By Aida Aziz
Credit photo Puan Aspekraf
TAIPING: The International Ipoh Fashion Week (IIFW), held in Taiping, known for its rain trees (samanea saman), has successfully showcased the charm of six young models from Riau, Indonesia.
Entering its sixth season, the IIFW took place over two days, on October 25 and 26.
A total of 11 designers from Malaysia, Morocco, Thailand, and Indonesia participated in this prestigious event.
The spotlight was certainly on the young models from Indonesia, aged between 7 and 11 years.
Representatives from Riau, Indonesia presented three outfits designed by Puan Aspekraf, an organisation focused on batik production and weaving in Riau.
According to Chairman of Puan Aspekraf, Irna Juita stated the three outfits included the ‘batik kiambang bertaut’ designed by Syarifah Aida and ‘batik kloso’ by Lisdayanti and Nora.
“Our participation aims to elevate Riau’s textile art to the international level.
“Textile art refers to traditional Indonesian fabrics that possess high artistic and cultural value.
“Each region in Indonesia has its own unique types of textile art, including batik, songket, and ikat weaving.
“These fabrics not only serve as clothing but also contain symbols that reflect the customs and culture of a region,” she said here today.
The opening event of IIFW and the dinner held at Taiping Perdana Hotel on October 25 attracted over 500 guests from various backgrounds.
“We showcased woven garments with a festive theme, featuring motifs of the ‘kapal lancang kuning’ and ‘siku di awan.’
“This was complemented by woven bags from Glambag, which captivated the attending guests,” she said.
The beautiful outfits were modelled by young Riau talents, including Raja Alesha Zahra, Viona Ramadhani, Chloe, Syallove from Pekanbaru, and Alif and Kayla from Tembilahan Riau.
Notably, adult models like Sri Mekka, Sri Delvita, Alfiah, Sriyari, Lisdayanti, and the coordinator from Puan Aspekraf also participated.
During the event, the coordinators and designers from Puan Aspekraf, including Lisdayanti, Nora, and Syarifah Aida, received certificates from Kamarudin Mat Arsad, Head of Corporate Affairs, Public Relations, and Tourism at the Taiping Municipal Council.
Meanwhile, on the second day, held at Raintree Walk, Taiping Lake Park, all 12 models showcased outfits featuring the kloso fish motif.
The newly launched ‘batik kiambang bertaut’ from the recent International Riau Fashion Week also captured much attention.
These casual designs were modelled by the six young talents alongside six models from Kuala Lumpur, including Dalina Azis, Solmaz, Yasmin Zaini, Hana Zamri, Jeni Rahmadial, and Nihal.
The event was further enlivened by musical performances created by Datin Seri Syarifah Darmiati Aida, sung by Rita Agustin and Fivien Novita.
