KUALA LUMPUR: Nigeria may be thousands of kilometres from Malaysia, but one woman’s love for West African fashion has led not only to a business of her own but to the Nigerian man she would eventually marry.
Shantarubini Kalaithasan, better known as Rubini, was already wearing Ankara prints before she met her husband, Zibai Williams Achi. Today, the Malaysian Indian and Nigerian couple run Ankara by Sutra Trading, a Kuala Lumpur-based business specialising in West African clothing.
Rubini, a former banker turned financial coach, first discovered African fashion out of personal interest. “I attend an African-led church in Ampang, where I would see people wearing these unique and vibrant prints. That was actually the first time I came across them,” she told FMT Lifestyle.
Among the textiles that caught her eye were Ankara, a factory-printed cotton fabric known for its bold wax-resist patterns, and Adire, a traditionally hand-dyed textile originating from Nigeria’s Yoruba people.
With help from Nigerian friends, Rubini initially ordered clothes for herself. When colleagues began asking where she had bought the eye-catching pieces, she realised there might be a business opportunity.
She began selling small quantities online around 2020 before taking the clothes to bazaars. The garments are made and tailored in Nigeria, supporting local artisans there.
According to Zibai, most of these sellers are not businessmen or women; "they are artisans just trying to make ends meet in a difficult economy".
Rubini’s fondness for African fashion caught Zibai’s attention after his elder sister, who had been living in Malaysia for years, showed him her social media profile.
“I saw a photo of her and I asked my sister, ‘Who is that? She looks good in Ankara!’ My sister said, ‘What’s beautiful, the Ankara or the girl?’ I said, ‘Both'," he told FMT Lifestyle with a laugh.
After getting to know each other through text messages, the pair met in person in late 2022 and married in October 2024.
Their wedding celebrated both cultures, with Rubini wearing a lehenga for the Indian ceremony before changing into Nigerian attire, while Zibai wore an Indian jippa before switching to a traditional West African agbada.
That blending of cultures has also found its way into their business. Ankara and Adire remain at its heart, with ready-made kimonos, skirts, dresses and men’s T-shirts sold alongside custom-made pieces.
Additionally, Rubini is currently exploring designs that combine both Nigerian and Indian influences.
She also tries to keep prices relatively affordable, noting that Ankara garments in Malaysia can easily cost upward of RM200.
Their customers include Malaysians and Singaporeans, as well as Algerians, Egyptians and Nigerians living here. “We also have government officials here who like to pair our pieces with local batik,” Rubini said, noting that their pieces can be dressed up or worn more casually.
In 2024, the couple expanded beyond fashion, adding products such as raw shea butter, African black soap and raw honey.
Their latest venture is African Pantry, which made its debut at Malaysia VegFest 9.0 last month. The couple served vegan versions of egusi with fufu, jollof rice, puff puff and zobo - and quickly discovered there was plenty of appetite for them.
“On the second day of VegFest, Rubini had to come back home to cook because we ran out of food by 1pm. I was thinking, ‘Who is eating all this food?’” Zibai said.
Customers began asking where they could find the food after the festival, prompting the couple to consider turning African Pantry into a more permanent venture, possibly even a café.
“I like Malaysian food as well, so it felt good to see people here showing an interest in and appreciating my culture and food,” Zibai added.
Although Zibai’s two years in Malaysia have not been without challenges, he said the welcome he received from Rubini’s family was an unexpected source of comfort.
“They were very supportive from the beginning, and I was so surprised with how close-knit they were,” he shared.
That support was easy to see at VegFest, where Rubini’s mother and aunt helped out at the African Pantry booth.
For now, the couple continue to operate mainly online from Sentul, but they hope to eventually grow Ankara by Sutra Trading into a physical boutique, while seeing just how far their food venture might take them.
Follow Ankara by Sutra Trading on Instagram.