Nelissa Hilman founded her namesake shoewear label in 2012. Since then, the brand has been known for its timeless and wearable designs combined with a strong focus on sustainability and craftsmanship. We asked Nelissa to show us what a day in her life looks like and how she stays on top of fast-moving trends in the fashion industry.
My mornings can be quite hectic – I usually will get my two young schooling children ready for school and prepare a big breakfast for them before getting ready for work. If my schedule is clear in the mornings, I’ll slot in a quick morning walk and spend quality time with my youngest boy who just turned four months old.
I’m in my full mum mode in the mornings as I get the kids and myself ready for the day. Then I’ll be in the studio to work on designs and finish up some admin work. The team would meet up to discuss any pending matters, issues relating to production, delivery and any campaigns or collaborations in the pipeline. Occasionally, I would also meet up with friends for a quick brunch or lunch.
We’re pretty excited to have a new window installation by floral specialists Flé. I’ll visit the store from time to time to meet with the retail team and refresh the store’s visual merchandising. This year I aim to be fit – so the gym is something new on my schedule. After work, I do some grocery shopping to prepare dinner and my kid’s meals for the week.
I started the brand in the beginning because I have wide feet and I found the shoe offerings in the market weren’t interesting. Nelissa Hilman serves as a platform to express myself, creatively – as I enjoy collaborating with artisans and creatives.
I stay up to date on the latest trends in the industry by reading the latest industry news and trends, visiting trade shows and travelling.
When it comes to my design process, for clothing and shoes – we have an on-going mood board and we design based on the materials and colours in mind. We’d also think about what the Nelissa Hilman customers would wear and feel.
Next is sampling and test fitting. This is the part where we re-work and edit the collection. There are more samples to review before we confirm our production order. Nelissa Hilman aims to be a fashion company which offers ready-to-wear, shoes, bags, jewellery and accessories. For Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week, we collaborated with Wasis Studio for our second capsule collection, Flow.
The interiors of the Nelissa Hilman boutique in Bangsar Village.
When it comes to my working space, I like my studio to be quiet, clean and tidy with plenty of natural light. Occasionally, the space is a beautiful mess – when the swatches are all around and the team are reviewing samples.
I handle stress by bringing awareness to how my body reacts to the ebb and flow of life’s demands. I walk and exercise to clear my mind and also I try to eat well and drink enough water.
Teamwork makes the dream work. An abundance mindset is important. The health of the business is a direct reflection of my mental and physical state. And cash (flow) is king.
To switch off at the end of the day, I enjoy cooking for the family. Having a quick dinner and then getting the kids ready for bedtime – we’d usually play and read before turning in. I’m in bed by 10 pm on most nights and I enjoy reading on my Kindle. As for TV – I haven’t binged much on K-dramas recently but I do have a “to-watch” list.
