As Rizman Ruzaini’s chief operating officer, Nurida Suraya is the operational mind that steadies one of Malaysia’s most recognisable couture labels.
A mother of two and a familiar face in the brand’s campaigns, the wife of Rizman Nordin (one half of the eponymous brand, the other being Ruzaini Jamil) moves between boardroom, backstage and bedtime with a discipline that is as deliberate as it is graceful.
Whether it’s welcoming guests at intimate showcases or packed ballrooms during fashion week, or smiling serenely in campaign images for the brand, Nurida, 36, embodies the label’s codes of elegance without excess and femininity without fragility.
But long before the first model steps onto a runway, she has already traced the arc of the collection through production calendars, supplier confirmations and financial forecasts.
“While the public sees the glamour of the runway, I’m deeply embedded in the logistics and operations,” says Nurida. “This includes managing supply chains, overseeing the production timeline for ‘ready-to-wear’ collections, and the brand’s financial health.”
As COO, her job is to keep the rhythm going so that the creative minds behind the label can continue to thrive.
“It’s about ensuring that the creative vision Rizman and Ruzaini have is actually scalable and sustainable,” she adds.
Measured and precise in her responses to our interview questions, she doesn’t romanticise fashion, rather, she speaks about scalability, sustainability and operational health.
Behind every collection lies a choreography of tasks unseen by the public, who associate the label with intricately detailed and impeccably tailored works of art donned by the rich and famous.
While the label’s clientele is made up of members of high society in Malaysia and beyond who adore the designers’ unique brand of bespoke couture, bridal wear and red-carpet designs, the more accessible ready-to-wear line RR by Rizman Ruzaini offers affordable options stamped with the brand’s signature craftsmanship.
Managing every aspect of these lines along with the brand’s daily operations, while working closely with one’s spouse could prove challenging for most, but Nurida takes it all in stride.
“We maintain a ‘professional boundary’,” she says. “In the office, he is the managing director and I am the COO. When opinions differ, we fall back on the data and the brand’s DNA.”
“We’ve learned that a difference in opinion isn’t a conflict; it’s a way to stress-test an idea to make sure it’s perfect for our clients,” adds Nurida.
When it comes to fashion shows, at home or abroad, Nurida is omnipresent.
“While the designers focus on the garments and models backstage, I am usually front-of-house or ‘bird’s-eye view’, ensuring the guest experience is seamless, catering to clients, sponsors, partners and guests,” she says.
When the guests leave and the garments are packed up, Nurida’s job doesn’t end there, as this is when she prepares the post-show sales strategy to launch, as soon as the lights go out on stage.
A modern matriarch
Mother, wife, COO – thriving at multiple roles throughout the day while maintaining a calm composure is attributed to her fitness routine.
Gym and sports sessions keep her grounded when life is moving a little fast.
“My fitness routine, it’s the one time of day where I’m not ‘COO’ or ‘mum’, I’m just me. It clears my head and gives me the patience I need for the rest of the day,” she says.
Her approach to time is similarly decisive.
Motherhood, she says, has sharpened her ability to prioritise.
“I no longer have the luxury of overthinking. If a meeting can be an email, it becomes an email. Professionally, it has made me more empathetic toward our staff who are also parents. Personally, ‘quality over quantity’ is my mantra for time spent at home,” says Nurida.
Raising two young daughters in today’s modern world – immersed in the fast-paced life of entrepreneurs and designers – she holds gratitude and humility as essential in shaping their world.
“They are growing up in a world of beautiful clothes and travel, but I want them to understand the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. We want them to treat everyone from a seamstress to a CEO with the same level of respect,” says Nurida.
In their household, family time is non-negotiable.
“No matter how busy the ‘RR’ empire gets, we try to be home to put the girls to bed. It’s our time to disconnect from the digital world and just be a family,” she says.
When schedules tighten and the brand’s calendar fills, she and her husband enforce small recalibrations – quick weekend getaways or simple date nights.
“The topic of ‘the next collection’ is strictly off-limits,” says Nurida.
Faith, too, provides structure for Nurida and the family.
“Ramadan is my time for spiritual reset. Professionally, it’s our busiest season for the brand, but personally, I use it to reflect on the year’s blessings,” she says.
“For Raya, we focus on the ‘RR’ Raya collections for our customers, but at home, it’s about preparing the house for family visits and teaching the girls the significance of the month.”
“We take family very seriously as I have a very close relationship with all my siblings, aunties, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews,” she adds.
Her favourite Raya tradition remains the simple act of salam raya (seeking forgiveness) from elders on the first morning.
“Food-wise, nothing beats all the classic selections,” shares Nurida. “My favourite childhood memories involve the simple joy of receiving duit raya and the excitement of wearing a brand-new baju kurung,” she says, noting how fitting it is that years later, as an adult, she now lives and breathes fashion every day.
What emerges from Nurida’s story is not a portrait of effortless balance, but of deliberate alignment.
In a fashion landscape that often celebrates the visible – the gown, the campaign, the celebrity – Nurida represents the invisible architecture that holds it all together, a serenity built upon spreadsheets, schedules, discipline and faith.
