How Indonesian fashion brand Saya built a cult following with a signature dress that went viral

When the photos started flooding in, Ines Aryaniputri wasn’t prepared for what she was seeing.

Women were wearing Eila (Hebrew for bright, shining light) – the backless maxi slip dress from Saya’s very first collection – everywhere. On tropical holidays. At destination weddings. In maternity shoots and sunset dinners.

On social media, the sexy yet roomy dress had taken on a life of its own, far beyond anything Aryaniputri, 34, had imagined when she and her co-founder Dharu Dwihutami, 35, conceived it as a simple warm-weather piece for their womenswear brand.

They had tapped into a growing appetite for clothing that felt distinctly suited to life in Southeast Asia.

“Suddenly everyone was wearing it and tagging us,” recounted Aryaniputri to CNA Lifestyle via an email interview. “It quickly became our signature piece.”

That was in 2020. Saya – which means me in Malay – was barely months old, launched during the height of a global pandemic. Yet the viral success of Eila revealed something the founders themselves were only beginning to understand: They had tapped into a growing appetite for clothing that felt distinctly suited to life in Southeast Asia – pieces that were light enough for the heat, versatile enough for travel, and polished enough for life’s special occasions.

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS BY TRAINING

Aryaniputri, who oversees creative and marketing direction, and Dwihutami, who leads business and operations, met while studying graphic design in Jakarta.

Fashion was never the original plan.

Instead, the pair bonded over a shared appreciation for design and aesthetics, bringing together complementary strengths that would later shape the company. “Our first impression was that we had very different, almost contrasting personalities,” said Aryaniputri. “But those differences complemented one another. Where one of us is detail-driven, the other brings big-picture energy.”

Their design education proved surprisingly relevant. Years spent studying colour theory, composition and visual storytelling would eventually inform everything from Saya’s branding and campaign imagery to the silhouettes and proportions of its clothing.

“Our education gave us a strong foundation in visual communication and problem-solving,” said Aryaniputri. “Those skills became essential in building Saya’s aesthetic, branding and overall identity.”

Our best-selling pieces were often worn for specific occasions – pre-wedding shoots, maternity photos and holidays.

For Aryaniputri, fashion had been part of her life long before university. Growing up, she watched her mother run a children’s gown business, absorbing lessons in craftsmanship almost by osmosis. “Her eye taught me to notice proportion, fabric and subtle details,” she said. “It made me value a curated, cohesive look over chasing trends.”

The idea for Saya emerged gradually through years of friendship and conversation. By 2018, the pair were discussing how they might channel their shared sensibilities into a brand of their own. Two years later, they launched the label with a small collection and a simple mission: To create thoughtful, design-led clothing for women living in warm climates.

FROM LOUNGE WEAR TO OCCASION WEAR

The timing of Saya's launch could hardly have been more uncertain. The pandemic had fundamentally changed how people dressed, prompting the founders to focus initially on elevated loungewear.

“We saw a gap for well-made, thoughtful pieces that feel both comfortable and refined,” said Aryaniputri. “Clothing that works at home, for video calls, or for quick getaways.”

It was a practical response to the moment, but also an opportunity to learn. “Loungewear let us experiment with shape, fabric and fit while working in small batches alongside local makers,” she said. “It allowed us to learn our craft properly.”

As restrictions eased, however, the founders discovered that customers weren’t just wearing Saya at home. “We noticed our best-selling pieces were often worn for specific occasions – pre-wedding shoots, maternity photos and holidays,” said Aryaniputri.

For us, femininity is about softness, detail and celebrating the body’s natural lines.

The collections evolved beyond their loungewear roots, introducing more structured dresses, tailored separates and refined finishing details. Today, Saya’s aesthetic sits comfortably between resort wear and occasion wear. There are bias-cut dresses that skim the body, fluid separates that transition effortlessly from day to night, and subtle details – open backs, soft draping, carefully placed cut-outs – that feel alluring without being overly revealing.

“For us, femininity is about softness, detail and celebrating the body’s natural lines,” said Aryaniputri. “Sensuality is about subtleness and ease rather than overt sexiness.”

The pieces are also priced accessibly enough to wear regularly. Tops typically start at S$35, while dresses, skirts and trousers run between S$70 and S$140.

MADE IN INDONESIA

Although Saya’s appeal has expanded beyond its home market, its identity remains deeply rooted in Indonesia.

Both founders grew up in Jakarta, where dressing for humidity is a daily reality rather than a seasonal concern. The lightweight fabrics, breathable construction and relaxed silhouettes that define the brand are therefore less trend-driven choices than practical responses to the climate they know best.

Indonesia’s landscapes continue to inform the visual language of each collection. Bali, in particular, holds a lasting pull for Aryaniputri. “I see Bali as my second home,” she said. “Its beaches, colours and slower pace frequently influence our collections.”

Instead of obvious resort motifs, the island’s influence manifests through an overall sense of ease – clothing designed to move seamlessly between everyday life and travel, between city settings and coastal escapes.

Today, the pair is supported by a small team that develops collections from concept through to pattern-making. Every Saya garment is produced locally through the company’s own manufacturing team, a decision born from the challenges of its early years. Faced with inconsistent sourcing, production bottlenecks and pandemic-era supply chain disruptions, the founders eventually decided to bring production closer to home.

“Keeping production local lets us maintain tight quality control, iterate quickly on fit and samples, and ensure ethical working conditions," said Dwihutami.

The move has also allowed Saya to support local manufacturing while maintaining the consistency that has become central to its reputation.

DRESSING THE REGION

The success of Eila may have put Saya on the map, but a steady stream of repeat customers, growing international demand and an invitation to Jakarta Fashion Week 2024 confirmed that the label had evolved beyond its pandemic-era origins. “Being invited to Jakarta Fashion Week made it clear Saya could grow into a lasting brand," said Aryaniputri.

The label currently ships to markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Australia, the United States and Canada. Despite its growing international footprint, the founders remain focused on understanding how women across the region actually dress.

One of the most valuable opportunities came through Saya’s recent showcase at Dors at Design Orchard in Singapore, where the team engaged directly with customers outside Indonesia.

The experience highlighted both similarities and differences between markets. Singapore shoppers, Dwihutami observed, tended to spend more time researching fit and fabrication before purchasing. They were also generally more open to revealing silhouettes than customers in Indonesia.

“Separates and versatile pieces that transition day-to-night sold faster,” she said. “And we saw stronger interest in bolder colours than expected.”

Across markets, though, certain things remained consistent. “Customers favour clean, understated silhouettes and breathable fabrics suited to tropical weather,” said Aryaniputri. “They care about fit and quality.”

Those insights are shaping Saya’s next chapter. Free shipping now extends across Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, while the founders continue to explore future pop-ups, retail partnerships and longer-term opportunities in the region.

What the founders want, ultimately, is for Saya to stand for something beyond its zip code – a different idea of what Indonesian fashion can be. “Our goal is for Saya to be recognised globally as a label that is quiet but confident,” said Aryaniputri. “With pieces that people reach for in everyday life and special moments alike.”

Source: CNA/yy