The name Wan Nur Syaira is no stranger to Malaysia’s local fashion and beauty scene. With her impeccable fashion sense, minimalist vibes, and envy-inducing travel content, this social media influencer has amassed a substantial following. But don’t be deceived by her stunning looks and catchy online persona, as Syaira is a visionary woman with an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit.
In 2023, Syaira decided to breathe new life into her former WNS Studio, rebranding it as SAOI. A fashion label aims to offer essential pieces that cater to your everyday needs. With collections that embrace minimalism and off-duty model style, SAOI showcases the allure of modern fashion through timeless designs and meticulous craftsmanship.
Read our conversation with Wan Nur Syaira of SAOI.
Let’s talk SAOI. What was the story behind the brand and how did the name come about?
It used to be under my name, WNS Studio and I used to run it with just me and my sister but I rebranded it to SAOI because now that we are a team, it’s a teamwork. We have learned a lot together and I do believe that we are wiser after multiple lessons, hence where the name SAOI came about – SAOI in its direct translation from Irish Gaelic is to grow wiser.
Your recent launch of Poppy Ballerina – what exactly inspired the collection?
I love the beauty of ballet, and I used to be a ballerina myself. After my ballet lessons, I would always opt for the comfiest shoes, with a very thick padding and now seeing the trend of ballet flats is coming back, I thought, we have to do it! I only see international brands doing it like Repetto and Mansur Gavriel and we can do it here too.
How often does it take for you to curate each of SAOI’s collections? Walk us through the process.
I am an avid reader of Pinterest! I browse a lot generally, from magazines to vogue runways, and of course Pinterest. I will also see what’s trending and how we can tweak those trends into our own. So I will start drawing, asking our suppliers to send a few fabric swatches and the right material texture and then comes the trial and error of sampling. But if you ask me, the process is my favorite part.
So how do you ensure the quality and craftsmanship of your products?
For our shoes for example, I’ve planned it months ahead of our launch so that I have ample time to test it out myself for a good month. I have tested all of our shoes on cobblestones to test their durability. I am a ‘shoeaholic’ myself, so I know what I want in shoes and I always try my best to make it the way I hope any shoes should be.
Which iconic pieces would you describe as the signature of SAOI? And why?
I know a lot of girls love our Palermo skirts. I think it’s because eventually all girls just want to look pretty, feel pretty and elegant at the same time and our Palermo maxi skirts do just that. I also feel like our new Lola Kitten Heels is very SAOI. It’s a staple need for your everyday classy style, it completes the effortless look and that’s truly what I want for every girl – a piece that completes their look.
What do you hope for people to feel when wearing SAOI?
I hope for people to feel good, look good and most importantly, you feel like yourself in the best possible way.
Share with us three of the must-haves from SAOI.
Palermo Maxi skirts, Lola Kitten Heels and soon, our new SAOI handbags.
If we were to go through Syaira’s closet, what would we find?
You will find a lot of blazers, and of course SAOI shoes.
Let’s play this or that:
Paris or Tokyo?
TOKYO
Layover or direct flight?
Layover
Heels or flats?
Tricky…. HEELS!
Texts or calls?
Texts
Eating out or ordering in?
Ordering In…
Leather or jeans?
Jeans
Driving or passenger?
Driving
Polaroid or digital camera?
Digital Camera