Malaysia has the talent, so what’s holding its fashion industry back?

It is a familiar reality for young labels. A strong collection might get people’s attention, but building a business around that creative vision requires the resources to keep it moving. And that business side can be just as demanding as the creative one. Designers are often juggling everything from production and budgeting to marketing, clients and the day-to-day running of a brand.

For Uzair Shoid, learning to manage those different sides has been one of the biggest challenges of building independently.

Sometimes, he says, the focus is simply on getting through the next collection, making it harder to step back and think about the long-term future of the brand. A good collection might get people talking. Building a brand that lasts is another story.

Building a fashion label rarely happens alone. Behind the clothes is a whole network of people helping to bring the brand to life, from production and marketing to PR, styling and the day-to-day business of keeping things running.

For Ryan, some of that support has come less formally—through people who simply believe in what he is building. He has had models offer to walk for free, artists approach him for collaborations, friends help with PR, and others lend their expertise on the business side, from putting together pitch decks to helping him navigate areas he might not otherwise know how to handle.

“I’ve received so much support from so many different people, most of whom help simply because they believe in me and the brand,” he says.

Uzair has found that same sense of community important in building his own label. Mentors, collaborators, stylists, photographers, models, craftspeople and friends who understand his vision have all played a part. Connections across production, retail, media and the international fashion industry have also helped him understand what it takes to move beyond simply creating a collection.

“Fashion can sometimes feel like a very individual journey, especially when you are building a brand independently, but I have learned that you cannot really do it alone,” he says. And perhaps that is the bigger point. A designer can have the vision, but turning it into a functioning brand often depends on having the right people, resources and opportunities around them.

Which brings us to another question: what happens after the fashion show?

Fashion week can put a designer in front of an audience, but for Uzair, the industry needs to think beyond the show itself. He believes Malaysian designers need more long-term support, from accessible funding and mentorship to manufacturing, distribution and connections with buyers and investors.

“We need stronger systems that help designers understand business, production, distribution, retail and international expansion,” he says.

KLFW 2026 did create opportunities beyond its runway shows, including business-matching sessions and industry-sharing programmes. The bigger challenge, perhaps, is turning those moments of connection into relationships and opportunities that continue long after fashion week ends.

For Uzair, that also means giving designers the space to develop at their own pace.

“Building a meaningful brand takes time,” he says, pointing out that not every designer has the financial resources to constantly produce new collections just to stay visible. It is a point that feels especially relevant in an industry where staying visible can sometimes feel like a job in itself.

There is also the question of what Malaysian fashion is expected to look like. For Ryan, supporting local designers also means being more open-minded about the different directions they want to explore. Not every Malaysian label needs to visibly reference traditional dress or local culture to have a place in the industry.

“Not everything has to be a kebaya or be visibly influenced by Malaysian culture,” he says. “Some designers simply want to explore something completely different, and that should be encouraged too.”

Heritage will always have a place in Malaysian fashion, but it does not have to define every designer. There should also be room for labels to experiment, evolve and figure out what their own identity looks like.

See also: Ive Yujin’s monochrome wardrobe: 8 looks that put a fresh spin on black and white 

KLFW 2026 showed that the creative talent is there. The conversations that followed on Threads, meanwhile, showed that people are paying attention—whether the reaction is praise, criticism or somewhere in between.

But perhaps the bigger question is what happens after the conversation dies down. Because while Malaysia may not have a talent problem, it may well have a pathway problem. How do we give designers the resources, connections and time to turn a good collection into a lasting brand? The runway can start the conversation. The real work, it seems, begins after.

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