MOHD HAFIZI RADZI WOO
Tell us about your childhood and background, Fizi.
I grew up in Penang, where my father was a policeman and my mother a housewife; I was quite sheltered. We had food to eat, but I was not as exposed as Kai. After we met only did I discover what Burger King and Chilli’s are! In a way, he opened up my taste buds! To help support the family, my mum was also a part-time tailor. I learnt sewing from a young age and I enjoyed the technical parts of it. I would follow her and watch her measure, fit and interact with her customers. My interest in fashion really started from there. Plus, I really hated studying science, so I knew arts is a field where I can really make something out of myself!
Kai talked a lot about the struggles you both faced in getting Fiziwoo above ground. What’s your side of the story?
My struggles are different than Kai’s. Let me tell you a secret I have kept for too long— I am colour blind. Yes, you heard that right. I’m a colour-blind fashion designer. So you can imagine the stigma I have had to bear throughout my career. I once joined a fashion competition in which I created a monotone collection and one of the judges commented that I should incorporate more colours into the pieces. Instead of lying, I decided to be honest about my affliction. And he said, “You are good, but I am sorry, I cannot let you win this competition because you have no future in this business.” I got second place. It sucks, but it made me tougher. I promised myself that I would always do my best in fashion. Even if other people do not believe in me, I believe in myself and that is all that matters.
I am sorry to hear that happened to you.
Don’t be. I learnt so much from it. I’ll tell you another happier story to offset that sad one. I told you I was keen to be a fashion designer, right? So when I tried to sign up for a fashion course in a local university, I faced a roadblock during the enrolment interview. There was a colour-blind test which I failed. The lecturer who interviewed me gently informed me that the university cannot accept me because I am colour blind. I cried and begged—i told him that I really wanted this chance to prove myself. Seeing my passion, he relented. He said this to me as he approved my application, “This is your golden chance. I can see you want this. Do not waste this opportunity.” He changed my life and until today, I wish I had asked for his name. If I meet him again, I would thank him, because his kindness made a huge difference to me.
How did Kai take the news when you revealed your situation to him?
He thought I was joking at first. But he’s been supportive and assured me that my talent goes beyond my limitations. I might not see colours well, but I developed my own ways of creating beautiful clothes—thru tailoring, patterns and structure. Plus, if I ever need help with choosing the right colours, Kai is always there for me.
How else do you and Kai support each other as business partners?
Kai lets me have full rein in the creativity and design; he trusts me a 100 per cent. He is my harshest critic, though. He rarely likes my design, but he trusts me and my vision. We are opposites in temperament; he’s a perfectionist and a sceptic, I am a dreamer and a believer. He managed the business with precision for me, so I can just go ahead and create beautiful designs. Working together for the past decade has made us closer. We will never give up on each other.
EVEN IF OTHERS DO NOT BELIEVE IN ME, I BELIEVE IN MYSELF AND THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS
As you have heard in their own words, the duo behind Fiziwoo endured multiple hardships in their pursuit of success. Today, Mohd Hafizi Radzi Woo and Izree Kai Haffiz earned their stripes and as such are invited to fashion trade shows worldwide—in Singapore, Paris, London and New York. In Malaysia, at every KL Fashion Week, their show is a certified crowd puller, packed to the brim with socialites, influencers and media who are eager to see what the duo have up their sleeves. The secret to their popularity among their customers? Quality tailoring. Fiziwoo first made its name through a signature layered peplum style that hugs the body, distinguished by thick, sculpted material manipulated to enhance a woman’s curves. Currently, Fizi’s vision for his work has evolved with the times—they have introduced lighter materials into the construction of their pieces, like tulle. They also focused on mix-and-match pieces like jackets and skirts, but the fundamentals of their aesthetics remain the same. “We became famous because we emphasised on structure and tailoring to show the quality of our work,” says the fashion label’s creative mastermind Mohd Hafizi, fondly known as Fizi. “My philosophy is, good tailoring should be shown off with pride. Some of our clients will request for more bling or more lace. We will customise the dress for them if we have to, but we always try to educate them that cutting and layering should be their priority!” Take Dior’s iconic bar jacket or Givenchy’s little black dress as examples—pieces that embody luxury and class. To create his collections, Fizi shares that he is inspired by his clients’ stories; their day-today lives, triumphs and tribulations. “Every woman who walks through our doors has challenges to face in her life, so we create clothes that will help her feel more confident, feminine and empowered,” says Fizi’s business partner, Izree Kai Haffiz (Kai). Fiziwoo’s dresses and pieces are often spotted on strong, influential women like politician Nurul Izzah, second-generation business owner Chryseis Tan and doctor Fazliana Rashid. “We observed that our clothes, especially our ready-to-wear collections, attract a certain type of woman. She is bold, intense and unafraid to go after what she wants. I use this as my inspiration every time,” says Fizi with a proud smile. Fiziwoo’s rags-to-riches tale has shaped them so powerfully that they admit their hunger to prove themselves still drives them. Kai professes they still can’t slow down even though they are now doing well. “When we participate in fashion shows, we would use up all the free time we have to work. We would line up appointments with foreign stylists, multibrand store owners and trade experts. We carry our garment bags everywhere on subways and taxis, eager to meet people to get any useful feedback, advice or insights on how we can improve. We are so used to working hard to survive, switching off does not come easy,” admits Kai. To restore somewhat of a work-life balance in their lives, they both now take one day off every week and block a few weeks to travel for leisure. “Just to stay sane,” Kai adds. I ask if they have ever thought of giving up. “No, never,” declares the playful Fizi with a smile. Kai, who is the more pragmatic and sceptical one of the two, admits he does. “But every time I think of giving up, I think about the time, energy and passion we’ve put into the business. It’s like parenting: no matter how tough it gets raising a child, you refuse to give up because of how much love you have for your baby. And that’s how I feel about Fiziwoo,” says Kai, concluding the interview. Inspirational words indeed.
NO MATTER HOW TOUGH IT GETS RAISING A CHILD, YOU DON’T GIVE UP BECAUSE OF LOVE. THAT’S HOW I FEEL ABOUT FIZIWOO