KUALA LUMPUR: From teen beauty queen to television personality, Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor, 30, now runs her own hijab empire after establishing the hugely popular scarves brand Naelofar Hijab.
She was crowned Dewi Remaja in the 2009/10 edition and launched her career in the showbiz industry as an actress with a string of hosting stints on popular programmes such as MeleTop on Astro and TV3’s Nona.
She was named Most Popular TV Host at Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian in 2016.
With a strong family background in business, it wasn’t long before she found her true calling as an entrepreneur.
In 2017, Neelofa made it to the “Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia” list when she became a household name and a global brand.
As a social media influencer, the entrepreneur has fronted international names like Swarovski and Lancome.
With 6.5 million followers on Instagram and a business empire that has branched out to clothing, Neelofa is often seen as the poster girl for women in hijab — progressive, successful and strong without compromising her values.
She talks to AZNIM RUHANA MD YUSUP about her journey.
Question: How did the transition begin from acting to running your own business? Was it organic or something you had planned?
Answer: Coming from a family that has always run businesses, I’ve always had a business idea at the back of my mind. I knew that one day, I would start something that I can call my own.
Alhamdullilah, Naelofar Hijab was born and the rest is history.
Q: These days, you are busy as a host, entrepreneur, brand ambassador and social media influencer. Do you have plans to get back into acting?
A: Yes, I am going to work on an Indonesian production next year. Why Indonesia? Because I want to explore something new.
In Malaysia, I feel that there are limitations (in the industry). Because of this, we always see the same faces (on TV and movies). I want to offer something fresh and different to the audience.
Q: Naelofar Hijab has grown by leaps and bounds since it started. Who does the brand speak to and what bolsters its success?
A: We speak to all women. I think being a brand that offers so many chic styles in so many colours at an affordable price has definitely bolstered Naelofar Hijab’s success.
Q: Where do you see the brand in 10 years, given the proliferation of tudung brands in the country?
A: I’d love to see the brand expand to more countries and being recognised internationally. However, ultimately, our heart is here in Malaysia. So I hope it will be the No.1 hijab brand when it comes to brand recall and awareness among Malaysian consumers.
Q: What other businesses do you plan to venture into?
A: I am building my own lifestyle brand, Lofa. We just launched our sweatshirts and perfume, but we also have a few other products in the pipeline.
It has a premium price point, from RM280 to more than RM1,000, so it’s a different approach to Naelofar, which is a mass product. Lofa is manufactured in the United Kingdom, so the cost is quite high.
Q: You have been spotted at front row seats at fashion shows, rubbing shoulders with international celebrities. At the same time, you are perceived as the poster girl for Muslim women. Are you comfortable with this?
A: To be looked up to as a role model for Muslim women is an honour and I take that as a compliment.
At the same time, it’s good to see the world of fashion becoming more diverse and more inclusive of women of all colours, races and religions. Fashion should be enjoyed by all, not just a certain group of people.
It has been my dream to represent Muslim fashion at Fashion Week. This will be my third season attending fashion week shows and I’m starting to get invitations directly from brands instead of third parties.
Q: Where will you be next?
A: I will be busy in the coming weeks, leaving this week to attend the Spring/Summer 2020 fashion shows in New York, and then flying to Paris for a photoshoot. I will continue on to Italy for Milan Fashion Week, followed by Paris Fashion Week.
Designer shows that I will be attending include Tory Burch, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger and Longchamp in New York, as well as Ferragamo, Versace and Prada in Milan.
In France, they’re in the midst of their summer holidays, so there are some shows in Paris that are yet to be confirmed. But so far, I’m scheduled to attend shows by Dior and Miu Miu.
There will be a gap of about two or three days, which I will use for a short break, most likely in one of the islands in southern Italy. And then, I will head to Monaco for the Influencer Awards. So I will be overseas for a month.
Q: What is your take on being a global Muslim woman?
A: I think being a global Muslim woman means working actively to shatter stereotypes. We are often seen as oppressed and voiceless, when in fact, we are not.
We are strong, we can make our own decisions, we can do whatever we want, and we have our own voice.
Q: How has the world changed — for better or worse — when it comes to accepting a woman in hijab now compared with when you were fresh in the industry?
A: I think the world is more accepting now than ever. We can see more people embracing women in hijab. We can see brands are coming out with more hijab-friendly fashion.
The connotation that was made previously between hijab and its meaning is definitely changing now. It has become more progressive. People in hijab are no longer labelled as being backwards, old-fashioned or rigid.
We are just like other women, it’s just a piece of cloth on our head. With regard to attending shows at Fashion Week, what will happen is that designers will send me several outfits to choose from and to wear at their shows.
So my team and I will look at the options and decide which is most suited to my image.
I may have to add on layers or wear it with socks or boots if the skirt is short, for example, which my stylist will sort out. But, yes, we have to make that extra effort to make the clothes wearable for me.
Q: You are Lancome’s first local ambassador and Swarovski’s ambassador. Do you feel that you have paved a way for women in hijab in fashion and beauty that wasn’t there before?
A: Probably in Malaysia, yes, but internationally, I think Halima Aden is one of the first hijab wearing models who is recognised by the fashion industry.
It’s good seeing people and the fashion and beauty industries becoming more welcoming and receptive of this.
Q: How do you make social media work for you?
A: One, by posting consistently. I try to post at least three to four times a week on all my social media platforms — Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Two, I try to make it personal when it comes to my postings, like I’m talking to my followers.
And three, I measure all my social media platforms. It’s all about the numbers and stats. When you have this, you will know how well you engage with your followers and know what postings they like, so you can create your content from there.
Q: You have been criticised on many occasions — Naelofar Hijab event in Zouk, ripped jeans on a boat in Europe — but each time you bounce back stronger. How do you face criticism and what fuels your fighting spirit?
A: By learning from my mistakes. Also, by not reading so much into the criticism.
It is important to see that there are so many criticism that don’t come from the right place, so I usually just ignore those.
You just have to know what you’re doing and don’t bother with what others are saying because they don’t know who you are. You have to stand your ground and motivate yourself. Regardless of what people say, you know who you are.
Q: What is the difference between Neelofa the public persona on social media and the private person?
A: What you see on my Instagram feed is curated (by her team), but what you see on my Insta Story is more “real”.
I really want to make sure that what the audience see on social media is the same with what they will see in real life. For me, there’s no such thing as being fake or portraying something else just for the sake of getting a boost on social media. You have to be real, you have to be true to yourself.