In full bloom
> Nuriylia Insyirah draws inspiration from yesteryear nostalgia in her fashion label Lily&Orkid
OFTEN times we are so engrossed in the future that we forget to look back on our past, but homegrown fashion label Lily&Orkid started by introducing an optimistic view towards conventional traditional wear as a reaction and celebration of the distant past.
Nuriylia Insyirah, or better known as Iylia recently took over the mantle at Lily&Orkid after the exit of her co-partner Nadia Othman. She began selling pre-loved clothes on Carousell four years ago but later decided to launch her own clothing line selling limited pieces of high-visibility dresses that ooze simplicity yet bear a luxury visage.
Iylia said: “We tend to incorporate elements we’ve seen from what our mothers and grandmothers wore during their younger days into our designs as inspirations. You’ll be surprised by what they wore; it’s sophisti- cated and sexy.” Unfortunately, the time has come for a different kind of acceptance towards fashion. The inevitable changing tides of fashion sometimes allow the ideas of anything overly sexy or overly clinging to the body to wash away. This has paved the way for Lily&Orkid to rise above the odds. Going against the subdued and the rigidness, Iylia captures the confidence of yesteryear nostalgia in so many of her designs, in fact, they are equally as wearable before as it is today. Like all endeavours, we have to follow the beliefs and values we hold dear to our hearts, thus, Iylia has done a great job by sticking to that mantra since the brand’s debut last year. She dresses her ideal Lily&Orkid woman in absolute strength, a woman who always puts her best foot forward and sees fashion as “first impressions last!” You attract a person with what you wear.
Iylia said: “A Lily&Orkid woman is sophisticated, chic, and unreserved. She knows what she wants and she seizes every opportunity that comes her way."
Lily&Orkid, as the name suggests, is very much distinguished between the amalgamation of Lily in English and Orkid spelt in the Malay language.
“Lily is soft, sophisticated and romantic, while Orkid is strong, bold and unafraid. Two flowers for two girls with different personalities as we play with the clashing mix of the Malay and western cultures,” she explained.
In other words, the name is very much divided between a sense of conservative dressing at the same time much more free, open and young; a contrary force of yin and yang may actually be complementary to balance each other out in achieving perfect harmony.
“There is a Lily and an Orkid in all of us. These traits are integrated thoughtfully into our designs for women who love style and do not compromise on quality. We design for the love of simplicity with a streak of sass and fearlessness,” explained Iylia.
“We realised that we don’t need to follow the market and the trends, we follow our instincts and what’s good for the brand. If we follow what the industry dictates, I don’t think I’ll be where I am today.”
The visionary designer blurred the lines between pareddown modestwear and sultry haute couture through exquisite craftsmanship, impeccable de- tails on extraordinary silhouettes that are a joy to witness. She said: “It's never about body-hugging garments but about flowy silhouettes for the girly girls.” She daringly integrated sheer fabric in her unapologetically feminine designs to celebrate the rediscovery of confidence. Glamorous and seductive separates exude the intricacy of handmade techniques, decked in floral embroideries, decorative crystal beadwork and a penchant for delicate feathers on the sleeves – all in a consistently flattering palette of neutral nudes. ”We’ve been told that the see-through top is too sexy for the Malay woman, but it really is about how you style and what you wear underneath it to make it modest,” said Iylia.