Oldees but goldies

INCORPORATING the proverb “old is gold” into its business motto is Oldees, a vintage clothing webshop based in Kuala Lumpur. Dee Zolkifli founded it in 2010 because of her passion for vintage clothing.
“In terms of dressing, I’m quite old school. It has to either be traditional and classic clothing or the 60s and 70s fashion. So much so that I started to collect these clothes and jewellery to incorporate them into my day-to-day attire. To my surprise, people around me started complimenting my clothes and since my collection was growing bigger, I thought it’d be a good idea to try selling them online,” she explained. Even though Oldees started as a part-time venture six years ago, Dee eventually resigned from her day job in 2012 to focus on it. It was also in the same year that the label started introducing traditional Japanese wear into its line-up. With more than a thousand pieces of kimono, haori, michiyuki, yukata, jinbei and hakama – as well as obi belts – it has established itself as a go-to place for vintage and authentic Japanese clothes.
“When my husband first bought me a kimono, I was in awe of its impeccable workmanship – kimono designs are intricate and they’re often hand-sewn. I then stumbled upon Haori (a kimono jacket typically worn over the kimono) during one of my travels, and subsequently discovered that high street fashion brands are selling modernised and cardigan-like kimono jackets. These incidents inspired me to bring in the real ones to Malaysia.”
She maintains the vintage vision of Oldees by sourcing for pre-loved Japanese wear directly in Japan. Although she first did the buying herself, she had to rope in a friend who lives there when there was an increase in demand. To date, she has had customers from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, United States and even Japan.
“I have a few Japanese clients and their patronage puzzled me initially, as I couldn’t comprehend why they’d buy their traditional wear outside of their home country. Hence, I asked one of them and she explained that most of the kimonos sold in Japan city centres these days are mostly contemporary designs such as polka dots and stripes. As such, they love our collections because ours are traditional and classy,” elaborated Dee.
Despite a diverse clientele that is expanding, she is reluctant to make Oldees wholly online. Instead, she chose to sell at bazaars and via appointments at her showroom in Petaling Jaya.
“My aim isn’t to just sell kimonos. I want to help my shoppers find something that suits their preference and flatters their body type and skin tone. In a way, I act as a stylist because I want my customers to buy what they really like – so they will wear it indefinitely.
“Yes, it’s easy to sell online using pictures and detailed information, but everyone has different perceptions and expectations.
Thus, we may be looking at the same picture but might end up viewing it in a completely different manner,” she added.

STYLING TIPS
>> Be creative: Don’t limit yourself to trends, instead mix and match to find out what suits you the most.
>> Prioritise your body shape: Look for something that flatters your figure and bring out the best in you.
>> Adhere to the dress code: Japanese people are very proud of their culture, so always remember to dress up according to the occasion.