Entrepreneur carves niche in bespoke songket handbags

KUALA LUMPUR - The timeless songket, known as the queen of all fabrics in Malay weaving, has been developed into various decorative items such as handbags and handicraft.

Painstakingly produced by hand, this extravagant fabric is intricately interwoven with gold or silver threads, creating beautifully unique symmetric patterns.

In the local fashion scene, songket is very much alive, with designers incorporating songket into their collection, especially during Hari Raya. But not many fashion designers have produced handbags made of songket fabric to complement the traditional attire.

Among those who bucked the trend include Ct N Honey, whose classic and exclusive songket handbag collection has caught the attention of Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, who was attracted to the classic designs yet affordable pricing.

With abstract and floral designs and a combination of pastel and bright colours, the songket handbag is specially created and crafted by its founder, Siti Nor Misro, 50, to give it a touch of elegance and sophistication.

"I have always had a passion for sewing as it helps unleash my creativity. At the same time, I am also fond of handmade products.

"It was after watching the video on Youtube and Google on handbag making that I decided to give it a try,” she told Bernama when contacted at her home in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

Today, after over 11 years in the business, the entrepreneur takes pride in her Ct N Honey label, which has won the hearts of handbag aficionados, including VIPs. Sharing her life’s journey, Siti Nor said she started producing her own handbags in 2012 but only took the courage to sell them online in mid-2013.

"At that time, I used various materials such as cotton, linen, canvas and synthetic leather. I also showcased simple designs and most of the bags were made to order based on an individual customer’s taste,” the mother of six said.

Driven by the overwhelming response, Siti Nor then developed her own website to market her collection and other sewing products for those wishing to make their own handbags.

Despite not having attended a formal education in tailoring, Siti Nor, who was only self taught after picking up lessons and tips from video footages on YouTube, showed her unique pieces stood out above others, drawing the attention of Dr Wan Azizah’s assistant in 2019.

Elaborating, she said that she was contacted by an officer of Dr Wan Azizah, who was then Deputy Prime Minister who requested that Siti Nor produce a songket handbag to be given as a gift to the wife of Turkey President Emine Erdogan who was scheduled to visit Malaysia to attend the KL Summit 2019.

"I understood the significance of the customised order and although songket was never used in my handbag collection, I decided to give my best shot by fulfilling the special request of the Deputy Prime Minister then,” she shared.

That was the defining moment for Siti Nor who began her journey in producing songket handbags for the Malaysian market.

According to Siti Nor, after receiving her first order from Dr Wan Azizah, she took the courage to focus on making handbags made of songket.

Describing the move as a two-pronged approach, she said that while setting the trend, she also hoped to preserve the traditional songket heritage, which has not gained much ground, among the modern generation.

‘’...to date, I still receive orders for songket handbags from her (Dr Wan Azizah), and I’m truly heartened by her show of confidence in my handmade products,” she said.

According to Siti Nor, the fine art of handbag making requires patience and the meticulous skills of a craftsman, adding that she usually takes about two days to complete a simple piece.

Every songket design is limited to only one handbag to maintain its exclusivity and indirectly customers will be proud to flaunt their bags under the Ct N Honey label.

"It’s a tedious process. Each piece takes hours to finish, from designing and fabric cutting to sewing and stitching. Firstly, the choice of design and materials and subsequently, you need to have a hard base to make the handbag strong and sturdy.

"For sewing, a special sewing machine is needed to facilitate the process and for me, producing the frame of a bag is more complex as sewing is done by hand especially while interfacing the frame and the outer layer of the bag. I usually take one to two hours to complete the sewing process,” said Siti Nor, who also secures her songket fabric supply from local entrepreneurs.

Siti Nor said she currently produces her bags from home with the help of several friends who are skilled in the art of handbag making.

She said besides songket handbags, she also produces various other handbag designs such as sling bags, clutches and tote bags, based on customer demand.

"All processes of handbag making are conducted at home. I don’t have permanent staff but I am assisted by my own team whom I knew from the social media.

"My team will help me especially when I have to cope with large orders and they will produce them at their own home, but I will make sure the quality produced is based on the specifications given before they are delivered to customers,” she said, adding that her bag fetches a price from as low as RM180 to RM400 each, depending on the size, material and design.

Things are looking up for Siti Nor when her products, which were previously sold direct through the digital platform are already available at a boutique at Pavilion Bukit Jalil. "I also participate in exhibitions and major events to meet up and introduce my brand to a larger audience including those organised by Kraftangan Malaysia, as my products are also promoted through Kraftangan Malaysia website,” she added.

"From these events, I get to meet customers and ask for their response towards my products,” she added.

She said response to her customised songket handbags has been encouraging especially from her regular customers.

During Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Hari Raya Aidiladha, songket has always been the preferred choice for celebrating these occasions. Due its high value, the songket has managed to survive the test of time. And for Siti Nor’s clients, Raya is incomplete without her bespoke songket handbags. - BERNAMA