The MySarawak STYLE Challenge 2024 showcased designs aimed at addressing environmental issues head-on. Participants unleashed their creativity while championing eco-friendly initiatives, from reducing carbon footprints to embracing circular fashion practices.
Green Fashion
Sustainable fashion is being highlighted as a significant trend within the fashion industry to help reduce its negative environmental impacts.
A wide range of factors are being addressed, including reducing CO2 emissions, tackling overproduction, reducing pollution and waste, supporting biodiversity, and ensuring fair wages and safer working conditions.
In Kuching, we have the bold and stylish Dr Anna Sue, a designer for various fashion events over the past few years, to tell us what her event is all about.
The MySarawak STYLE Challenge 2024 was Dr Anna Sue’s first sustainable fashion design competition, held recently at the Sarawak State Library.
One of the most beautiful libraries in Malaysia, the state library serves as a community centre for knowledge and cultural entertainment, and it provided the venue for this sustainable fashion design competition.
In her address to the audience, Dr Anna Sue said, “The objective of the event is to educate and empower emerging Sarawak fashion talents about circular design techniques to minimise fashion’s negative environmental impacts.”
Open to all fashion enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds to create the unimaginable, challenge the conventional, and test creative expectations, her MySarawak STYLE Challenge 2024 provided a unique platform for those who want to experiment with sustainable fashion design.
Besides her work in the fashion industry, Dr Anna Sue, an academician and Industrial Advisor Panel member at the Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), emphasised that designers need to continue adapting and overcoming challenges despite the drastic changes in the business world. She believes that creative works of art contribute to the economic development of designers and the fashion industry as a whole.
She added, “Consumers’ behaviour, especially that of the new generation, has changed. We are now seeing an emerging trend of vintage or used clothing among our youngsters. This event can help develop the participants’ innovative thinking and let them experiment with ways to turn used materials and clothing into something more stylish, fresh, sellable, wearable, and affordable.”
Indeed, Gen Z and millennials are purchasing more second-hand items these days.
The event started in early April with an overwhelming number of entries. Nine finalists were selected for the final challenge, which took place at the Sarawak State Library on May 17.
The finalists were Raja Inai Sarawak, Harizan Khaider, Anijah Bt. Hj. Abdul Hadi, Sheila Butik, Gilbert Headhunter, Daliey Fazdly, Antonia Isabelle Anak Arthur Robert, Philip Reynold Anak Nihang, and Siaw Fatt Shen.
The finalists represented a good mix from the fashion industry, including practicing designers, individuals making a comeback into the fashion scene, and university students.
Besides promoting sustainable fashion, this competition also served an educational purpose as participants had to learn about this new sustainable concept while designing their creations.
Additionally, the event was organised in line with the Sarawak government’s aspiration regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sarawak aims to continue leading the green economy agenda in the region for sustainable development, aligning with the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) and the United Nations’ (UN) SDG initiatives.
SDGs comprise 17 action plans with 169 associated targets, outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted by all UN Member States in 2015.
As an industry player, Dr Anna Sue firmly believes in the importance of supporting the state government to achieve these goals and in collaborating with state government agencies.
The event received immense support from Majlis Seni Sarawak and the Sarawak State Library, which facilitated the event.
Entertainment was provided by the Prodigy orchestra, and two students performed some beautiful songs.
Taking everything into account, the MySarawak STYLE CHALLENGE 2024 provided a valuable platform for creators and designers to push the boundaries of design while showcasing their creativity.
The competition featured an indoor judging session conducted by experts from various professions within the fashion industry. The judges included Datuk Raymond Jolly, Dr Wan Juliana Emdih Wahed, Melinda Omar, and Ben Nasry.
They evaluated the finalists’ works based on design creativity, originality, aesthetics, styling, wearability, and craftsmanship.
The second part of the competition excited the audience as models paraded the finalists’ designs on the catwalk.
Raja Inai Sarawak was named Champion, Sheila Butik the 1st Runner-Up, and Siaw Fatt Shen the 2nd Runner-Up. Consolation prizes were awarded to Harizan Khaider, Dailey Fazdly, and Antonia Isabelle.
Raja Inai Sarawak, the renowned makeup artist making his first attempt at designing for a competition, entered ‘The Puffer Toto’, an unconventional approach to streetwear fashion featuring bold and oversized designs. The jacket, a masterpiece crafted from plastic spoons, curtain cords, and other recycled materials, stood out impressively.
UNIMAS student Siaw Fatt Shen created a design that featured detailed and complex manipulation techniques, especially in the pleats made with used Curtain Jacquard and Blanket Velvet.
Antonia Isabelle, a UNIMAS student, said, “As someone who is passionate about sustainable fashion, I felt thrilled to participate in this competition. The event was a great opportunity to boost my creativity while being mindful of the environmental impact of my clothing choices.”
The sustainable fashion pieces are now on exhibition at the Sarawak State Library in Petra Jaya, Kuching.
