She left a law career for fashion, found her niche in custom embroidered wedding veils

Weddings are a huge industry, and understandably so. It’s usually a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and thus many happy couples may want to splurge on creating a beautiful ceremony to remember.

From unique invitations and witty hashtags to beautiful photo booths and door gifts, there’s plenty of avenues for creativity and personality to shine in a wedding.

One seemingly novel way for happy couples to further spruce up their wedding day is through the bride’s veil.

While many will know that picking out a wedding dress is an extremely important decision for a bride, the veil is usually overlooked as an important part of the final look.

But it’s this overlooked nature that makes it a perfect item for brides to add some flair and customisation, whether that be initials, names, or a quote.

A homegrown brand that’s doing just that is Yaya Azizan.

From law to fashion

31-year-old Yaya comes from a law background, having begun her career in it, gaining valuable experience in legal and corporate settings.

“However, my passion for creativity and entrepreneurship led me to explore new avenues,” she expressed.

Yaya first ventured into the fashion and textile industry, where she ran a couple of businesses.

As she delved deeper into the industry, she noticed that there was a unique niche and growing demand for high-quality embroidery that she could tap into.

Noting that you can basically do embroidery on almost anything, Yaya found her calling in something specific: embroidery for wedding veils. 

Unveiling a niche market

“It all started when I noticed a significant interest from brides seeking beautifully crafted veils to complement their special day,” Yaya explained.

From here, she realised there was a gap in the market for a solid platform specialising in wedding veils. 

There wasn’t necessarily a predefined plan; it was more about listening to what brides wanted and then channeling her skills and passion into fulfilling those desires.

This customer-driven approach allowed her brand to establish itself as a go-to destination for wedding veils right from the start. 

To pick up the necessary know-how, she participated in two short classes to learn the basics of embroidery.

“It involved a lot of blood (quite literally), sweat, tears, and practice to hone my skills,” she shared.

Thankfully, under the original brand name of The Tekat Tekat, Yaya Azizan started receiving orders almost immediately. The learning curve was steep, but it forced Yaya to upskill in a short amount of time so she could deliver high-quality work from the get-go.

“My mantra has always been and will always be quality. I do not compromise on the quality of our embroidery,” she clarified.

“This unwavering commitment to excellence has been the foundation of my work and progress. The constant practice, combined with a dedication to delivering the best possible product, has helped me reach my current skill level.”

Embroiled in embroidery

The veil embroidery service begins with the design phase, which in turn is all about communicating with the clients to understand their vision and preferences.

Having a clear and comprehensive idea of what the couple is looking for is key. From there, the team creates a draft design and presents it to the client for approval.

After the design is approved, they proceed with production, which involves various queues and timelines, as different designs require different attention spans and techniques.

“We meticulously embroider each veil, paying close attention to detail to ensure that the final product meets our high standards of quality and craftsmanship,” Yaya assured.

Embroidering on veils requires a great deal of patience and delicacy, the founder said. Veils are typically made with delicate fabrics which demand care and attention to detail to ensure they remain intact throughout the embroidery process. 

“In my experience, the key to successful embroidery on veils lies in patience—patience, patience, and more patience,” Yaya said. “There’s a saying that you are what you love, and when you do something out of love, the outcome speaks for itself.”

The majority of their embroidery work is done using machines, allowing them to efficiently produce intricate designs on a variety of fabrics. But certain elements of their designs, such as patch laces and finishing touches, are best executed by hand, Yaya said.

The team then adds finishing touches, which may include trimming excess threads, reinforcing delicate areas, and ensuring that the embroidery is securely attached to the veil fabric.

After thorough quality control checks, the finished veil is revealed to the clients.

As for the timeframe for completing an order, it varies depending on the complexity of the design and the team’s workload.

The founder clarified, “Typically, our orders are completed within a reasonable timeframe to ensure that our clients receive their veils in time for their wedding day.”

The team at Yaya Azizan has grown to seven members, with the majority being in the production department. 

“While I may have started as the main person in charge of embroidering, our growth has allowed me to step into a more managerial role, focusing on strategy, quality control, and ensuring the smooth operation of our business,” Yaya said.

Threading forward

Yaya Azizan has achieved profitability, Yaya proudly shared.

To continue on this path of profitability, the business is focused on expanding the team and upgrading their equipment to meet growing demands.  

Additionally, Yaya aims to ramp up their international consultations, with a specific focus on markets like Brunei and Singapore.

“These consultations will allow us to connect with clients abroad and showcase our expertise in bespoke embroidery, further expanding our reach and establishing Yaya Azizan as a trusted name in the global fashion industry,” she explained.

With this, the team hopes to see opportunities for strategic partnerships with international tailoring brands to offer their embroidery services as part of their offerings, establishing the Yaya Azizan brand on the world map.

Featured Image Credit: Yaya Azizan