SWAK Fashion Show showcases Sarawakian emerging young talents

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A model parades a design during the SWAK Fashion Show held last Saturday at the Old Courthouse.

KUCHING (Feb 22): The Generations and Style Series successfully held a fashion show at the Old Court House as part of the Creatively Unique (CU) Sarawak event last Saturday.

Sarawak Swag (SWAK) is Kuching’s first official streetwear fashion show promoting youth culture, inclusivity and unity among the Gen Z of Sarawakians.

The SWAK Fashion Show featured a sensational collection by Sarawak’s upcoming and accomplished designers Kesya Fatin, Maglissa, Sangon, Sade Morni, Neng Kho Razali, Mvntrv, Andy Sulaiman, HarizanK, By Lhuna, Keith Sim and Yacutha as well as designers from Indonesia – Archipelago Texture, Lurik Senthir and Nes by HDK.

Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah was among the notable people that attended alongside 200 guests – primarily the key people of Sarawak’s fashion and lifestyle scene.

Advisor of The Generations and CU Sarawak organising chairperson Aaron Kon said that the SWAK Fashion Show was a showcase of Sarawakian emerging young talents erasing the boundaries between culture and fashion.

“By colouring Kuching City in a celebration of wearable arts and conventional glamour, we hope to inspire developing talents to pursue their passion in style.

“We are truly grateful for the great efforts from The Generations non-governmental organisation, its co-collaborative partners, Rotary Club Urban Kuching, Style Series and all other adjoining associations, we are proud to present our very first fashion show by local artists. Special thanks to Interhill Group of Companies for the constant support and for making this happen,” he said.

Style Series founder Geraldine Sim said that during the event there were guests from West Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Egypt, the United States, the Philippines and Australia.

She said the fashion show is one of the most meaningful ones that the team has ever worked on.

“Despite SWAK being a Gen Z empowerment movement, it has naturally evolved to being a cross-generational community project. Our production team, backstage crew, models, designers, and audience are from a wide spectrum of Generations.  Besides, we encompass all ethnicities, backgrounds, body sizes and genders.

“Today, through fashion we celebrate inclusion, acceptance, diversity, hard work, innovation, collaboration and above all, friendship. Essentially, the common thread that binds us all here today is we love our people and our homeland, Sarawak,” she said at the event.

Style Series choreographer Yacub Taha added that the SWAK Fashion Show has been conceptualised to promote the young talents to showcase their work and creativity.

“Whether the designers or models are new or already successful, everyone has worked together with no differences. For this show, we had an open model casting – most of the youth that came were complete but we saw the potential in them and trained them to be professional models.

“For us, Style Series is about Youth Talent Capability Development – the youth are physically strong, naturally more curious, and love taking risks. To keep up with this free spirit – it is essential to keep fuelling their dreams and ambitions,” he said.

To learn more about The Generations and Style Series, visit their respective Instagram pages at @thegenerations.official and @style.series.