Kelantan Batik

COVER STORY: All for Muslim fashionistas

SYIDA LIZTA AMIRUL IHSAN and ZUHAILA SEDEK

Fluid dresses, loose gown and chic turbans were the order of the day at the recently concluded Islamic Fashion Festival VIII 2009. SYIDA LIZTA AMIRUL IHSAN and ZUHAILA SEDEK were there.

FOR three days, eight shows were held to showcase the best of Muslim clothes — from formal wear to lingerie to swimwear — by designers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, Palestine and United Arab Emirates, among others.


The overall trend was that garments were loose and fluid. Some accented the dresses with embroidery, others with graphic prints. For head cover, most opted for the turban, which looked chic and decent.


But the general sentiment among fashion writers covering the show was that the foreign designers presented better collections than the locals.


Aside from Albert King, who reinterpreted evening gowns for Muslim women and Tom Abang Saufi, whose chic designs were reminiscent of fabulous holidays, few others left their mark.


However, Ghea Panggabean and Ida Royani from Indonesia charmed the crowd with their cool designs while Nadia Chawad from Morocco had designs that were rich and opulent.


We found it difficult to understand why some Malaysian designers couldn’t do as well considering that they are exposed to Muslim wear daily. And we have to say that adding head covers — more so the kinds that are unpractical and unpretty — do not necessarily add up to a beautiful Muslim women ensemble.


- NADIA CHAWAD — MOROCCO Her clothes were, in one word, opulent. They were mostly full-length, layered beautifully with long vests decked with stones and diamante and belted with wide sashes making them look like a cross between the Arabic abaya and the Japanese kimono.


The clothes were loose and the sleeves long and wide to encapsulate the Islamic element. We liked the layering effect because it made the clothes look more fluid and elegant and gave shape to the wearer.


While Chawad’s clothes lacked a close silhouette, she was ample in details, like white embroidery against a deep red outfit or an orange abaya decked with bling. A large paisley pattern on the chest accentuated plain fabric.


- think they looked like an alternative to evening dresses, intricate and stunning, and I suppose women looking for a decent version of a dinner gown for formal occasions could easily opt for her designs.

- ITANG YUNASZ — INDONESIA Famed for his busana Muslim (Muslim clothes), Itang Yunasz plays with drapes, pleats and gathers on shiny satin in his collection themed Souq Madinah to “give audience a feel of uniqueness brought by people from around the world to this famous market".


Itang used colours like orange, light pink, lime and grey to make the clothes both warm and cool... pretty much like bringing in the flavours of a market together. Beads and necklaces enhanced the designs to give them a glamorous quotient.


The pleats on satin made his clothes look more like dessert than something you’d wear but they were still feminine, but a small physique is needed to carry such voluminous clothes.


The clothes for men were decidedly more structured. His men’s tops were loose and pants airy. And a button-down tunic looked suited for weekends. And for a daring man, the orange jacket and matching skullcap would be quite cool.


- GALIA GALADARI — UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Galia took the black out of conservative Arab society and replaced it with clothes in rich, deep hues to bring on glamour. Her collection, themed Jewel of Arabia, presented abayas and kaftans in shades of semi-precious stones —- deep purple, red and rich green — which were further accented with crystals to make the outfits stunning.


Galia took the abaya, a traditional garment among Arab women and infused it with colours and tweaked it fashionably without losing its cultural element.


Her clothes were still loose, covering a woman’s body without revealing her figure.


They were matched with interesting turbans, skilfully folded, rendering them beautiful, head-turning accessories.


- DATUK TOM ABANG SAUFI — MALAYSIA Sarawakian veteran designer Tom sent her models on the runway in chiffon, crepe and chic turban, but the most powerful accessory of her show was the sunglasses, making them look like they were sashaying under the summer sun in some exotic destination.


Her clothes, by virtue that they were in chiffon and crepe, would flatter most figures. There was a sequinned dress in graphic pattern and a long, flowy chiffon dress.


The clothes for men were more related with tunics and kaftans dominating the show, further enhancing the holiday mood.


And on the hands of the models were bags and clutches created by singer Camelia — also from Sarawak — who designed a range of carriers for the brand.


- GHEA PANGGABEAN — INDONESIA When the first design came out on the runway, we knew that this was a collection to die for.


Ghea has succeeded with the designs she created, the embellishments and even the colour selections: magenta, turquoise and a combo of gold and black.


The collection’s theme was the Spirit of Marrakech where the beauty of the Middle Eastern Culture and scenery inspired the Indonesian designer. There were some exotic batik prints and the Middle Eastern influence was complemented by the Indonesian persona.


Out of all the designers who presented their clothes on that slot, she was the only one who received a long and loud applause.


- JENDELA KL — MALAYSIA Jendela KL’s collection for IFF was just average. The collection’s theme was Adornment and was designed by Jendela KL’s designer Faisol Abdullah.

The collection was about the addition of embellishments, accessories and finishing touches which enhanced the collection’s look. The headgear was nicely made but the colour selections were a bit dull.


Nevertheless, one of the designs — a baju kurung, with a white top and a red sarong — was stunning. It reminded us of a political party’s uniform.


- IDA ROYANI — INDONESIA The singer-turned-fashion designer certainly lived up to her reputation as one of Indonesia’s finest designers for Muslim clothing. Her strength is in making clothes that are well-made and practical.

The collection was themed A Touch of Ali Baba. The first ensemble was a top with Ali Baba pants which had pleats both front and back, making it sway as the model walked.


Ida Royani made good use of the jersey fabric, a fabric so loved by women for its ability to flatter the figure and hide unwanted bulge. She used jersey in her pants and kaftan designs.


Her clothes were beautiful and simple, easy enough for a woman to wear daily. And they looked comfortable, too.


- OSCAR LAWALATA — INDONESIA Themed “The Royal Legacy: The Magnificence of Baju Kurung", Oscar’s collection was simple as simple could be. He was probably trying to present his collection in its most “basic” way.


Despite the theme, they were only kebayas on the runway that night, which we don’t think could be called kurung.


Still, the colours were all in one tone and accompanied with Jakarta-style embroidery, making the designs pretty.


We think women in love with the intricate Indonesian embroidery so synonymous with the country will love the clothes.


They may look simple for the runway made for drama and spectacle, but for the woman who wears her kebaya daily, the dose of sulaman (embroidery) is adequate to vamp up her outfit.


- RADZUAN RADZIWILL — MALAYSIA Our very own Radzuan Radziwill is no stranger when it comes to designing kurung or evening gowns for Malaysian celebrities who are modest yet stylish.


We expected Radzuan to show us something different as we are all familiar with his style and designs.


However, there wasn’t much for his designs that day. Themed Imra Al Fulaanah, the collection was not bad but it was not great either.


The kimono-like style dress with the ribbon at the back was nice but there was no clear concept presented that night with his collection.


There was no consistency in the design and style, making it difficult to be remembered.


- ETRO — ITALY The theme of the collection was Byzantium Inspiration. This Italian designer was one of the few who showcased a men’s collection. And for that, he received a big round of applause by the men in the ballroom.


He incorporated burnished gold, bronze and copper in the designs. There were also detailed neckpieces and belts that were pleasant to the eye. Definitely a collection of practical clothes that could be worn by many.