Hari Raya Puasa, is the one occasion muslims in Malaysia look forward to every year. It’s an annual occasion that we put in the extra effort to plan or organise. Why is Raya so important? For as long as I can remember, Raya is like THE celebration that we planned for months in advance. The excitement starts as early as from the first day of Ramadhan. As a child, I often heard, “Raya nanti…(insert plans)..” from my mother’s conversation with my father or her siblings. As a child, I looked forward to Raya because that’s when I see all my cousins (so many of them), and get to know my extended families (which kept growing and to be honest, I still can’t keep up with their names). Time flies and times have changed. As an adult and also a parent, I now make Raya plans in advance too. As employees, we plan on taking turns with colleagues on taking leave. As parents, we make plans on what our kids will wear, and what to cook, and when to host an open house (and suddenly you’ve become an event planner - what china to use, what flowers to buy, what food to serve etc). With the advancements of technology, our practices and dynamics have changed too. However, the essence of Raya celebration remains constant - it’s an occasion to celebrate and embrace love, family, culture and tradition. 
What was Raya like for you as a child? For me, Raya is not just about that one day celebration. My bittersweet Raya memories include my childhood experience of Ramadhan as well, the days leading up to Hari Raya. I used to eat my cereal half asleep for sahur, and while fasting during the day, I was easily tempted with any visuals or description of food. I would come home from school, with only 10% energy left, dragging my feet home, as if I was about to collapse from hunger, dramatic and all. As an adult, now my role has changed, and now I plan and prepare for buka puasa menu for my little family. I don’t know if it’s just me, but do you also suddenly have cravings for all the traditional food during buka puasa and Raya? I guess we all do, right? That’s why Pasar Ramadhans exist - for us!
Now let’s talk about cousins. I grew up spending a lot of time with my cousins. They were a huge part of my social life growing up. Some cousins grow to be your bff, but some annoy the heck out of you, some are really sweet and some are overly competitive. But jokes aside, I love my cousins. Raya was THE occasion that all of us gathered at our grandparents’ and played all day. It was like a massive sleepover party, where all of us slept in the living room,… and oddly, we didn’t mind having to share ONE bathroom. We looked forward to explore the kampung, take fun dips in the river, and watch tv shows together. Maximising the time spent with my cousins meant so much to me, that I would get so annoyed if we arrived last (FOMO started early for me). On Raya day, we would go around the kampung and visit the neighbours - who also happen to be our relatives, and get, “ni anak siapa?” A LOT. But funny how things have now reversed and I find myself asking who that child belongs to, and struggling to remember names and keeping track of my family members! But that’s also the essence of Raya isn’t it? It’s the time and also a reminder for us to be aware of the changes in our family dynamics and also realise how you’ve grown and moved into difference phases in life.
For this season, Kissahh Raya 22 celebrates the true essence of Hari Raya. Our pieces are based on the recollection of your fondest Raya memories. We see the importance of family values and have expanded our collection to include men’s and children’s wear. We also see how young adults and parents have different needs and priorities, hence we offer a wider range for women’s wear. Sustainability is key, and Kissahh Raya 22 collection is designed to be your pick not only for Ramadhan and Syawal, but also for days long after. Wear them together as a set, or separately, our pieces are practical and versatile enough to complement your existing wardrobe staples, so that you’ll wear us more often and longer. Discover and learn more about our new collection in our website www.kissahh.com.
Since the pandemic started in 2020, so much have happened and so much have changed. We were tested with so much uncertainty and so many challenges. The world has adapted to these changes and now, our new normal looks a little different than before. Nevertheless, in the midst of all these chaos and uncertainty, it’s a good practice to acknowledge how we are also blessed in so many ways and there’s always so much to be grateful for. Hari Raya, reminds us to be grateful for all of our blessings: love, family, culture and tradition. To all our muslim brothers and sisters, Kissahh wishes all of you a blessed and joyful Ramadhan, and we hope everybody has memorable Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year.