KUCHING, Feb 21: Sarawak Swag (SWAK), the city’s first streetwear fashion show, held over the weekend to celebrate culture and creativity, hopes to inspire emerging and developing talents to pursue their passion in fashion and creative industries.
The show was organised by The Generations and Style Series as part of the Creatively Unique (CU) Sarawak event.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah was among the notable people that attended alongside 200 guests who were mainly key people of Sarawak’s fashion and lifestyle scene.
The Generations and organising chairperson of CU Sarawak, Aaron Kon said the SWAK fashion show is a showcase of emerging young Sarawakian talents erasing the boundaries between culture and fashion.
“By colouring Kuching City in a celebration of wearable arts and conventional glamour, we hope to inspire developing talents to pursue their passion in style.
“We are truly grateful for the great efforts from The Generations, its co-collaborative partners, Rotary Club Urban Kuching, Style Series and all other adjoining associations, we are proud to present our very first fashion show by local artists,” he said in a media release today.
Style Series founder Geraldine Sim added that despite SWAK being a Gen-Z empowerment movement, it has naturally evolved to being a cross-generational community project with its production team, backstage crew, models, designers and audience coming from a wide spectrum of generations, apart from encompassing all ethnicities, backgrounds, body sizes and genders.
“Through fashion we celebrate inclusion, acceptance, diversity, hard work, innovation, collaboration and above all, friendship. Essentially, the common thread that binds us all here today is we love our people and our homeland, Sarawak.
“Today’s (Feb 18) fashion show is one of the most meaningful events our team has ever worked on. My heart is full. In the crowd now, we have our Style Series founders, community and families–the most lit and fashionable crowd of Kuching. And among us, we have guests from Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Egypt, the United States, Philippines and Australia,” she said.
Style Series choreographer Yacub Taha emphasised that the SWAK fashion show was conceptualised to promote the young talents to showcase their work and creativity.
“Whether the designers or models are new or already successful, everyone has worked together with no differences. For us, Style Series is about youth talent capability development–the youth are physically strong, naturally more curious, and love taking risks. To keep up with this free spirit, it is essential to keep fuelling their dreams and ambitions,” he added.
The SWAK fashion show featured a sensational collection by Sarawak’s upcoming and accomplished designers Kesya Fatin, Maglissa, Sangon, Sade Morni, Neng Kho Razali, Mvntrv, Andy Sulaiman, HarizanK, By Lhuna, Keith Sim and Yacutha as well as designers from Indonesia – Archipelago Texture, Lurik Senthir and Nes by HDK. — DayakDaily
