Fans of one of Malaysia’s first halal-certified beauty brands were left shocked when SO.LEK announced its "Selamat Tinggal Selamanya” collection on Aug 24 of last year.
Despite the name of the collection, which implies the conclusion of the brand’s journey, SO.LEK founder Dahlia Nadirah Juhari set the record straight - it is not the end.
After suffering a huge loss due to the Covid-19 pandemic, SO.LEK decided not to restock any more of their products.
Left with a large amount of inventory, the brand’s solution was to sell off all that remained due to the short shelf-life of cosmetic products.
"We have ended all of our partnerships and are waiting for the return of stocks from them so that whatever is left can be sold below-cost price,” she said.
In light of recent comments made by disgruntled buyers that SO.LEK is not being transparent on the dissolution of the business, Dahlia took to her Instagram account to explain the situation.
One of her insta-story posts mentioned how the decision was made at a time where cash flow was at an all-time low and uncertainties surrounding the pandemic plagued her livelihood.
It was a grueling experience for Dahlia, who further elaborated on how she tried to hold on to the business by focusing on several side hustles.
"All of this was because I wanted to try and revive SO.LEK," she added.
Several lockdowns took a tremendous toll on the business, which led to SO.LEK having to cancel their expansion plans.
"We were supposed to be in more than 100 stores nationwide in 2020 and we had so many collaborations in the pipeline,” she said
"It was always the plan to revive SO.LEK, even when we decided to have the ‘Selamat Tinggal Selamanya’ Sale,” she said.
"It does not mean the end for SO.LEK as a brand. With its rebirth in the near future, we are looking at selling more than just cosmetics.
Dahlia assured fans of the brand that should SO.LEK make a comeback anytime soon, it will be a complete rebrand.
"This means a new direction and new things for the brand,” she said.