August 2012
A close friend of mine once said, "Dream big, there's no harm in it. It's free after all".  And so I did.

One of my dreams for IDILIA is to work with international designers. I notice that the fashion world is moving so rapidly that you might miss something when you blink for a second. The same goes for Muslimah fashion. Gone are the days when women wear unflattering jubahs that made them look fat and boring. Now these jubahs are replaced with caftans, the jubah itself also has had a "facelift" to make it more attractive. Due to this demand, I am excited to introduce our first ever caftan collection where I'm working closely with a Pakistani designer and supplier. Finding one is easy, but going through the process of selecting, weighing options and ensuring that they supply high quality materials was very challenging especially when they are based in Pakistan. Putting aside the obstacles faced, I can now breathe a sigh of relief as the first batch has arrived just this week (08-08-12) and they are ABSOLUTELY EXQUISITE! The caftans are made of soft chiffon silk with intricate embellishments sewn neatly and beautifully on the dress to give it an added "WOW" factor. I chose vibrant colours this time, from royal blue to emerald green so that the wearer stands out in a crowd particularly during this upcoming raya celebration.

I sincerely hope that you will like our latest collection at IDILIA. Head out to our boutique to see them for yourself. In the mean time, why don't you have a look at a few samples of what we have in store by clicking on the "Feast for the eyes" tab! ;)

Be seeing you there!

~Idrila Idris~

July 2012
IDILIA turns 4 this month! To be honest, I'm at loss for words. So much has happened in the last 4 years; some good some bad. Maintaining a boutique, especially when it specializes in only one form of product, in this case, batik, can be very challenging. Many has asked, why don't I bring in other products into my shop and my answer has been consistently the same. It's because of my passion for batik and appreciating the hard work being put into by the designers when making a batik. The process of making one piece of hand-drawn batik can take days sometimes months. It is especially longer and tedious if the designs are intricate and comprises of many colours. I also love the feel of the silk that is so soft in your hands and the faint smell of perfume after it is drenched in a pool of water+perfume as part of batik-making process. Batik has been around for centuries and it's not only found in Malaysia but also in Indonesia and even Sri Lanka. I believe in the products that I sell. I believe that batik can someday be one of the choices of the international heavyweights in making dresses for superstars just like how Jean Paul Gaultier showed a line of sari dresses in his Spring/Summer collection in 2008.

Regardless of the challenges, IDILIA is still standing tall and proud and I am more than grateful to Allah s.w.t for His blessings in which, this could not have happened without His help and guidance. I would also like to thank all of my loyal clienteles who have been supportive all these years. Thank you thank you thank you for believing in my products and let's all pray that IDILIA will celebrate its 40th anniversay when the time comes!

Now that we have just entered Ramadhan, I take this opportunity to wish all Muslim viewers and customers Selamat Berpuasa and may the month is filled with good deeds and ibadah. But before you click the close tab button, make sure you take a tour to browse through our latest collections which you can find by clicking on the "Feast for the eyes" tab!

Happy viewing, happy shopping and HAPPY 4th ANNIVERSARY IDILIA BOUTIQUE!!
~Idrila Idris~

June 2011
Fashion to some people are not necessary but on the other side of the coin, fashion does not only make you outstanding but it brings about the confidence that sometimes is forgotten. Regardless of which group you are in, it is also important to know our limits and to not be a slave to fashion just for the sake of being accepted in the society. Fashion is beyond putting on expensive clothes on your body and slipping into the latest shoes designed by top international designers. One can still look fashionable regardless of the price tag as long as we know what flatters our figures in an alluring way and at the same time we feel comfortable in the clothes that we choose to wear. I've come across a few people who would spend more than what they can afford just so they can be among the "in" crowd in the social scene and at the end of the day they would be wondering how to clear their credit card debts. What's worst, regardless of the thousands of dollars spent, they do not have their own fashion style, which makes them unmemorable and appear ordinary. As I have mentioned earlier, never be a slave to fashion especially if you think it's a ticket to climbing the social ladder. What you wear does not define who you are. How you carry yourself and being true to yourself - that's your invisible clothes that you put on everyday that money can't buy :)

