Latest news with #PialaSeriEndon
The Star
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Malaysia's dye-namic batik to be a main draw at dinner
Threads of unity: Masrina and her daughter Mayamin planning batik designs. — Low Lay Phon/The Star SUBANG: The Asean gala dinner tonight will see leaders dressed in something distinctly Malaysian: custom-made batik shirts, tailored for each head of government and state, sewn by local hands. But these are not the typical floral motifs long associated with batik, rather one where the design draws from deeper cultural roots. It blends the mid-weave of tikar mengkuang with tribal-style elements inspired by Borneo's indigenous heritage. 'It's still recognisably batik but the design moves beyond flowers,' said Masrina Abdullah, 60, the individual behind the project. 'It's about texture, repetition, geometry; things you find in everyday Malaysian life, but don't always see in clothing.' The shirts, produced in seven colour palettes, blend tones of soft pink, light blue, yellow, purple, maroon and earth-toned shades. As with all traditional batik, each piece features a combination of colours layered and blended through wax-resist dyeing, giving each shirt its own subtle variation. The design work began as early as last year, with Masrina and her team at MAEV Studio producing an initial six options for Wisma Putra. According to her, some leaders sent their measurements while others provided physical shirts as references. Each shirt was tailored from crepe satin silk – a luxurious fabric with a soft, matte crepe texture on one side and a smooth satin finish on the other. Lightweight and fluid, it's well-suited for formal wear in tropical climates. 'It is soft, but also formal. Perfect for evening wear in this heat,' Masrina said. Helping her behind the scenes is her daughter Mayamin Azlan, 30, who handles the digital side of the process. With over 30 years of experience, Masrina still draws her motifs by hand, but Mayamin's role is to ensure those designs are translated accurately on screen and formatted efficiently for production. Masrina revealed that six other batik designers have also been commissioned to produce attire for other Asean-related meetings. 'Since the summit is a year-long event, all of us designers, gathered by Yayasan Budi Penyayang were tasked to prepare batik attires for leaders attending various Asean-related meetings taking place throughout the year,' she said. Yayasan Budi Penyayang, the organiser of the Piala Seri Endon competition, was the brainchild of the late Tun Endon Mahmood, wife of Malaysia's fifth prime minister, the late Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Masrina herself was the first winner of the Piala Seri Endon in 2003, the year the competition was launched. 'The designs are ever evolving, but the essence of batik, rooted in Malaysian culture, remains. 'Sharing our tradition and heritage in the form of batik is a reminder that our identity can be worn, felt and appreciated across cultures,' she said.
The Star
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Raising the stakes in batik creativity and style
(Above) Some of the winning batik designs from previous years on display at Wisma Penyayang in Seri Kembangan. Piala Seri Endon is a showcase for local batik artisans to captivate with their creativity (right, at the competition in 2024). batik designers can look forward to higher overall prize money in Piala Seri Endon 2025. The competition by Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia returns for its 20th edition with a total prize pool of RM202,500. The winner will still receive RM30,000 cash while those coming in second and third will get RM20,000 and RM10,000 respectively, which are double that of previous years. An outfit from Syahrul Amirul Shamsuri's Warisan collection which clinched second prize at the grand finals of the Piala Seri Endon Batik Design Competition 2024.—LOW LAY PHON/The Star Five consolation prizes of RM1,500 each also await, increased from RM1,000. Speaking on behalf of Penyayang chairman Nori Abdullah, chief executive officer Datuk Leela Mohd Ali said this year's competition's coincided with the 25th anniversary of Penyayang. She said the longevity of both the foundation and contest represented its commitment to preserving and promoting the art of batik in Malaysia. 'This competition has become a vibrant platform for artists of all ages and backgrounds to showcase their talents, share their stories and connect with one another through the intricate patterns and designs that define this beautiful art form,' she said during a press conference at Wisma Penyayang in Seri Kembangan, Selangor. 'This year we have increased the prize money, making the competition even more attractive in terms of incentives. Models wearing the winning 'Kampung' collection by Suzieana Rahim, Mohd Fadhil Md Taib, and Mohd Nizam Shahbudin at the grand finals of Piala Seri Endon Batik Design Competition 2024. —LOW LAY PHON/The Star 'We hope this will also foster new initiatives focused on sustainability and innovation, ensuring that batik not only thrives but also remains relevant in a rapidly changing world. 'We believe that through this competition, we can encourage artisans to embrace modern techniques and eco-friendly practices that can preserve this art form for future generations while encouraging creativity and environmental responsibility,' Leela added. Penyayang is a charitable foundation incorporated to assist Malaysians in need, while Piala Seri Endon is a batik design competition. The competition comprises three categories, namely fashion, soft furnishing, and handicraft. It is open to designers aged 18 and above. The closing date for Round 1 is June 30.
