08/02/2026

ON SUNDAY February 8, 2026 VI theSunday Special

A closer look at brands that many assume came from overseas Malaysian brands that sound foreign

W ITH the current rise in the cost of living, we always have to watch our spend ing. Gone are the days of ordering takeaways every single night at home, spending hundreds upon hundreds on weekend shopping sprees and stopping for an RM18 cof fee before work every morning. We are now more conscious about every single cent that we spend. Discount shopping, thrifting and swapping with friends are just some of the ways to ensure we can still have nice things without emptying our bank accounts. Another way to go about this is by buying local brands. There are so many established local brands that have been trusted for years and have indeed become our staples. From condiments and instant noodles to restaurants and electronics, ORFDO EUDQGV WRGD\ R̆ HU SURGXFWV RI HTXDO TXDOLW\ WR LQWHUQDWLRQDO EUDQGV ZH MXVW assumed were better because they were imported. I W LV TXLWH HDV\ WR VSRW ORFDO EUDQGV BY HANNEF ESQUANDER

from their brand names. It could be a local Malay word or the founder’s name. Local products usually come at lower price points. But there are also homegrown brands that adopt a more international appeal and aesthetic to perhaps get on the same level as internationally renowned brands. It is hard to say if these brands are trying to pass as imported brands, but this tends to confuse consumers. Are we buying an Italian handbag or a design from a local heritage brand? Does this restaurant have a chain in America and Europe as well? These are some of the local brands that have such a strong international appeal that we could not help but think they were imported.

M DQKDWWDQ )LVK 0DUNHW The seafood chain started as The Fish Shop, a popular New Zealand franchise, back in 2002. A few years later, when The Fish Shop withdrew support for Malaysia, the owners, George Ang, 'LFNVRQ /RZ DQG -H̆ UH\ *RK GHFLGHG to rebrand their restaurants as Man

hattan Fish Market. The Fulton Fish Market inspired the name in Lower Manhattan, New York. It was a bold PRYH WKDW SDLG R̆ 7RGD\ WKH UHVWDX rant has expanded across Asia and the Middle East, with outlets in Singapore, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Qatar and the Maldives, to name a few.

Ogawa The story of Ogawa began in 1996 with D KHDOWK DQG ZHOOQHVV HTXLSPHQW company set up by Wong Lee Ke ong and Lim Poh Khian. Ogawa is a Japanese word meaning ‘stream’, which serves as the

S DQ )UDQFLVFR 6) &R̆ HH There is an American company called 6DQ )UDQFLVFR %D\ &R̆ HH EXW LW KDV nothing to do with Malaysian SF Cof IHH 7KH FR̆ HH FKDLQ ZDV IRXQGHG LQ E\ $EGXO 5DKLP =LQ D FR̆ HH HQ WKXVLDVW ZLWK D EDFNJURXQG LQ ¿QDQFH He chose the name San Francisco after he visited the American city and

Bonia One of the most well-known luxury handbag brands in Malaysia, it is easy to mistake Bonia for an Italian brand due to its name and brand aesthetic. Bonia is a brand founded by Malaysian businessman Sang Sem Chiang. He started designing, manufacturing and selling leather goods in 1974. Drawing inspiration from the artwork of Giambologna, a renowned Italian Renaissance artist, the company Bonia Corporation Berhad was finally established in 1994. Bonia now has over 700 outlets across Asia. Sembonia, Carlo 5LQR DQG %UDXQ %X̆ HO DUH WKUHH RWKHU brands owned by Bonia. Over the years, the brand has also revamped its image to better align with the lifestyles and tastes of younger generations. to stand out from competitors at the time. Abdul worked long hours in the beginning, doing almost everything on his own while ensuring every cup RI FR̆ HH VHUYHG PHW KLV TXDOLW\ VWDQ GDUGV 'HFDGHV ODWHU 6) &R̆ HH LV RQH RI WKH IDYRXULWH FR̆ HH FKDLQV LQ WRZQ with more than 20 branches across the country.

basis of the company’s philos ophy. That is the idea of a river originating at a source and spreading outward. Known for its massage chairs, Ogawa has a distribution network of 1,000 retail outlets across more than 20 countries worldwide.

L HZUp It is easy to mistake Lewré for the Italian brand Loewe, but the shoe brand is named after its designer and founder, Lewre Lew. He founded the label back in 1997, amid WKH JOREDO ¿QDQFLDO FULVLV :LWK QR DFWXDO design background, the same boy who grew up on a rubber plantation managed to gain the world’s attention for his brand. Lewré shoes have been worn by the likes of Kate Middleton, Michelle Yeoh, Siti Nurhaliza and Shila Amzah. Today, the brand has expanded with the designer’s daughter, Tricia Lew’s, very own brand, aiming to cater to the younger clientele. Lewré shoes were available in several countries worldwide at one point.