~Idrila Idris~

February 2011
One of the advantages of having to travel is that you get to expand your perspectives in many areas. From my point of view, I enjoy sightseeing especially if the country visited has abundance of ancient ruins or buildings that trigger my excitement to learn more about the country's history. My recent trip to Hong Kong however, did not fill my hunger for history but surprisingly I totally enjoyed my time there looking at the PRESENT surroundings. Hong Kong has definitely come a long way. Due to it being long-governed by the British until it was handed back to China in 1997, I find the city and its local people still have a strong colonial influence that combines with their Chinese traditions. It is no surprise why women like to come to Hong Kong to shop, it is a shopping heaven in the Orient. Although the goods, mainly luxury international brands are sold rather expensive, people still flock to this little island to burn their credit cards. The goods sold and on display are all up-to-date. You can see the latest Spring line of Valentino that was just seen on runaway models in Milan on the racks in their Hong Kong outlet. And let's not start on handbags and shoes. Pushing the entrance door of Manolo Blahnik or Christian Louboutin, unless you are ready to spend, would be a big mistake because you would need to gather your strength to resist the red satin wrapped stilettos that you just tried on for fun. And even after you have succeeded in resisting the urge to spend USD 5k on a pair of shoes, you will have flashbacks of the image of that haunting shoes for a few days ;) But of course, Hong Kong is also known for its counterfeit products. If you have the patience, you might come home with a grade A Hermes Birkin handbag at a fraction of its original cost! And who's to know if it's original or otherwise, right?

~Idrila Idris~

June 2010
Hello again viewers! First and foremost, I would like to apologize for the long hiatus. Thank you to those who took time to drop us a note inquiring about our latest additions and not to mention those who are concerned with the long silence. IDILIA is still active while I on the other hand, have been embarking on new adventures since last December. We are already half way through the year (time sure flies fast) and I hope the past 6 months have been as rewarding for you as it has for me. 

I had the privilege to perform Umrah a couple of months back which was a truly spiritual and humble experience for me. Having to spend 14 days on the Arab soil, I took note of the things happening around me. It was fascinating that our very own Bahasa Melayu is widely used there. Everyone from the Arabs, Bangladeshis, Indians, Turkish, etc speak fluent Bahasa Melayu and I believe there would not be a single case of "Lost in Translation". Perhaps this is because the Malaysians and Indonesians form the biggest group and like it or not, we do contribute to their economy especially with our shopping escapades. The shops are small but filled with goods. One worth mentioning is the Jubah shops. When I stepped foot in Mekah the first time 20 years ago, jubah was nothing more but a plain black long dress, over-sized and boring. Now, they're dazzled with beads, embroideries, laces and you can find one in so many colours that they have become the "in" thing. I also saw quite a number of Malaysians dressed in our signature batik jubah, mostly made of soft chiffon silk material that not only complements our petite Asian figures but also appear very fashionable without compromising our Islamic values. I'm sure the jubah too, like anything else will evolve to greater heights and I am one of those few who are waiting in anticipation for the next "jubah" generation. 

I have plenty more stories to tell but let me save it for our next "issue". As promised, we have a new collection this time around and why wait any longer...click on "A feast for the eyes" and prepare to "uhhhh" and "ahhhh". *big smile*

~Idrila Idris~ 

October 2009
So where do I start...there were too many festivals happening in the past 2 months that I don't know where to start! I hope everyone had a fantastic Hari Raya celebration, a whole month of makan,makan and more makan.. and for the women I believe, would be the best time to don their best baju raya to show off to everyone. From my very own personal experiences, I had a few friends and loyal customers conveying good news to me; "everyone said the baju I bought from your shop is really gorgeous!". Ahhh...that is music to my ears, sweethearts. I am glad that IDILIA gets to play a small role in making you look prettier than ever :)

Although Ramadan and Syawal months are now behind us, we are pleased to inform that we have several new arrivals as can be seen under the "Hot Items" tab. You'll see that this time around, the designs and colours I chose have diverted from my usual choice of "elegance". These new arrivals are more "romantic", as pointed out by my staff. So...go ahead and drool over our latest collections (i hope!).

