Actress and entrepreneur Neelofa on celebrating Hari Raya in the new normal
She is literally the face that launched a thousand social media posts. Noor Neelofa binti Mohd Noor – or Neelofa for brusk – is the stunning Malaysian extra, telly personality and businesswoman who is highly sought afterward by brands ranging from mode to tech, to front campaigns and grace events beyond the world.
To date, she is the face of Dior, Lancome and Swarovski. She has a shoe collection designed by Giuseppe Zanotti in homage to her style. She is seated on the front row at most of the glittering fashion shows she attends in New York, Milan and Paris. And she appeared in Forbes' influential 30 Under xxx list in 2017.
Now 31, she is also one of Malaysia's about-followed personalities (ranking second just to vocalist Siti Nurhaliza, according to a Silverish Mouse survey in 2019) with a staggering seven.2 one thousand thousand followers on Instagram.
With such a formidable presence on social media, the former dazzler queen is astute about the influence her celebrity affords her. She deftly wields it not only to abound her business concern and endorse brands she believes in, merely too to support causes she is passionate almost.
During the ongoing COVID-nineteen crisis and Movement Control Order (MCO), Neelofa started a chat evidence on Instagram Alive with the hashtag #BerseoranganBersama (#AloneButTogether) to raise sensation on COVID-nineteen.
Her first chat was with beau extra Nora Danish (ranked third in the same Silver Mouse survey) to talk virtually the importance of staying dwelling during this period. Subsequent guests included Malaysia's ex-Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir, as well as Dato' Siti Nurhaliza.
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Taking an agile office in COVID-xix relief, her pocket-size way label Naelofar partnered with Mercy Malaysia to help the elderly, underprivileged and disabled communities affected past the pandemic. Her firm channelled a percentage of sales to provide nutrient, personal hygiene products and other basic necessities.
"This outbreak has afflicted so many people that I figured this was the fastest and easiest way to reach out to them. To be able to include Naelofar customers in this joint effort also gives me a good feeling, knowing that they can contribute to this too," she enthused.
When asked nigh what motivated her to have activeness, Neelofa revealed that she was particularly touched when she read nearly a single mother who lost her sole means of income: "This lady had to close downwardly her food stall due to MCO and didn't accept an income to support her children. Thankfully, with our contribution, she was able to sustain her life again."
RUNNING A BUSINESS DURING MCO
On the business organisation side, the young entrepreneur – whose brand has sold more than 10 one thousand thousand hijabs in the past five years, with RM50 million (Due south$16.25 one thousand thousand) of sales a year coming from Instagram itself – is happy to study that sales have been brisk.
This is largely because her company branched out across traditional brick and mortar stores early.
"I was worried that the pandemic might affect the business but it hasn't washed so. Well, not as bad as I expected, at least. The decision to introduce due east-commerce into the business was a good one because everyone is constantly online now and everything tin can be done at our fingertips," she said.
"Naelofar is also at present on Shopee which means a not bad bargain for the business so I'm excited for that. All the same, operations-wise it was quite difficult to handle at showtime because merely certain businesses were allowed to be open."
In the run-up to Hari Raya, Naelofar Hijab adopted a different tact to marketing its products. While the main message of their campaigns has e'er been to encourage customers to feel good and look their best, this twelvemonth the message included a reminder to capeesh the piddling things during Eid.
"We wanted our customers to cherish not but the simplicity of it but the great joy that comes when we do then. I am grateful that we received really great feedback for Naelofaraya 2020."
Flight THE FLAG OF MODEST Manner
"Every time I nourish international events – specifically fashion weeks – I always carry the responsibility of spreading the true meaning of modest fashion." – Neelofa
For one blest in and so many ways, it's inevitable that success comes with its share of detractors but Neelofa remains philosophical most dealing with the occasional backfire. She takes it all in her footstep.
"I've been in the manufacture for more than than a decade. I must say that it wasn't like shooting fish in a barrel to get used to the backlash at first, merely I've learnt to manage it now," she said.
"I'thousand lucky to have a great squad that assists me in treatment this sort of state of affairs. To be honest, most of the fourth dimension, I usually don't let it become to me because it would merely bear on my day or even my week. And I wouldn't like for that to happen."
Indeed, Neelofa prefers to focus on the positive impact her influence tin can create, especially in changing the way Muslim women in hijabs are perceived.
"Every time I nourish international events – specifically fashion weeks – I always carry the responsibility of spreading the true significant of minor fashion. Modest fashion is no longer conservative, rigid or even boring. It's much more inclusive now and you can manner the scarf or hijab in so many ways, not simply for Muslim women but women all over the earth," she explained.
"I call back what differentiates me is [that I'm] a hijabi who has made her looks limitless. Besides that, more than and more hijabis are beingness represented in the manner manufacture, similar Halima Arden (the first model to wear a hijab on the cover of Vogue mag), which opens more doors for us."
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Neelofa's hijabi way isn't being kept in the closet fifty-fifty during Malaysia'southward extended MCO: The fashionista gamely dresses upwardly even in lockdown.
"During MCO, I wake upwardly and go ready even though I'm at home. I still like to dress upwardly to experience as though I'm heading out," she laughed. "It gives me some kind of satisfaction to get dolled up even though my family and I are the only ones who tin can meet it. And yep, I even succumbed to TikTok and dressed up to make my videos."
HARI RAYA IN AN ERA OF THE NEW NORMAL
This year, Neelofa spent her Hari Raya in Kuala Lumpur, in compliance with the Malaysian government'southward restrictions on crossing state borders to balik kampung.
"The vibe for Raya this yr wasn't that much different equally I was very lucky to even so be surrounded by my loved ones. Still, celebrating it in an era of the new normal was a bit of a struggle considering we yet had to limit our socialising and it was my first time celebrating in Kuala Lumpur," she admitted.
"The feeling of not existence in my hometown in Kelantan with my grandmother and doing the usual things definitely hit hard but I still felt blessed to have my close relatives here in KL. We also did the usual things like stuff ourselves with delicious Raya nutrient, took OOTD shots and had an all-round wonderful time."
As for facing life post-COVID, Neelofa is upbeat just humble, looking towards to her female parent for inspiration.
"My mother is my ultimate idol, she was the one that starting time got me into the business field and her amazing guidance and advice has made me the entrepreneur I am today," she said.
She quickly acknowledged that her success didn't come from her efforts lonely just because of a great support arrangement comprising her family, her team and her fans who are always set up to purchase the products she comes upwardly with.
Besides that, she describes herself as an opportunist, seizing whatever chances come her way. "Whether information technology'll make a minor or big impact, I still take it equally a way to benefit me individually or for my business. I wish to have Naelofar to greater heights. With the new normal, we'll have to make adjustments, but I wait frontward to it."
"The feeling of not being in my hometown in Kelantan with my grandmother and doing the usual things definitely hit hard but I still felt blessed to have my close relatives here in KL." – Neelofa
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/people/neelofa-celebrating-hari-raya-251296
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