ASAL store by Dual Space Studio

The CalaQisya fashion empire was founded in 2010 by Malaysian sisters Farah, Azrina and Yana Khairuddin, and has since become a household name with its modern take on Muslim-style apparel for women and men. Last year, the latter sibling and her husband Hazwan Faiz launched ASAL, a spin-off brand specifically targeting a young male demographic. The launch of the menswear brand coincided with the opening of a standalone store at East Mall in Kuala Lumpur. The interior design, created by local interior design practice Dual Space Studio, takes ample cues from Faiz’s passion for coffee. As such, shoppers are greeted by a café-inspired seating nook framed by a window. Opposite sits a cleverly designed menu board which doesn’t list coffee concoctions, but instead showcases ASAL‘s latest fashion highlights.

Mind you, the imagery and graphics are displayed like daily specials, presented against rich cherry wood textures that lend a sense of warmth and sophistication throughout the store. Taking centre stage in the elongated space is a totemic, floor-to-ceiling wooden structure that functions as a product display, followed by a pastry display-inspired table brimming with accessories. On one side of the store, a built-in café cabinet with legs are inspired by the traditional stilted structure of Malay houses integrates a basin alongside a minimalist hanging rod, adding further cultural layering to the setting. Throughout the premises shoppers will come across coffee-related objects. The new ASAL store carries the brand’s full range of men’s apparel and accessories. © superfuture