Shofia Khansa: November 2012

Talking about being a designer, well, some people asked me if it was really my passion or not. And the answer is Yes.

For some people who knew me on the past, in junior or senior high school, maybe had not suspected me would become –well, some people called- designers, but really deep down in my heart, that passion, designed a unique cutting yet comfy clothes, have been pop out since a long time.

You know, back then, i –some people said- was kinda nerd, freak, such a “kind girl” type who only knew about lesson, school, home, and no friends at junior high. On senior high, i became famous as a smart and islamic girl, but -some people said- in a strict way. I did work and learn extremely hard to get the first rank continuously since first year high school. And was being really intolerant with others. Well, hopefully i am still the same now –the smart and islamic girl part-, but maybe on different better way.

Story about myself, i have been in love with fabric since i was a kid. Well, actually i’m in love with many things, but some biggest passion since i was kid are writing, making cookie, entrepreneurship and fashion design. So, let’s take a little time reverse then..

A little story about writing, since i was a kid, around 5 y.o, second year of kindergarten, i’ve been enjoyed making poem for my grandma, my mommy, classmates, even i made one for a neighbor kid who always peek at my house. And had several published poems on educational magazine when i was elementary school. My genre on writing is on fiction. I was joining Forum Lingkar Pena as “sekjend” when i was on senior high school and had several published short stories on magazines and a “kumcer” or “kumpulan cerpen” book. Sadly since i went to college, don’t know why, i lost my big passion on writing. But still hoping someday i’ll start write again.

Ambition? an entrepreneur?

Definitely yes! I’ve been dreaming for it since a long time ago. Precisely since i was on first semester on college. I don’t like others make a command towards me, hate being too proper bounded into such a boring office hours, just sit down, typing something, thinking overtime for somebody else holding, it’s really a big nightmare for me. Yeah, i’m easily-bored-person and wanna face something new everyday. Furthermore, deep down in my heart, really want –someday- will be able to employ such a big number of people, reduce unemployment in this country, and convince most of the youngster to be entrepreneur too.

Unconsciously, my desire began to seen since i was elementary school. I sold my own drawing paper at a price of 300 rupiahs each. Then when i was on sixth grade of ES, i simply organized gift services for my classmates who wanna gave a birthday, valentine, or any gift to their friends and haven’t had any time to buy it personally; 1200 rupiah for each. When i was on 3rd grade of senior high, i woke up on 3 am or 2 am and made some cake, brownies, muffin, chocho lava, or simply roasted chocho banana which sold in my class, not everyday, whenever i wanna made them, but nearly everyday. Did my parents –i’m sorry- underprivileged? I have to say Big No. We’re not such extremely rich family, but more than enough to live appropriately. My daddy is a professor and a vice dean on State University, and my mom is a biology teacher from favorite Senior High School in the city. So, reason to sell those goods? Simple answer. Hobby. Desire. Mmmm, wanna try something new, and i enjoy that. ^_^

But the real story happened on my college life. I wanna built ‘a real’ business. Looking around for business opportunity in my campus area, i built a catering and small restaurant from my pocket money and personal saving at that time. My parents way of thinking too far parallel from mine. They want me to focus on my study, take a postgraduate, and become a lecture, a civil servant –swear to God, i really hate become a lecture-. That condition led me secretly open catering and my small restaurant. Maybe i was way too brave at that time. I rent a building which cost 9 million rupiah, at one of campus main street, with just 1 million advance, and there’s no money left on me. I bought all equipments by my self, shopped food ingredients, made some promotional tools, done marketing alone, hired some cooks, but distributed and delivered all order by myself, with big box roped at back seat of my motorbike. May i say, it was really hard time, i had to manage all by myself, kept in focus on my study which i didn’t like ( i took accounting major at that time), managed two business with limited money, and still had to keep them secretly from my parents.

Six months passed, and my business didn’t run well, there was strange unbalanced cash flow, and pretty much debt i had to pay. After further seeking, it turns out one of my cook, secretly corrupted the sales money. Sadly, i had to re-manage all of them, changed the system, and people. And it turns pretty well 6 months after, but unfortunately still can’t afford the building rent fee. Beside, my daddy, out of nowhere, suddenly knew about my business, and led me to shut down all of my business and focus on my study. Hard times. Hard choice. But that’s maybe the best option. And I changed my major on management study on my college.

First semester on my new department, i could stay focus on just studying at campus. No other activity. But after that, i got bored. I really wanna make something. I wanna have a business i loved. But i had no money left. My saving has been used to cover my old business, and i kept talking to myself what should i do, what should i do, what should i do...?

It happened for several months, stressed out cause nothing i could do, while i kept doing my hobby, sketching, and made clothes for myself -i’ve done this hobby since junior high-, until i realized my friends always praise my clothes’ design and want me to make one for them.

“ It’s definitely a business opportunity...!”, i said at that time. End of year 2009.

Since i had no money left, I just wrote my plan on my planner agenda and listed what i had to prepare. Learned from my previous failure, carefully concept my clothing line. But turned out just a concept. Concept. Concept. Concept. Just a concept. Many clothing line popped out and –Hoodoo-- had the same concept with mine. I changed my concept several times and got stress again cause i really wanna make those concept real, while in fact, i couldn’t. Classic, because of no money.

2011 September, me, with my senior high school friend, finally had a courage to start producing batik clothing line. Named Dinggo, made by order system, to minimize cost, and introduce our design to public. Our aim is to conserve and modernize Batik which is usually worn just by old-late adult become something wearable-modern-chic clothes for youngsters. Through Dinggo, we wish the younger generation will also love the culture inherited from the ancestors. Name "Dinggo" is taken from Javanese language "di-enggo" which is mean worn.

Just like that, until end of the year 2011, i had idea to make Dinggo become a fashion brand that could be worn by many people. But that idea is not easily implemented. Many constraints appeared at that time such as we haven't found batik tulis craftsman who could create abstract motive as we want. And again, still not enough money to make one volume runway collections.

Early January, 2012, i was on my biggest despair, i was nearly giving up all of my dreams and thought maybe my way of life is not on business. I got chickenpox and high fever the day after, and it remains for a week. At my worst condition, i read Muhammad Assad’s blog about buying our dreams by sedekah, and how he proved by himself the miracle of giving. And by then, i started to give by a little amount of money, just 50 K rupiahs.

Miraculously, Alhamdulillah, a day after that i recovered from my illness, and an unexpected offer came. A friend of my friend who worked for a radio had a free space on Mall’s atrium and offered me to held a fashion show there. 3 Hours, main hall atrium at biggest mall in the city, and its free, what i had to do was preparing clothes, and the models. A big opportunity, but i didn’t have enough money. The radio gals asked for my answer the day after that, but i still didn’t have an answer. I wanted to accept that offer, but the conditions was not supported us to do so. So, i told her i would called her the next day. I couldn’t stop saying alhamdulillah and subhanallah at that time when suddenly God gave me what i need. And yes, i accepted the offer. In 2 weeks, i was preparing 20 clothes for two days fashion show.

So, here they are my first fashion show,

And right now, i have two fashion labels; Dinggo Label, fashion batik clothing line, and ShofiaKhansa, a casual hijab clothing line. FYI, Dinggo Label is built by me and my partner, Randy Brian Kharisma, and for ShofiaKhansa, it's just myself. Now, i held fashion show in many malls, hotels, city, fashion events, joining Designer’s community in several cities, featured on many newspapers, magazines, radio, and live talk show. And now, my parents let me enjoy my passion. Alhamdulillah.