Indonesian Embassy in KL Supports Kebaya SMEs' Expansion into Malaysian Market

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Kuala Lumpur is supporting the expansion of Indonesian micro, small, and medium enterprises (SMEs) producing kebaya into the Malaysian market. The support was realised by facilitating a strategic partnership between Indonesian kebaya producer Roemah Kebaya Vielga and Malaysian retail and distribution platform Collabstore, inaugurated in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. “The exclusive partnership between Roemah Kebaya Vielga and Collabstore demonstrates how creative economy promotion can be translated into real market access and business growth,” said Minister Counsellor/Coordinator of the Economic Function at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Hendra Purnama Iskandar, on Monday. Roemah Kebaya Vielga is an Indonesian kebaya producer manufacturing various types of embroidered kebaya, including kebaya encim, kebaya bolero, kebaya panjang, kebaya batik, inner kebaya, kebaya brakat, kebaya batwing, embroidered shoes, bottoms, embroidered bags, and accessories. Collabstore is a retail and distribution platform/boutique selling dozens of multi-brand fashion products, including those from Indonesia. KBRI KL played a key role in facilitating this partnership through business matchmaking, market access support, and continuous engagement with stakeholders from both Indonesia and Malaysia. Hendra stated that the success of this collaboration reflects the embassy’s broader efforts to ensure that promotional activities generate long-term commercial opportunities for Indonesian businesses. Beyond supporting Roemah Kebaya Vielga, KBRI KL expects this collaboration to open doors for more Indonesian creative economy players seeking to expand their market to Malaysia. As one of Indonesia’s leading creative economy sectors, the fashion industry continues to play a vital role in promoting Indonesian culture while creating export opportunities. Hendra said the creative industry and SMEs must become the backbone of national exports and the economy. Currently, export penetration for the creative industry and SMEs has only reached 20 percent. According to Hendra, this figure needs to be increased to 30 or even 40 percent. “That is why they (Roemah Kebaya Vielga) are here, to meet Malaysian market demand,” Hendra said. The event featured the inauguration of the strategic partnership between Roemah Kebaya Vielga and Collabstore boutique, witnessed directly by the Minister Counsellor of the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Collabstore founder Richard Tsen expressed his pride in welcoming Roemah Kebaya Vielga to Collabstore. Richard noted that his boutique currently houses around 42 fashion brands, 12 of which are from Indonesia. Meanwhile, Roemah Kebaya Vielga designer Vielga Wennida thanked KBRI KL for facilitating the strategic partnership between her fashion products and the Collabstore retail platform. Vielga said the kebaya brought to the Malaysian market are adapted to the culture and market demands of the neighbouring country. “We try to adjust Indonesian style with Malaysian style. Sometimes Malaysians prefer long kebaya. We have to see where the trend is heading, because there are many Muslims here, so we must match our designs with Muslim style,” Vielga said.