A world where every woman can reclaim her comfort. This is what we’re setting out to achieve with Rawbought, our Singapore-based sleepwear label. A brand that focuses on getting that perfect blend of style and comfort, and not compromising on either even in the bedroom.
We sit down with the sisters behind Rawbought to dig a little deeper into their beginnings, motivations, and what comfort really means to them.
Tell us about yourselves, and how you grew up in the fashion industry.
Amira: I’m Amira, the youngest sister. Our parent company was started by our parents back in 1993; it started out as a sweater manufacturing company and has since expanded. We supply to some of the largest apparel companies, primarily in Europe and the United Kingdom.
Soukaina: I’m Soukaina, the second sister. I’ve always loved the fashion industry and used to tell our father that, when I grow up, I want to be his assistant. From a very young age, I used to spend most of my days after school at the office and always saw myself in this industry.
Boutaina: I’m Boutaina, the eldest sister, and mum to three amazing kids. My memories go back to doing my schoolwork on my father’s desk in our very first factory. There really was never any doubt as to what career I would choose to pursue. I’ve spent my whole working life trying to learn aspects of the manufacturing side of the business, and now, we as sisters together, want to dip our toes into the retail side.
What inspired/influenced you to launch Rawbought?
A: Growing up behind the scenes of the clothing industry gives you a very different perspective to fashion. I’ve never been that fascinated by trends or what’s happening on the runways. I don’t even consider myself a highly fashionable person! I’m someone who loves dressing well, but never at the cost of comfort. And with comfort comes quality. Seeing clothes being stitched throughout your entire childhood makes you nit-pick every little detail and demand only the best.
It’s these two perspectives that inspired us to start Rawbought, we wanted clothes that deliver on comfort with no compromises made to quality.
S: We know the process that goes into making clothing and are very passionate about it, every step of the way. We wanted to share this knowledge as a way to give our customers the assurance that they’re getting the best quality products, as well as the comfort of knowing that we take care of our own people. We definitely wanted to make the whole manufacturing process more transparent to the public.
B: As the second generation coming into the business, we always knew that we wanted to go into retail. It’s been a long road and we drew inspiration along the way. Inspiration about hard work, honesty and persistence, for me, came from our parents and my husband. Inspiration on how to do things differently and not to be afraid of trying new things, came from my sisters.
What does comfort mean to you?
A: Comfort to me is confidence. I want to feel comfortable both physically and mentally. Things need to feel good against my skin, but I want to be confident enough in it to not feel caught off guard if someone rings the doorbell unexpectedly. Comfort is not only about what lies on your skin, but also being comfortable in your own skin.
S: I agree. Comfort to me means being able to wear a piece of clothing and feel confident in it. Whether it’s comfortable to lounge in or confident to meet people in, comfort to me is to just be at ease in your outfit. I believe being comfortable shouldn’t compromise on how you look. So, I try to find a happy medium between looking good and feeling good inside and out.
B: Nowadays comfort for me, are my Rawbought PJs :)
How do you strike a balance between comfort and style?
A: For me, I don’t need to be up to date with the freshest trends or fads to be stylish. Style is all about owning what you’re in. You can be stylish in whatever you’re in as long as you’re comfortable and you feel confident. It’s in how you walk and how you move, style is what you feel best in.
S: For me, style and comfort is very much a personal feeling. What’s comfortable or stylish to me is very different to my sisters. I think that’s something the Rawbought line will highlight. It’s going to have very different styles that’ll represent the different perspectives we each have on style and comfort.
B: I don’t necessarily strike a perfect balance between comfort and style every time. Comfort and the quality of the fabric always comes first for me when I am buying clothes, and if it is stylish, then that’s an added bonus.
What sets Rawbought apart from other sleepwear brands in the market today?
A: Rawbought understands women. We want every woman to put on our PJs and for them to feel just as beautiful as they did when they got ready that morning. We make our own PJs special, so that you feel special. We have full control over our supply chain so we can ensure that you’re getting the very best, because that’s what you deserve.
S: Rawbought is not just about selling sleepwear, but the experience of a heightened sleep. Just like how skincare is an important step in your nighttime routine, we want choosing sleepwear to be a step in that routine as well. We should be taking care of and loving our bodies as much as we do our skin, and sleepwear plays a huge role in making that happen.
B: I agree, we want your Rawbought sleepwear to be an integral part of your night-time, wind-down routine.
What does Rawbought want to achieve?
A: We want women to feel amazing every time they put our PJs on, and feel like they’re doing an act of self-care to make them feel good and sleep better to have an amazing day to follow. Because they deserve that.
S: We want to be known as the go to sleepwear brand. We want to be associated with self-love, great quality and empowering strong women.
B: If we can achieve a loyal customer base, and we can live up to their expectations of great quality, great customer care and great sleep, I would consider Rawbought a success.