Songket and batik
Syomirizwa Gupta merges his Indian and Indonesian heritage in for Holiday 2018. PLAY AND PRACTICAL
Making its second appearance at KLFW RTW, DD Collective served practical clothing at its best. The label played up pop graffiti prints and fresh floral fix in combos of summer dresses, cropped tops, pleated midi skirts and pants.
Known for his simple yet slick clothing and footwear, Sarawakian designer Maatin Shakir went for simple cuts and effortless looks in clash pairings of animal prints and muted colours, mainly in beige and black.
This year also marked his first collaboration with maker of upcycled bags Biji-Biji Bags and Sarawak’s jewellery brand CynT.
Ana Abu likewise made it to the runway at Pavilion KL, presenting tunic tops with embroidered silhouettes of faces, oversized hoodies and an outstanding pleated jumpsuit.
Loose cuts as favoured by the label can be tricky to pull off lest the outfits look like sacks on legs but they were done so well that even KLFW RTW head honcho Andrew Tan was clapping enthusiastically.
There was a strong menswear vibe at Ezzati Amira, as the designer showed oversized suits in a grey chequered pattern and reconstructed shirts with enlarged pockets.
Her voluminous maxi dresses in floral prints don’t feel particularly girlish either, even as she worked with typically feminine styles and patterns.
ROOTS AND ROLL
Speaking of menswear, Tarik Jeans opened its show with a model covered in gold glitter wearing a songket sampin belted by a fanny pack. On his head is a denim tanjak.
The collection is called Nusa Bencana, and amidst all that blue jeans the show could easily turn into a disaster of archipelagic proportion, but there was enough attitude and restraint to see things through.
On the other side of the songket and batik spectrum is Adila Long. The designer showcased DiaRevival, her first luxe readyto-wear collection.
Featuring 18 looks in a variety of black and coral orange shades, the designs redefined the meaning of elegance with modern cuts and smart layering of traditional textures with appliqué detailing.
Meanwhile, top marks to Syomirizwa Gupta on a fresh and culturally-rich collection that merges his Indian and Indonesian roots, in recognition of a familial heritage that is not that uncommon in Malaysia and yet increasingly lost to society’s standard of modern Malay homogeneity.
Batik and kain pelikat pieces in vibrant colours are transformed as tops, dresses, jackets and trousers in a manner that flatter both the pattern and the clothing style.
Meanwhile, his maxi skirts are cut like lenghas, and he paired dresses over loose pants on a spin of the Punjabi suit. One dress features a bare left shoulder and fabric draping over the right, in a style not unlike a classic saree.