Class in Session: SHALS Presents “Becoming 101”
A quiet exploration of style, identity, and growth.
Text and Photos by Kerol Izwan.
Mondays rarely begin with this kind of intentional energy. While most are adjusting back into the rhythm of routine, I spent mine in a classroom reimagined through the lens of fashion, identity, and personal discovery. SHALS School, a non-official initiative by Shalma Ainaa—the founder and creative director of the fashion label SHALS—invited its community to participate in an experience that felt at once reflective and quietly radical.
Titled “Becoming (101): Class in Session,” the half-day programme was not an event in the traditional sense. It was a curated syllabus, an intimate offering that explored how education and fashion could intersect meaningfully. Guests were invited to slow down and observe. To listen and ask. To look beyond trend and think in terms of personal growth.
The day unfolded in chapters. It began with Syed Faizal Syed Noh, a makeup artist known not just for his skill, but for his sensitivity to mood and personality. His session, “Match the Mood,” was less about technique and more about alignment—making how we present ourselves resonate with how we feel. It was followed by stylist Zulvanny Andiny, who unpacked “The Effortless Cool Look” with clarity and ease. Her take on personal style centered not around aesthetics alone, but about allowing space for confidence to emerge quietly. Finally, Mughni Che Din closed the session with a fresh approach to menswear. Practical, polished, and modern, his styling offered a more nuanced view of how masculinity moves through fabric and form.
The setting played a silent but vital role. Hosted at the mezzanine floor of Emax Beauté, a space SHALS often collaborates with, the venue was dressed in simplicity but spoke volumes. It functioned as a classroom, then gently transitioned into an exhibition hallway, leading to the shared showroom with Decorté, a Japanese beauty label known for its refined skincare, make up and fragrance. More than just a location, it was a spatial narrative—a layout that mirrored the unfolding of the day.
The session drew emotional weight from SHALS’ own campaign, Coming of Age, a deeply personal expression from Shalma herself. It isn’t about adolescence or transition, but about ongoing transformation—growing into oneself through curiosity, community, and lived experience. “Becoming 101” became a natural extension of that idea, turning the classroom into a space for reflection, self-styling, and connection.
As expected, no school is complete without recess. But here, it came with its own aesthetic twist. Lunch was served in communal fashion—a long table filled with slices from Phil’s Pizza and refreshing blends from Murray’s Smoothies. It was familiar and comforting, styled with intention, echoing the core of the experience: finding something meaningful in the everyday.
SHALS School did not just teach or style or showcase. It reminded us that fashion, when stripped from the noise, still has the power to educate, to reflect, and to connect. And sometimes, the most unexpected spaces—like a classroom on a Monday—can become the most transformative.
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