Eva Ng was only 35 years old when she started her very own boutique fit fashion label, KISSYOURKNEES Asia 5 years ago after taking a sabbatical from corporate life and solo traveling around Southeast Asia.
“The inspiration for asian-inspired leggings came while I was traveling solo in Bali. Bali was a yoga haven for yogis but I noticed that they don’t have batik leggings (which Indonesia was well known for) and so I decided to start my very own label knowing that they would be wonderful for Instagram content and also souvenirs for the yogi or even travelers who love Southeast Asia,” Eva told BusinessToday in an exclusive interview.
Having always had a soft spot for animals and had been involved with rescue efforts, Eva realised that to be able to help them in a sustainable manner, she needed to build a social enterprise. This was also the calling to start her very own business.
Her journey
Having being severely impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown, and the low exchange rate of the RM against the USD, it made Eva’s sales drop and the increase in shipping charges also made production very costly.
“I must say entrepreneurship is a very lonely journey, but it was the best thing that I did for myself because it’s been a constant test of perseverance. It was (and still is!) tough love but personally very transformative,” added Eva.
What’s in store for KISSYOURKNEES?
“We are already in the midst of developing a few key products so in 5 years time I see myself expanding the business to include travelwear. It’s an upward trend where leggings are used in traveling as the material is wrinkle free, light and they dry quickly. The perfect traveling requirement!
We are also exploring creating yoga mats and accessories made from agriculture waste too.
One of our biggest dreams is connecting our work to the asian diaspora around the world. It’ll be a very exciting journey creating wellness products and mainstreaming fitness and travel content bringing Asia to the world!,” she said.
Eva’s advice to all women out there
With International Women’s Day approaching fast, Eva wants all women out there to go chase after their dreams no matter what.
“It’s never too late to start a business and women out there should know that we are so much more capable than what we know (or was told of) of ourselves. We think we’re not ‘techy’ enough, not experienced enough, not enough network, not enough funding, not enough everything! We are so hard on ourselves.
I just want every woman to know that the business WILL teach you. You just need the courage to start. You can start small and remember that the product doesn’t have to be perfect. You can still work on your product after launching your business,” concluded Eva.
