Designer Kel Wen Insists He Wasn’t Insulting Muslims By Carrying A Songkok Whereas Topless

The warmth from the just-concluded KLFW2022 (Kuala Lumpur Vogue Week 2022) remains to be not over. After the explosion incident at Pavilion KL and wealthy individuals getting over their heads, as uncovered by Karl Shafek and Ning Baizura, dressmaker Kel Wen (楷文) has been getting quite a lot of berating from the Malay group on-line.

Kel Wen, the artistic director of the Malaysian conventional trendy attire Behati, attended the style present and introduced his model on Sunday (twenty first August). He uploaded footage of himself donning an outsized puff jacket with only a songket sampin beneath.

What triggered the netizens was that whereas he was virtually ‘half-naked’, he additionally sported a songkok. The songkok is a tightly becoming brimless cap with a flat high and straight sides that’s usually manufactured from silk, felt, or velvet. In Southeast Asia, Muslim males put on it throughout formal non secular features or prayers.

The netizen’s feedback concerning the difficulty are arduous to chew on, particularly when some accused him of disrespecting and appropriating the Malay tradition. “Do you think about it trendy to go shirtless, with solely shorts whereas carrying the ‘songkok’?” and “Cease utilizing ‘songkok’ as your prop,” few feedback learn.

The designer then justified his apparel ensemble on his Instagram web page and defined he had no intentions to mock any faith along with his style selection. He wrote that having rising up amongst Muslims in Malaysia influenced his artwork and elegance. “I’m not a Muslim, however carrying a ‘songkok’ signifies that I settle for and be taught the faith in my very own private way of life,” he mentioned.

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Kel Wen additionally defined via his submit about his analysis on songkok and the way the headwear shouldn’t be solely used for prayers but in addition a proper cultural headgear. He added, “To indicate my knees whereas carrying a ‘songkok’ is similar idea as a Hijabi who wears a scarf together with her neck out.”

Celebrities reminiscent of singer Aina Abdul and actor Yusof Hashim supported the Melaka-born designer’s justification for his style selection. Kel Wen lately revealed his newest assortment, “Peranakan” at KLFW2022 with DS Vida as his muse.

Supply: Instagram.

Anis Sharina contributed to this text.

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