“Noor” is an Arabic word which means light and for this Indonesian clothing brand, that word has far deeper meaning because it attributes to the name of the designer’s family.

” The word Noor Esa appears at the end of the names of my siblings. It refers to “one light.” I mean it in the sense of someone who is a role model for leading others to the pure truth.”

Hana or Hanafiah Noor Eesa, is a 22- year old fashion designer from Indonesia who founded and brought the brand Nors Studio to the modest fashion world. After graduating fashion in 2020, Hana is currently teaching fashion class to students ages 6 to 14 in an off-school program for primary and secondary.

Her interest in fashion started after finishing Junior High School.

“My teacher asked me at the time, “Where do you want to go to high school?” Then I confidently replied that I will continue my education in a vocational high school with a major in fashion. So that’s when I started learning about the fashion industry. Dian Pelangi is the fashion designer who influenced me. He is an Indonesian Muslim or modest fashion designer that presents her Muslim fashion work in prestigious international events such as London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week. She was a huge inspiration for me to become a fashion designer who showcases Muslim clothes that can compete with other international fashion designers.”

Her brand carries a minimalist themes revolving around classic, comfortable and simple lines focusing on basic to pastel colours. She believes that sustainable and ethical fashion is the key to fashion’s future, because the future is in our hands, and by this, lives the brand’s advocacy- to care for the Earth.

” My vision is to create responsible clothing. The point is that when we make clothes, we must be able to make them lasting. The waste produced should not be harmful to the environment. Because, as we all know, the fashion industry is one of the industries that contributes the largest waste to the environment. Furthermore, fashion industry workers are pushed to work and get pay that is not appropriate with their efforts. Based on that, when I created this brand, I added my idealistic values, which include producing clothing that is responsible, environmentally friendly, and sustainable. as well as providing local tailors with proper pay and benefits.

Her debut collection entitled “NEW YOU” evokes the kind of sustainable fashion that Nors Studio wants to show the modest fashion world as a budding designer whose audience likely comes from the youth, like her, and the teenage millennials whom are more conscious about the environment.

“NEW YOU” means after we passed the month full of blessings and forgiveness. It’s time for us to be reborn into a new, better person. NEW YOU. This collection means, that we have to be a better version of us everyday. Always keep in mind that today must be better than yesterday, and tomorrow must be better than today”

The collection’s catchphrase is very timely to our situation today. After last year’s darkest moments, the lockdowns and uncertainties that the pandemic brought, we came to realize how irresponsible we were as vicegerents of this planet. New You symbolizes our perceptions and phase of change; we are moving out of the dark tunnel into the light.

“My goal for the next five years is for my brand to become more well-known both locally and internationally. Then, become a brand that can encourage others to care about the environment. No matter how small our contribution to the environment is. Furthermore, I make an effort to incorporate elements of Indonesian culture into future collections in order to present Indonesian culture to a wider and international audience”

Stay tuned for follow up article on Nors Studio “New You” Collection here.

To see Nors Studio debut collection, check our the First Philippines International Virtual Modest Fashion Show.