabesque floral pattern, the collection focuses on the aesthetic of the traditional motifs and celebrates colours, energy and life and is suitable for everyday (elegant) wear,” according to the artist, who also makes paintings.
“My design is much more than just a scarf, it’s an artwork designed with attention to detail and a lot of thought has been put to it to make it look exclusive and stand out from the rest,” said Baiti.
Her headscarf designs are inspired by Islamic design motifs, mostly in the Quran manuscripts and Islamic architecture,” she said.
These motifs are printed on flowy silk satin, which comes in various soft pastel colours.
“We use a premium satin silk material, which is soft on the head and draped nicely,” added Baiti.
The designs, which can be viewed on Instagram at @baiti.fauzi, are available in both squares and shawls. The artist’s recent collection is called baiti.fauzi X belhams, and is sold at www.belhams.com.
Neo classic design
Zetthazet shawls have an abstract pattern, inspired by neoclassical art or antiquity. The designer, known only as Zatul, is an architect, who explores lines, straight or curved lines over a soft range of colours. It’s about simplicity, and yet each sophisticated headscarf invokes grandeur.
“I am an architect by profession with so much passion for the fashion world. I love to paint and create artworks, mostly paintings, during my free time. The idea of making art-to-wear to enhance a woman’s wardrobe is my main drive for creating Zetthazet (Instagram Page @Zetthazzet),” she said.
Most of the inspirations are from art deco in the 1920s and the art nouveau style.
“Natural elements like floral and the man-made wonder like the impressive architecture style has deeply influenced my scarf designs,” said Zatul.
All the prints are exclusively hand-drawn and designed by Zatul without using any design templates that are available or sold online.
“These are not scarves but truly works of distinct art, made to wear,” Zatul explained about her creation.
“Zetthazzet strives to create distinctive scarves with timeless appeal. We deeply resonate with women that want a headpiece that could uplift confidence to embrace life challenges in exceptional style,” added Zatul.