A new year also means the arrival of one of Malaysia’s most celebrated holidays—Chinese New Year.
There’s a lot to enjoy about the festive season, including the never-ending reunion feasts with friends and family, and of course, the money packets.
Aside from those, though, my favourite part of the holiday would have to be dressing up in new clothes. Usually, I’d opt for Western formal dresses as I could wear them for other occasions. But this year, I want to embrace my Chinese roots a little more with proper festive attire.
However, instead of the usual traditional cheongsam, I’d still like a touch of uniqueness to it. If you’re feeling the same, then you’re in luck cause I’ve compiled a list of eight Malaysian brands offering unique Chinese New Year festive clothing.
1. Spirit Animal Co.
Spirit Animal Co. was started with the aim of evoking “the feeling of being spiritually guided” and to encourage self-empowerment. Hence, you’ll find that all of its products feature bold designs, whether that be in style or colour.
From our last interview with its co-founder, Miki, she explained that each piece in Spirit Animal Co.’s collection is hand-sewn from start to finish by the team. Most of them are sewn with Miki’s grandmother’s trusty sewing machine, whereas others are handsewn by her aunt, Kim, and their team of seamstresses.
To celebrate Chinese New Year 2024, the brand rolled out a new festive collection inspired by Miki’s heritage and childhood memories. Specifically, she was influenced by her Nyonya grandmother whom she described as “a culinary artist of delicious Peranakan dishes”.
Speaking on the collection further, she shared that it was crafted to celebrate the elegance of Nyonya kebaya and batik. “It serves as a tribute to the wisdom and inspiration embedded in our cultural origins, inviting wearers to reflect on their roots with gratitude.”
A milestone for the brand, this collection introduces Spirit Animal Co.’s first products for men, including matching sets for couples. In total, customers can expect to find six designs. The collection will be launched on January 10, so you can stay tuned to its Instagram for more details.
Where to buy: Spirit Animal Co.’s website, or physically at its store at The Starhill, KL.
Customer profile: Women and men
Price range: Starts from RM130
Shipping rates: Free shipping for orders over RM250.
Contact details: tribe@spiritanimalco.com
2. inisaya
inisaya (which translates to “this is me” in Malay) is a fashion label by local designer Jeffery Goh that launched in 2021. After struggling with finding his own identity since an early age, he found escape through art.
This led him to starting his own design house, where he focuses on producing fun and vibrant-coloured batik clothing set in modern styles.
The brand’s Chinese New Year collection for this year echoes this vision as well. The founder mentioned that he took inspiration mainly from cherished Malaysian childhood memories, such as the kuih we grew up with.
Speaking on this, Jeffery told us, “We wanted to take the traditional batik, usually depicting flowers or animals, and infuse it with the cuteness of kuih. The result is a unique blend of nostalgia and contemporary artistry.”
This festive collection is made in collaboration with Iris from 2salmons batik, a young and local batik artist who left her chef job to study the traditional craft in Terengganu. Aside from these hand-drawn and hand-printed batik prints, the collection includes more affordable digitally printed batiks as well.
The founder also kept couples in mind and will offer matching sets, so you can wear complementing outfits with your partner. The collection starts from RM108 to RM288, and will be launched to the public on January 20 at MAD COFFEE (happening from 3PM to 7PM).
Customers can also purchase inisaya’s Chinese New Year collection online starting January 23. Orders above RM150 are entitled to free shipping, whereas anything below that is charged a delivery flat rate of RM10 for both East and West Malaysia.
Where to buy: inisaya’s website
Customer profile: Women and men
Price range: Starts from RM108
Shipping rates: RM10 for delivery in Malaysia. Free shipping for orders over RM100.
Contact details: 012-394 1787 / hello@jefferygoh.co
3. Inch Perfect
Founded in 2020, Inch Perfect is a local slow fashion house driven by its core belief of creating meaningful clothes that are beyond the ordinary.
Each attire is designed and self manufactured by the brand, drawing inspiration from history and the arts. This is also seen in Inch Perfect’s 2024 Chinese New Year collection which is inspired by the balance of yin and yang.
Yin features delicate, feminine, and romantic qualities which are represented by phoenix and cranes. On the other hand, Yang features strength and authority which are represented by the cool tones.
The collection ranges from size S up to L, and starts from RM109 for its skirts, RM190 for its tops, and RM289 for its cheongsam and sets. Also, orders above RM250 will receive free shipping.
Do note that this collection is made in limited quantities and won’t be restocked once sold out. So if you’re keen then it’s best to order first before someone else snatches it up.
Where to buy: Inch Perfect’s website
Customer profile: Women only
Price range: Starts from RM109
Shipping rates: RM8 for West Malaysia, RM15 for East Malaysia. Free shipping for orders over RM250.
Contact details: inchperfect.info@gmail.com
4. KANOE
A 7-year-old brand, KANOE has made quite a name for itself locally as a modern batik fashion label that promotes sustainability. Started by Noelle Kan, she lovingly described the brand as “a child of the tropics”.
Aligning with its mission of being both ethical and fashionable, KANOE partners with lower-income groups such as refugee communities who are linked to fair trade organisations in Malaysia.
For 2024’s festive season, KANOE’s collection is named “Play & Slay” and inspired by mystical creatures. Ranging from sizes S to L, it features four main designs and starts from RM238:
Similar to Inch Perfect, all designs are made in limited quantities, so if you want to get your hands on them then you probably shouldn’t delay purchasing.
For West Malaysia orders above RM150, the brand provides free shipping. This is the same case with East Malaysia orders above RM250. Otherwise, the delivery rate is RM5 for West Malaysia and RM13.90 for East Malaysia.
