Malaysian fashion designer's creations go from Slim River to Washington

Operating in Slim River, Perak, Sazrin Jaafar never imagined his debut show at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW) last year would catch the attention of the Malaysian Embassy in the US, which invited him to participate in a fashion show held in conjunction with the Malaysian Songket Day Exhibition organised by the embassy. The invitation came eight years after he first ventured into fashion designing.

"When I was preparing for KLFW, the biggest challenge was figuring out how to bring Zachrin Jaafars, a kampung (unknown) brand, to such a prestigious stage. But we succeeded and received praise from many people. They began to see Zachrin Jaafars as a fashion brand, not just a brand that makes wedding attire. In the past, we were known for designing wedding gowns, but now we've become more versatile," he said.

Sazrin, the son of a Felda settler from Felda Gunung Besout 1 in Sungkai Perak, Perak, said he got the call from the Malaysian Embassy in the US to participate in the Washington, DC, event one week after KLFW.

"They wanted a new generation of designers innovating Malay culture and my designs fit that description," he said during a phone interview with Bernama.

Proud of his ability to elevate the status of songket (a traditional Malay handwoven fabric) in the eyes of an international audience, Sazrin said his designs incorporated modern elements, proving that songket is not only suitable for the traditional baju kurung but also for skirts and shoes.

Sazrin said at first he was nervous about participating in the Washington, DC, fashion show, which was themed Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage: The Magnificent Golden Threads of Songket Fashion Show, because songket is expensive and not everyone can afford to work with it.

"However, since I had previously revealed at KLFW that I am part of the Felda community, the agency (Felda) took the opportunity to sponsor me (I used the songket produced by Felda settlers at the Pahang Felda Weaving Centre)," he said.

According to him, a single outfit made from songket takes more than 150 hours to complete due to the intricate work involving gold thread embroidery, beadwork and various other details.

Reflecting on his early journey in the glamorous fashion industry, Sazrin, who has a degree in Fashion Design from Universiti Teknologi Mara, said he started by taking sewing orders around Slim River.

"My parents didn't really understand my field because they thought I could only open a tailoring shop (with the degree I earned). They assumed I would just stay in the village and take orders for baju kurung, while in fact, I was trained to become a fashion designer," he said.

After several years of sewing baju kurung, he came up with the idea of creating a bridal collection under the Zachrin Jaafars brand.

However, in the early stages of introducing the brand, his market was limited to the local community and the outfits were sold at low prices according to their quality.

However, fortune favoured him when he went viral on social media after his effort to assist a disabled man was recorded and shared, leading to an invitation to appear as a guest on a popular television programme at the time.

Following that exposure, his designs gained traction and elevated his brand in the public eye, motivating him to enhance the quality of his creations to rival well-known labels.

Today, he receives orders from abroad, including Singapore, the US and European countries.

"Even though we are based in Slim River, the quality and craftsmanship of our work are on a par with renowned designers in Kuala Lumpur. We realise our competitors are no longer just the locals around us but other designers as well. Therefore, we must put in far more effort to ensure our services and products are on the same level as theirs," he said.

-- BERNAMA