Pinless wonder
One brand makes instant hijab fashionable and trendy, writes
director, says the birth of the instant pinless wrapped hijab is driven by the need to eliminate the hassle of styling and wrapping. Women who like wrapped hijab often have to use brooches or pins to ensure it stays in place.
She says modern active women need stylish and trendy hijab which they can style in an instant. However, for many years the instant hijab has been a one piece style that is out of style.
Through hours of research and countless nights on the drawing board, they created the pre-stitched wrapped hijab. It is sewn in such a way that women can wear it in seconds and still achieve the wrapped look without using a single pin, says Nadra.
“Bokitta is a novelty product and it is innovative. We took the initiative to revolutionise the instant hijab and changed the way everyone viewed it. It is time the unfashionable one piece instant hijab evolved in a fast and changing environment.
“Our hijabs are colourful, stylish and trendy. They make women feel good about themselves, especially in an era where Islam and hijab are the centre of controversy and constantly being criticised.
“Bokitta’s wearers include new hijabis who usually consider it a hassle to wrap a scarf. With this hijab, they will find themselves looking good without trying too hard. Our customers also include women who may not know how to wrap their hijab properly, or are not so much into styling but need to keep it neat, as well as those who want to look perfect in seconds.” The family choose the name Bokitta, which comes from the word bouquet, as it represents diversity in texture, colour and shape, as well as beauty and femininity, says Nadra.
Bokitta’s instant pinless wrapped hijab design was granted a patent by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), recognised in 144 countries including Malaysia. Despite the patented design, other brands have imitated the innovative design and marketed it as their own.
Recently, Bokitta won a patent infringement lawsuit against an unnamed company at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. It was the first time a decision was reached on intellectual property that involved an article of clothing.
Using the argument that instant hijab had existed for years, the unnamed party was selling Bokitta-style instant hijab under its own brand name.
However, Bokitta proved that the wrapped-style instant hijab was unique and the first of its kind in the world created by them and any company selling a similar design was infringing on its patent.
Nadra says in addition to being the first to create the looped pinless concept, Bokitta’s hijab also have cotton lining which is similar to having two hijabs in one. It is also known for its unique prints.
Since it launched its first collection Voila, Bokitta has added several more designs which include Chic, Zain and Asas. For those who prefer hijab that fully covers the chest, Bokitta offers maxi designs for Voila and Chic. Each hijab comes with matching inner, which makes the brand more unique.
Another unique concept is that the prestitched pinless hijab are suitable for a wide range of face shapes and can be styled in at least five different ways.
Recently, it launched the latest design, Taj, which means “crown” in Arabic, that also comes in maxi size. The plain crepe chiffon lightweight hijab comes in six colours and has a 100 per cent natural cotton lining.
The Bokitta hijab designs, from prints and colours to styles, are by an in-house team lead by Nadra’s sister, Hala. The manufacturing process is outsourced to other countries including India and Indonesia, which according to Nadra, are the fashion industry’s manufacturing hubs. The manufacturing facilities have dedicated lines for Bokitta hijab to ensure quality and international standards.
“We use only the lightest fabric such as chiffon, silk, satin and georgette to ensure Bokitta hijab are cooling, low maintenance and ironless for certain designs. Moreover, we only use the best quality fabrics that pass rigorous testing to make sure that our items are durable and last for a long time.
“We introduce a set of new prints every two weeks and every collection has a story or a theme. Our customers are of different ages and require a variety of colours and prints that fit their style and age.”
Bokitta hijabs are sold in retail outlets in Lebanon, Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Brunei, Jordan, Singapore and Indonesia. They are also shipped regularly to France, Netherlands, Norway, the United States, Germany, Maldives and Hawaii.
The brand expanded its operations in Malaysia in 2013 following high demand from local customers. Currently there are 17 distributors and franchisees in Malaysia. They operate more than 20 retail and concept stores as well as seven departmental store counters which include Parkson Department Stores, Isetan KLCC and Sogo.
Nadra says Bokitta is the first and only foreign hijab brand in Malaysia. It is now among the top five hijab brands in the country. From the time of its introduction and with the help of social media, distributors and franchisees, Bokitta’s popularity has grown tremendously, says Nadra.