~Idrila Idris~ 

September 2009
Today (1st September 2009) is a very sombre day for me personally. One of my most loyal customers and a great supporter had passed away earlier this morning due to kidney failure. He was a very humble man irregardless of his wealth and position in the society, someone who was always quick to lend a helping hand and very warm and welcoming whenever my family and I visit him during hari raya. He was a man full of wisdom...
T.H, I didn't get the chance to say goodbye as you had left us in a sudden manner. If only you knew how grateful we are to have had the opportunity to have our lives crossed with yours. You definitely, defintely had changed our lives in so many ways. Al-Fatihah.

It's been 2 weeks since Ramadan started. I've always loved this time of the year, where the shopping malls would be playing Hari Raya songs and everyone will be in their festive mood wayyy before the holiday comes. I've also received emails notifying the price of mercun that can be bought through a certain someone...illegally of course! Friends and colleagues are already making their ways from one cubicle to another, sampling the kuih raya they're selling. And for the past 2 weeks I see a lot of my friends logging off from their Yahoo Messenger/MSN promptly at 4:30pm and making a bee line to head home. 

 I'd like to wish everyone Selamat Berpuasa and of course, Selamat Hari Merdeka ke-52! I'm also pleased to inform that our 1st Anniversary sale has been extended for another couple of weeks, so do drop by our shop to have a look at our collections. As for me, since all my hari raya prep is almost done, I'll just enjoy the sights and sounds of bulan Puasa while it's still here..

~Idrila Idris~ 

July 2009
Wow...I really can't believe that it has been a year since we had our soft launch of IDILA Boutique. In that period, I had gained so many experiences and met with so many wonderful people, not to mention 'challenging' people that can really test your patience. Nevertheless, the journey that I went through had been nothing but PRICELESS. 

In conjuntion with our 1st Anniversary, we at IDILIA is offering our very own MEGA sale, offering up to 50% discount on our materials. Now..isn't that a good reason to start your shopping escapade? :-)  So, let's wait no more and do visit us from 26th July 2009 till 31st August 2009, a whole month of sale sale sale!

Till we meet again next month...

~Idrila Idris~ 

June 2009
Just recently I went for a road trip to Malacca and passed by a small shop that sells a variety of beautiful kebaya nyonya. There were so many designs to choose from which made me stay in the shop for more than 2 hours. But what I really find irresistable was the intricate embroidery sewn neatly on a plain coloured material which would later transform into a gorgeous baju kebaya and paired with the traditional batik sarong.

Embroideries or sulam have been around for centuries and as the world evolves rapidly with modern technologies, I am pleased to see that sulam has not lost its touch. In fact, I was told that some of the seamstresses still practice the old-fashion way to make the embroideries, for instance to make sulam goyang, in order to achieve the best result. The price, however, would cause your heart to palpitate!

My experience at the shop gave me an idea to venture into something new. So this month, I am glad to showcase a selection of baju kurungs with stunning hand-sewn sulam with different motives as shown in the "Hot Items" tab. But don't you worry, they are reasonably priced!

Happy viewing :-)

~Idrila Idris~ 

March 2009
Hello again! I was in London just last week and took the opportunity to visit the famous Harrods to see the much talked-about Malaysian handcrafts displayed there. I was greeted by a couple of young women with a frangipani flower tucked on the side of their hair. A very pretty sight, but in my humble opinion, it would be more dazzling  if they don our traditional baju kurung or kebaya.

Nevertheless, it was somewhat a proud moment to see that we have gone another step further in promoting our goods and our beautiful & exotic country, especially in an esteemed gallery just like Harrods. There, on display were colourful pieces of batiks and songkets; not to mention some stunning silverware, cushion covers, table cloths and other items suitable for house decorations. Plus, we were serenaded with the distinguishing sound of Gamelan on the background, which in a slight moment had transported me back to the Malacca sultanate era. Only for a slight moment though!

I should offer my congratulations to Karyaneka for their effort in putting us on the map. With any luck, they'll be more to come, more promotions in other countries and who knows, our own Malaysian brands might be mentioned in the same page as other big names in the fashion industry. It is never impossible to achieve something...

I wish I could share some pictures of the exhibition with you viewers, but unfortunetely we were not allowed to take any photographs there. However, I have uploaded a few of IDILIA's latest collections under the "Hot Items" button. A treat for the eyes and maybe you'll have some ideas on what to wear for the upcoming raya. Well...it is never too early to start planning!

~Idrila Idris~