Malaysia's fashion mogul Vivy Yusof is not afraid to dream big

Despite her busy life, nothing is out of reach for entrepreneur, author and modest fashion icon Vivy Yusof. Photo: Azman Ghani/The Star

FV Group co-founder Vivy Yusof has been a champion for homegrown brands since the early days of the multi-brand platform which she launched with husband Fadza Anuar over a decade ago.

Since then, Vivy has successfully expanded her horizons into growing fashion label lilit., and The dUCk Group, which includes cosmetics, scarves, apparel, accessories, stationary and more, while raising four children and writing a book, The First Decade.

Trends sat down with Vivy to catch up with her on life, business, and future plans.

Read more: Malaysia's Vivy Yusof included in global fashion list alongside Giorgio Armani

How would you describe your personal style?

When it comes to hijab styles, Vivy says comfort is everything and less is better. Photo: Instagram/Vivy Yusof

I think I’m pretty classic, I’m not super trendy because I like things that can last, every piece is an investment piece that you can wear over and over again.

What is your favourite daily makeup look?

Natural, very simple, but in my line of work, I meet a lot of people and I go out a lot to network, if there are events I’ll get my makeup done, but generally my features cannot support very strong eye makeup. I tend to like very simple makeup, I do not like red lipstick, my kids get scared.

Name three beauty items that you can’t live without.

Eyebrow pencil, lip balm and concealer for the under eyes, every mum needs that.

What are your current favourite hijab styles to wear on the daily?

I used to be very experimental but now after having four kids it’s just not possible anymore, anything with draping at the front, forget it! So now my style is tie at the back because then Idris cannot pull on it.

Could you give three tips on styling the hijab for beginners?

People always say you have to secure the hijab with lots of pins but I think the less the better. I also think comfort is everything because even if you look really good with the most luxurious scarf, if you’re not comfortable you can’t carry it.

Don’t be afraid to experiment when you first start because you really don’t know your style yet and luckily, we live in an era where tutorials are in abundance. Take one day to just invest your time into experimenting with different styles.

What is your daily skincare routine?

I would say sunscreen and removing my makeup, and moisturising. Once in a while I’ll do a sheet mask especially if I don’t get enough sleep that week.

What project are you working on at the moment that you are most excited about?

Since the closing of FV marketplace we’ve been more focused on growing Duck and Lilit., right now we’re ramping up products for both brands, hoping to open more stores and expand to other markets as well, and other states.

We are predominantly in the Klang Valley so I think it’s time to branch out. As a Group we’re looking at growing more brands, we’re looking at gaps in the modest fashion industry, and we’re always on the lookout to invest in current brands out there, in and out of Malaysia.

When it comes to running your businesses, how do you ensure you are taking care of your mental health?

I’m generally a positive person and what I do is I have a really good support system in terms of friends. I have a close-knit group of friends that’s outside of my industry, I think that’s very important to have. We call ourselves the games night "peeps" because we always have game nights at each other’s houses and that keeps the stress levels manageable.

When it comes to hijab styles, Vivy says comfort is everything and less is better. Photo: Filepic

Because I work hard but I also play hard with my friends. And I read a lot, I love reading and writing, writing is very therapeutic for me, and I love reading because when you read there’s a different perspective because you’re not stuck in your “me” bubble.

Among your most recent achievements, what are you most proud of and why?

My book. We did a book tour in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, I’m very grateful to Penguin for becoming my partner for this because they have worldwide distribution and that’s what I was really hoping for.

Next up is UK and the US, I’m really hoping this book can be a global bestseller – we need more women telling their stories, especially women hijabis, you just don’t see them on book covers.

Read more: Vivy Yusof's book, 'The First Decade' reflects on her early entrepreneurial days

Could you tell us a bit about your plans for Raya?

Raya on my side is always quiet because there’s just two sisters but I married into a family with five boys so they have their wives, nieces and nephews, luckily for me both families live in KL and we always manage to do both houses in one day.

I have this thing where I’m very particular about what everyone wears, I always take the lead to manage everyone’s clothing or the first day – I will choose an item from Duck that every female in the family has to wear, and for the guys, I go to the kain shop and I sit down and find the exact shade to match the female clothing, even the kids.