However, if you’d prefer to get the collection on the same day or the next day, you can opt for Lalamove by dropping the brand a WhatsApp message.
Where to buy: KANOE’s website
Customer profile: Women only
Price range: Starts from RM238
Shipping rates: RM5 for West Malaysia, RM13.90 for East Malaysia. Free shipping for orders over RM250.
Contact details: 011-3525 0377 / heythere@kanoewear.com
5. White Soot
Started by an independent designer, White Soot is a little different from the others in this list. Instead of batiks and corsets, the brand’s Chinese New Year collection features not only modern cheongsams but also hanboks.
In case you aren’t familiar with the term, hanboks are the traditional attire for the people of Korea. So if you’re hoping to leave an impression on others (maybe a new in-law?) then you can consider this collection.
Called Heritage Peonies, the collection features clothes for both mothers and children, regardless of gender. Sporting 127 designs altogether, the brand stated that this is its largest collection to date.
Made up of timeless silhouettes, the clothes in White Soot’s Chinese New Year lineup start from RM139. Alongside that, the brand also released some accessories to go along with them, such as reversible bags, contemporary obi belts, and also face masks.
Customers are able to receive free shipping throughout Malaysia for orders above RM150. Otherwise, deliveries would be RM7 for West Malaysia and RM10 for East Malaysia.
Where to buy: White Soot’s website
Customer profile: Women and children
Price range: Starts from RM238
Shipping rates: RM7 for West Malaysia, RM10 for East Malaysia. Free shipping for orders over RM150.
Contact details: hello@whitesoot.com
6. Florette The Label
Launched in 2018, Florette The Label is a local brand that started off producing printed wrap dresses, the kind of dresses that were pioneered by Belgian international designer, Diane von Furstenberg.
The wrap dress is still the brand’s core product, but its catalogue has expanded to include other designs as well, such as jumpsuits and rompers.
Based on its website, all of Florette The Label’s garments are iron-free, wrinkle-free, and travel-friendly. “Our design ethos is to ensure that our pieces are in soft and breathable fabrics, which are great for our balmy climate.”
For Chinese New Year this year, the brand’s collection features chinoiserie designs, which is essentially a blend of Western and Chinese styles. At the same time, it also combines both modern and traditional elements. For example, you’ll find modern silhouettes paired with mandarin collars and intricate brocades.
Consisting of wrap skirts, satin tops, and wrap dresses, the Rejoice collection ranges from size S to XL and starts from RM135. Customers who order above RM350 will receive free shipping, while those below that will be charged RM10 (for West Malaysia) or RM20 (for East Malaysia) for deliveries.
Where to buy: Florette The Label’s website
Customer profile: Women only
Price range: Starts from RM135
Shipping rates: RM10 for West Malaysia, RM20 for East Malaysia. Free shipping for orders over RM350.
Contact details: hello@florettethelabel.com
7. Malaysia Cheongsam
Those looking for a more casual yet still festive fit for Chinese New Year can consider Malaysia Cheongsam‘s collection.
According to its website, the brand was launched with the belief that anyone, regardless of their cultural background, can rock the traditional garment. That said, the designs aren’t old school either.
Instead, Malaysia Cheongsam takes the basics of traditional Chinese fashion while giving it a fresh and more versatile look. So you probably won’t feel out of place wearing it outside a more formal setting either.
From its Instagram posts, the fashion label shared that its garments use RAMCOOL fabric. This fabric undergoes multiple processing procedures to maximise the breathability of natural ramie fabrics. This makes it quite suitable for the local tropical climate.
Dictionary time: Ramie is a renewable plant fibre that’s derived from a plant in the nettle family. It is biodegradable and its appearance is similar to that of linen.
Source: Fabworks Online
Unlike others on this list, though, Malaysia Cheongsam does not have a Chinese New Year 2024 collection. But all its products, from tops to bottoms and dresses, take inspiration from traditional Chinese style while still making it suitable for everyday wear.
Where to buy: Malaysia Cheongsam’s website
Customer profile: Women only
Price range: Starts from RM168
Shipping rates: N/A
Contact details: contact@malaysiacheongsam.com
8. Bops&Pops
If you’re a parent or someone with much younger siblings, you’re probably on the lookout for new festive wear for them too.
There are lots of brands selling cheongsam for girls, like Pokoks and kiwiPadi. But most of them feature quite traditional prints, which may not be attractive to kids. This is probably what inspired Wendy Ng to launch Bops&Pops in 2018.
Keeping the traditional cutting of cheongsams, you’ll find Bops&Pops’ designs are made up of fun and modern patterns. The colours are also bright, fitting the bubbly personality of children well. The brand also has matching printed shirts for boys to twin with their siblings.
Its smallest size (XS) is for children aged between 2 to 4, while its largest size (XXL) is for children aged between 12 to 14. Like some of the other labels above, this local handsewn cotton kidswear brand produces in limited quantities.
Orders can be made through its Shopee page, or if you’re in the area, you can also visit its stores at Pangkor Laut Resort and Tanjong Jara Resort.
Where to buy: Bops&Pops’ Shopee, or physically at Pangkor Laut Resort and Tanjong Jara Resort.
Customer profile: Children only
Price range: Starts from RM109
Shipping rates: N/A
Contact details: wendyng1976@gmail.com
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On top of getting new clothes to ring in this festive season, we recommend planning ahead your travels back home. It’s likely that the roads will be congested as usual, so it’s not a bad idea to also pack water and snacks alongside your mandarin oranges and hampers.
With the Year of the Dragon upon us once again, we’d like to wish everyone a Happy Chinese New Year in advance!
- Read articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.
Featured Image Credit: KANOE / Inch Perfect / Spirit Animal Co.