" Cahaya means light in malay. Light is life; essential, interesting and unpredictable in different shapes and forms. It represents the essence of CAHAYA. "
— Founder Rain Chan

Founded in 2023 by Rain Chan, Cahaya Studios is a lifestyle brand rooted in texture obsession, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. Driven by a desire to revive the art of pleating, Cahaya Studios offers season-less, sculptural designs that simultaneously seek to innovate and honour heritage across ready-to-wear and homeware. Fostering a human connection with architecture and nature, each piece reflects a modern conscious approach that resonates with today's world by celebrating the beauty of texture.
A LOVE LETTER TO PLEATS
The story begins from an inspiring conversation with a pattern-maker in Savile Row, London. I confessed to him my love of pleats and he suggested I visit a pleat factory not far from the bustling city. I didn’t waste any time – I made my way and showed up at the pleat factory the very next day! And I left the pleat factory in awe and almost couldn’t believe what I had seen. The pleat factory was a wonderland for me! Having never felt so inspired or passionate about something, I decided to build a contemporary lifestyle brand that honours the ancient technique of pleating. A week later after the visit to the pleat factory, Cahaya Studios was born.
The modern wardrobe needs more solutions. How about something practical, easy to maintain, beautiful but still interesting? At last, I decided to create this season-less, everyday wardrobe – essential pieces for modern women like us who are seeking a timeless, efficient yet versatile style. It is designed for people to mix and match in any way to express themselves. Pleated garments are wrinkle-resistant. This means we can do away with constant ironing! Woohoo! You can pack them, take them out of your suitcase, and put them on – all in the same day, ready to go!
As a founder, I have the responsibility to make mindful decisions for my business. Nature has always been an inspiration for me and so sustainability sits at the heart of Cahaya Studios. A modern wardrobe solution to save time, energy and one which never goes out of fashion – reducing consumption for conscious living. Everything you see from our website is carefully made in London, with love. Cahaya Studios is not just a brand. It is a love letter to pleats. A community for pleat lovers. Our mission is to preserve and promote this legacy of pleating and pass it on to future generations. Long live the pleats!

With love,
Rain

A CONVERSATION BETWEEN PLEATER AND FOUNDER

THE ART OF PLEATING

Pleating is an ancient art of fabric manipulation that originated in Egypt. They were a symbol of power and luxury, adorned by the rich – queens and pharaohs. ‘Pleating’ or ‘Plisse’ alters the shape of fabric to create geometric patterns and stripes. It turns a bi-dimensional surface into a tri-dimensional pattern. 
Egyptians used the technique to decorate the ruler’s tunics. Pieces were created from natural fibers such as silk, cotton and wool. Back in the day, pleats could be kept in form by using egg whites or a liquid gum solution to solidify the fabric into the desired pleated effect. However, once washed, the fabric would need to be pleated all over again. Because of the time-consuming process and the luxurious materials used, pleated clothing was a symbol of power and wealth. 
Pleats remained an emblem of status into the Elizabethan Era and are very much representative of the period. They are highly visible in portraits of Queen Elizabeth and other nobles who wore pleated collars knowns as a ruff. While wearing a ruff, because of its stiffness, men and women had no choice but to hold their heads high to demonstrate confidence and pride. Their impracticality led them to become a symbol of wealth and status.
Today our pleats remain intact wash after wash due to the modernisation of fabrics as well as the invention of heat treatments. The ‘Permanent pleat’ was developed after the second World War. It exploits the thermoplastic nature of newly invented nylon and polyester. Pleating machines have also simplified the process and enabled mass production, although there are still a few pleaters who create the molds and pleat by hand.
There are two methods of pleating: hand and machine pleating. Each method enables different shapes to be created, as well as varying volumes, textures, colours and designs. Shades and patterns are wide-ranging resulting from the way the material is manipulated.
Unfortunately pleating has becoming a dying skill. There are very few pleaters left in U.K and we are working closely with the best pleater in the UK who has more than 47 years of experience in pleating.