Malaysian fashion industry stakeholders have urged modest fashion brands to strengthen production capacity, business expertise and market knowledge to compete more effectively in international markets.
They made the call at the “Global Modest Consumer: Scaling Contemporary Fashion for Trade” forum held on Thursday during the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026 in Kuala Lumpur.
The forum was part of the MIHAS Modest Fashion Week (MMFW) 2026, curated by MyFashionChamber Malaysia.
President of the Malaysian Fashion Business Development Association, Ms Bkay Nair, who moderated the forum, said brands needed to move beyond creativity and visibility by building businesses capable of meeting the demands of international buyers.
Nair said understanding consumers, strengthening business fundamentals and maintaining consistency were critical to achieving sustainable growth.
Hanis Zakaria, Manager of the Halal Integrated Platform at the Halal Development Corporation (HDC), said the modest fashion industry could expand by catering to underserved consumer groups.
He encouraged designers to develop comfortable and practical clothing for men, persons with disabilities and other consumers beyond the traditional Muslim market.
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Zakaria also highlighted the Halal Integrated Platform, an online directory designed to connect halal industry players with potential international business partners.
He said businesses could use the platform to showcase their products, certifications, target markets and other credentials, while HDC also provided export-readiness programmes.
Fakhriyyah Muhardi of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Division, Ministry of Education Malaysia, called for stronger links between fashion institutions and industry.
She said vocational institutions were equipping students with technical, marketing and technology skills for careers across the fashion sector.
“Our aim is not to produce tailors,” she said, noting that graduates could work as designers, entrepreneurs, fashion managers, stylists and fashion technologists.
President of the Malaysia Bumiputra Designers Association, Tabizi Tahir, said emerging designers often struggled to scale production after securing international orders.
He advised designers to understand their costs, profit margins, target markets and production capacity before pursuing export opportunities.
Tahir said brands needed a clear strategy for scaling production without compromising quality, delivery schedules or profitability.
He also urged designers to study consumer preferences, pricing, distribution and delivery costs in their target markets, while developing reliable supply chains to ensure consistent delivery.
“There’s need for emerging designers to understand their consumers, identify their strengths, seek appropriate mentorship and use platforms such as MIHAS to engage directly with buyers and suppliers,” he said.
Earlier, Jay Ishak, Curator of MMFW 2026 and Founder of MyFashionChamber, said sustainable growth required linking fashion with business, trade and market access.
Ishak said designers needed access to financing, manufacturing support, branding, business networks and markets to build sustainable enterprises.
“Fashion cannot grow through runway shows alone,” she said.
She said staging the fashion programme within MIHAS was significant because it placed the sector within an international trade environment and created opportunities for designers to connect with buyers, industry players and potential business partners.
The showcase featured Indonesian label 3Giffary, South Korea’s Alura Styles and a collaboration between Peru’s Carla Testino and Malaysia’s KN by Key Ng.
