BRI Support Drives Hijasmita's Creativity, Presents Modern Hijab Design with Local Flavour
Scarves and hijabs are no longer merely fashion accessories, but have become a medium for expression and storytelling. This vision is realised by Hijasmita, a fashion brand from East Jakarta that showcases Indonesia’s beauty and local wisdom through modern-styled scarves and outer garments.
Hijasmita was founded by Mita in early 2019, following her resignation from her previous employment in late 2018. Driven by the desire to remain productive and build something of her own, Mita chose the fashion business due to the growing trend of printed hijabs. However, she recognised the importance of a strong brand identity and actively participated in training and mentoring programmes to establish Hijasmita’s unique identity.
The name Hijasmita holds personal significance, derived from the name Asmita and meaning a symbol of hijrah or transformation. The name represents Mita’s journey from employee to entrepreneur. From the outset, Hijasmita has been more than just a fashion retailer; it carries a message of personal transformation and self-development.
Hijasmita’s products focus on flexibly designed scarves, ranging from hijabs and outer garments to waistcoats, with spin-off items such as pouches and scrunchies. The entire production process prioritises sustainability by utilising fabric remnants to minimise waste, ensuring every material achieves maximum utility.
“Scarves are highly flexible—not only as hijabs, but also as outer garments, waistcoats, and even processed from fabric scraps. I want every piece of material produced to be utilised so nothing goes to waste,” Mita explains.
Hijasmita’s distinctive characteristic lies in its motifs, which draw on local ornaments, particularly from Jakarta, such as gigi balang (traditional tooth patterns), langkan, rice patterns, and Indonesian flora, translated into modern designs. The brand’s works have been featured at various exhibitions, stocked in department stores, established partnerships extending to Bali, and penetrated international markets including Korea and Malaysia.
A New Chapter at Rumah BUMN
Hijasmita entered a new phase when Mita joined Rumah BUMN Jakarta and participated in BRI’s BRIncubator programme in 2023. Through this initiative, she received intensive mentoring that helped structure and strategically direct her business development.
Mita found the BRIncubator curriculum highly practical, as it was not merely theoretical but directly addressed real challenges faced by business operators. She received training in marketing, branding, digitalisation, and financial management that could be immediately applied to her daily operations.
“The material is very practical. We’re not just given theory, but are genuinely engaged in discussions about the specific business problems we’re facing. So what we learn is directly applied to my business operations,” Mita said.