Qafa Haus opens first commercial storefront in Mata-Mata

Local modest women’s fashion brand looks to roll out more designs

Qafa Haus, a home-based fashion brand that sells locally-designed women’s wear, has opened its first boutique in Kg Mata-Mata to cater to its expanding product line and offer their online customer base a location to comfortably browse in person.

Coming on the heels of its third anniversary, the opening of the boutique represents a major milestone for the company which began as a dropshipper in 2015, marketing and selling the lines of more established Malaysian and regional brands.

Founder Norfatriah Abdullah, a Master’s of Engineering student at Universiti Teknologi Brunei, said that Qafa began to test the market with their own designs in 2016 with the Dahlia, and all-occasion top for women, and Azalea a daily-wear top made of breathable chiffon with a loose belt that can be adjusted to the each women’s silhouette.

Last saw the release of their Mawar top, their first locally-made piece, as well as the launch of their website which catalogs their line, boosting sales further, leading Norfatriah and her husband and Qafa’s CEO Qawiy Marissan to strategize the opening of their first commercial storefront.

“We had planned to open after Hari Raya but we were able to find a very affordable location so we decided to open in time for the Raya rush,” said Qawiy.

Concurrent with the opening of the branch, Qafa Haus has also come out with two new pieces, the Jubah Kameela, a long one-piece dress with accents at the waist, and the Kaftan Radya, a flowing robe that’s cinched at the waist by a floral cinch. Most of their range is priced between $25 and $50.

The couple added that Qafa would continue to stock their lines at The Runway Brunei and Drophauz, giving customers three offline locations to purchase Qafa products.

“With believe with the right online marketing and know-how, we can overcome challenges of not being in the most prime location,” said Qawiy.

Nofatriah added that she’s also looking to take fashion courses overseas to be able to offer design and styling consultation services under Qafa locally.

For the latest updates follow @qafahaus on Instagram and Facebook. Qafa Haus Boutique is located at Unit BA-13, Bangunan PA Hjh Rafeah, Simpang 52-55, Kg. Mata-Mata Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan, BE1718.