19/08/2025

TUESDAY | AUG 19, 2025

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Unique Labuan batik showcases island heritage LABUAN: Labuan batik is set to step onto Malaysia’s fashion stage before making its mark internationally, celebrated for its vibrant colours, floral and marine-inspired motifs and deep connection to the island’s cultural heritage. With distinctive artistry and innovative techniques, the craft is gaining momentum as one of Labuan’s most promising cultural exports. The newly established Labuan Warisan (Lawa) Craft Gallery, officially opened by Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, on July 27, has quickly become a must-visit destination for both local and international visitors. Within just weeks of its opening, the gallery has become a cultural hub, offering a first-hand look at the creative process behind batik -making and serving as a showcase of Labuan’s distinctive artistry. Visitors can watch artisans at work, learn about the painstaking stages of batik production and purchase pieces that carry the island’s identity. Labuan batik stands apart for its innovative use of sago, a starch extracted from the pith of the sago palm ( metroxylon sagu ), as the primary resist material in place of conventional candle wax. Applied with a canting or brush, sago creates intricate patterns while being environmentally friendly and abundant in Labuan. This eco-conscious choice not only strengthens the island’s sustainability credentials but also sets Labuan batik apart as an art form that reflects its unique natural resources. At the forefront of this movement is Mastura Abd Razak, 44, a Labuan-born Bruneian and the sole batik entrepreneur on the island. Trained by the Sabah branch of the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation (Kraftangan Malaysia), Mastura operates the business with her husband Abd Rahmad Abd Malik, 45, who is from Sarawak. The couple’s workshop at Lawa has become a focal point for cultural appreciation, skill transfer and heritage preservation. Mastura has also begun receiving orders from government agencies and corporate sectors, in addition to serving individual customers. Their enterprise enjoys full support from the Federal Territories Department, whose backing has enabled the expansion of batik promotion initiatives and the participation of Labuan batik in local and regional exhibition. Mastura believes such support is crucial to raising the profile of Labuan batik nationally and internationally. – Bernama

Highlighting beauty of east coast traditional attire

KUALA LUMPUR: The beauty of the traditional clothing of the peninsula’s east coast region was the main inspiration behind Zachrin Jaafars’ showcase at the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW) 2025 here recently. The Perak-born young designer’s collection highlighted Malaysia’s traditional cultural heritage with a contemporary touch, proving that east coast traditions can be commercialised and adapted as casual or everyday wear. “Instead of just introducing songket , this time I wanted to empower all aspects of east coast culture. During my fashion show in the United States, it was more about fashion, but now (at KLFW), I want to make sure international audiences are interested in buying our songket . “That’s why during the show, guests could see how songket can also be turned into skirts, hats and shoes,” Zachrin, who has a degree in fashion design from Universiti Teknologi Mara, told Bernama, adding that the entire collection was completed in less than a month with meticulous attention to ensure its authenticity. Not wanting KLFW 2025 to be just another fashion show, Zachrin introduced something different by opening the event with a seven minute mak yong (Malay traditional dance drama) performance, led by Rosnan Abdul Rahman, to further enliven the traditional atmosphere. By retaining the original choreography, music and costumes of the heritage dance, Zachrin said the performance offered fashion enthusiasts a rare opportunity to witness firsthand an art form seldom presented to the public. “Not everyone has seen mak yong because it is very exclusive and refined. So I took this o Young designer showcases songket collection with contemporary touch at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week

Zachrin said he has chosen to interpret his designs through the ‘sunset’ concept as a metaphor for his life journey and career in fashion. – BERNAMAPIC

continuation international presentation of traditional attire at the Malaysian Songket Day Exhibition in Washington DC last year. “I showcased 12 collections in the United States, but now I’ve brought them back home with 18 more so that everyone here can see a larger version of them. In the US our goal was more to introduce Malaysian culture to an international audience, so the focus was on tradition and heritage with a modern touch. “If I had created something too modern over there, like here at KLFW, foreigners might not recognise our culture or know what songket is. “So for KLFW this time, I chose the theme ‘Manifestation’, which leans towards imagination, envisioning how this collection might look if brought to runways elsewhere, such as New York,” he said. of his

chance to help people better understand what mak yong is, while also showcasing the beauty of songket in the performance,” he said. In bringing the east coast fashion to the stage, the designer chose to interpret it through the ‘sunset’ concept as a metaphor for his life journey and career in fashion. Explaining the meaning behind the concept, Zachrin said the sunset, which can only be admired for a brief moment, symbolises rare golden opportunities – a reminder for him to seize them bravely despite facing various challenges. “That’s why for this runway, I combined elements of sunset with waves, reflecting the ups and downs I’ve faced in work, finances and other areas,” he said, adding this was his third appearance at KLFW. He also viewed this showcase as a