STYLE THOUGHT:STYLE THROUGH YOUR VISUAL IDENTITY

Hi! I've been wanting to write sooner but things has been quite hectic lately. I do hope you've all been fearless and fabulous throughout and remain true to the Muslim Style and Brand.

I've successfully conducted my MODESTY IN STYLE WORKSHOP for the first time, yesterday. It was great! I forgotten to take their before photos. Sorry bout that, I'll remember to do it next time, or I'll post it later when they email me their previous photos.

MODESTY IN STYLE WORKSHOP Participants after the make-up session

Participants learned about:

• PERSONAL BRANDING & HIJAB ETIQUETTE
• PERSONAL STYLE
• HIJAB STYLE (which took quite awhile and I underestimated the time requires for this session as I consulted each participant one by one on the suitable hijab style in accordance with their face shape & personal style)
• COLOR CONSULTATION
• STEP BY STEP PERSONAL MAKE UP SESSION

AIN

AMIRA

(After the make-up session. The purpose is not to change you but to enhance you)

The whole workshop lasted 7 hours from 11am - 7pm with a break in the middle. We supposed to end at 5pm but I guess we were all so engrossed into it. One of the things I emphasized in this workshop is our brand as Muslim ladies. Our personal brand must reflects first and foremost our Muslim identity. Then we can integrate our personal style into it.

MADIHA

SITI HAWA

Our visual identity is a very powerful communication. More than 55% of the first impression is influenced by visual. After all, human beings think in pictures. Let's do an experiment, follow my instructions:

'Close your eyes. I want you to think of a cat. Now open your eyes.'

Tell me, did you see a cat in its physical form or did you see the word 'c a t'? I'm sure all of you would say that you saw the physical form a cat. We don't think in words, we think in pictures.

So, like it or not our image and style is an essential part of our lives, so important that Allah provided us with dressing guidelines, and made the 'hijab' compulsory for us ladies.

Let me give you examples of how visual identity works:

• How do we recognize McDonald? The Golden Arches or the golden M.
• What's JLO's visual identity? Her famous rear and you can also see this identity reflected in the design of her perfume bottle, slim on top and full at the bottom.
• What's Anthony Fernandes, Air Asia founder's visual identity? His red cap with the Air Asia logo printed on it.
• What's the Muslimah's identity? The HIJAB, first, then her own personal style integrated into it so that it'll be uniquely hers.
• So, what's my visual identity? It's MY HIJAB worn with a brooch at the side, usually on the left side of my head, that says I'm a Muslimah, I value style, I love fashion, I love to look good but I love my religion more and will not sacrifice it for anything else.

Can you see my brooch?

So, never say your image is not important and what counts is the inside. People wouldn't know your inside unless it is well communicated on the outside and Allah will not order the hijab if image is not important.

What's your visual identity?