Super Scha

Charismatic fashion chameleon Scha Alyahya embodies the duality of her Gemini star sign to perfection. We speak to the multifaceted celebrity on the importance of family, the price of fame and what it means for her to win Malaysia Tatler’s Most Stylish Woman Award 2019

- Lily Ong

While she can come across as cold and aloof at first impression, I can attest that Scha Alyahya is in fact a warm, animated and goofy soul. Her younger sister Marissa Alyahya has this to say about Scha. “Although she never wears her heart on her sleeve, don’t be deceived by her ‘lack of emotion.’ She cannot bear to see anyone in pain because she has such a delicate heart. At the same time, she is quite tough and fierce, too! I will never forget how she would protect and shield me from bullies during high school!”

Her longtime makeup artist and friend Khir Khalid agrees to this description of Scha’s unique duality. When Scha found out that Khir was supposed to be in Kuching on the date of our cover photo shoot, she generously booked a flight for him to return to Kuala Lumpur. Why? She wanted him to share in her moment of being crowned as Malaysia Tatler’s Most Stylish Woman 2019. “That’s Scha for you. She is fiercely loyal to those she loves,” says Khir fondly.

Scha and I bonded quickly after discovering we were both born and bred in the same hometown—Sungai Petani, Kedah. The second child in a brood of four siblings, Scha grew up surrounded with love and freedom. “My siblings and I spent carefree days with our friends, riding bikes and playing games. We would only return home after the street lights came on. The freedom to take risks and chance to explore new things taught me how to be responsible and independent from a young age, for which I am grateful that my parents allowed us to experience such a ‘free-range’ childhood,” she says.