Style: Islamic fashion to the fore

2009/11/23

SYIDA LIZTA AMIRUL IHSAN

The Islamic Fashion Festival is staging its eighth show beginning today. SYIDA LIZTA AMIRUL IHSAN speaks to its founder on the hopes and mission of the organisation. THE walls of the house in Taman Pinggiran Ukay were tacked with papers: designers list, show schedules, logistics arrangements. The workers were busy making last minute arrangements to make sure the three-day fashion show, which begins today, runs smoothly.

This is the eighth instalment of the Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta Islamic Fashion Festival, a threeyear- old event which showcases Islamic attire.

From a 20-designer show in 2006, the number has grown to more than 30 (this year) with designers from Jordan, Palestine, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates participating. The Islamic Fashion Festival (IFF) has, to date, featured more than 200 designers.

But first, a recap. The IFF was founded by Datuk Raja Rezza Shah from Kelantan who was a model and an actor in the 1980s. It held its first show in Kuala Lumpur in 2006 and eight months later, in Jakarta.

While Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta are permanent locations of the show, last year it was staged in Dubai and if all goes according to plan, next August, the show will take place in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

“I’m from Kelantan, arguably the most cultural and religious state in the country. I merge that with my entertainment background and that was how the IFF was born.

I want to bring busana Muslim (Muslim clothing) to the forefront of fashion,” said Raja Rezza, who is also the chairman of IFF.

His move came at a perfect time. Back in the 1970s, my dad told me that wearing the Islamic headgear — the tudung — was so non-mainstream that women wearing them would be associated with Islamic groups.

Three decades later, the tudung is synonymous with Muslim women, spawning trends like tudung Siti Nurhaliza and tudung Ekin (based on the celebrities who sport them). Covering up, as per Islamic teaching, has become the norm among Muslim women.

“But Malaysia does not have designers known for Muslim clothes, like Ida Royani in Indonesia, for instance. That is what I want to cultivate but there are several levels before I get there.” Raja Rezza’s pet project draws both admiration and criticism from both sides.

He has received positive feedback from consumers and designers saying it’s the first time Muslim clothing is shown collectively.

“Indonesian designers told me that after our show earlier this year, the demand for Muslim clothing rose by 80 per cent,” he said.

“But from certain quarters, people question the clothes — how tight they are or how much hair is allowed. I think covering up is a journey from ‘here’ to ‘there’. Often, people talk about ‘there’, but a lot of times, it is about the journey. It is your readiness to cover up,” he said.

“I want to tell the world that you can cover up and still look beautiful. I want to give choices to people and not judge them. Islam belongs to everyone. It is diverse and Muslim women are allowed to express themselves through fashion,” he said.

Eventually, he wants designers to design Muslim ensembles and not just put on head covers to suit the theme.

“After all, the tudung is an accessory. It makes you look completely different and designers can explore their creativity around it,” he said.

The IFF’s journey to Monte Carlo, said Raja Rezza, is attributed to its patron Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who, last summer, showed photos of some of the clothes featured at previous IFF shows to Monaco’s Prince Albert, who in turn, said that he loved them and agreed to have the show in Monte Carlo.

“We are slated for Aug 9 and so far, everything is proceeding as planned.

I hope the show will give Muslim clothes an even bigger platform,” he said.

Raja Rezza hopes to also show in Singapore. Next year, he is planning a show in a shopping centre to make it more accessible.

IFF has a showroom in JW Marriott Hotel in Jalan Bukit Bintang. Called Yajameel Couture, the place stores clothes presented during the fashion shows.

“When we think of Muslim clothes, we always think of Jalan Masjid India ... I want to bring it to another level, on par with other designer boutiques,” he said.

“I think in time, people will become more experimental. They will be braver. And once you have that interest, there will be demand and designers will be more creative.” “But that’s still a long way. Rome wasn’t built in a day,” he said.

Raja Rezza’s aim for IFF is to give Muslim clothing a platform in the fashion world. - Pictures by Hasriyashah Sabudin

Raja Rezza (back row, sixth from left) and Rosmah (seventh from left) with the participating designers and models at the launch of IFF recently.