That was the question that floated in Kuala Kangsar-based animator and artist Farah Lina’s mind.
Struck by inspiration, she seized the opportunity and started drawing 17 Disney princesses in 17 different traditional costumes – 13 to represent each and every state in Malaysia, and the rest to include the local costumes of the country’s neighbours, Singapore and Brunei.
“The reason why I dressed the princesses up in the local costumes of Malaysia’s 13 states is that each state has its own beautiful traditional wear,” said the 35-year-old freelancer, who added that she has always been a big fan of Disney movies and films.
“My sisters, my kids and I adore everything about Disney, be it the magical world they create or the amount of detail in their art – especially the beautiful dresses worn by the princesses.
“As an animator, it sparked a desire in me to see them in our traditional wear as well,” gushed Farah.
It wasn’t easy though, she explained, as it took her over three months to complete all 17 drawings.
“I began this project in December 2020. The challenge was that I had to ensure each princess captured the right Disney vibe in our local outfits and that social media users would instantly recognise who she was and which film she was in.
“If they get it right, then I think I’ve done a good job.”
Though the outfit of each princess was carefully thought out, Farah made sure to retain the original colour of the princesses’ costumes.
“Anna was the first Disney princess I drew, and I drew her wearing a green kebaya with intricate designs,” said Farah, who explained that she used the exact shade of green as the colour of Anna’s gown during her auguration as Queen of Arendelle.
“I think she identifies with the Perlis state because just like Arendelle, which is a small yet powerful kingdom, Perlis is a small state and yet it is flourishing.”
As for the leading lady in ‘Beauty and the Beast’, it took three whole days for Farah just to design the ‘sanggul lintang’ for Belle, which a type of crown worn by brides in Melaka.
She also incorporated the Malaysian Indian and Chinese communities’ traditional attire, with Princess Jasmine wearing a saree and Mulan adorned in a kebaya with a Mandarin collar.
“I specifically chose Tiana from ‘The Princess and the Frog’ for Penang because she’s very hardworking and loves cooking. That reminded me of Penang, a state that is well known for its food.”
“Ariel was selected to represent Terengganu because they have a port and they are famous for mermaid legends,” said Farah of the princess from ‘The Little Mermaid’.
“Her outfit was initially tough to choose because she has a lot of costumes in the movie but I ended up sticking to her purple-green outfit.”
So far, her drawings of the princesses have garnered over two thousand likes on Facebook.
A delighted Farah added that she has been receiving many positive responses from other Disney fans, who agree that the Disney princesses have never looked more radiant in traditional Malaysian outfits.
Her talent has not only impressed the locals, as social media users from as far as the Philippines have requested that she draw Disney princesses in their country’s local costume.
“It’s not going to be easy, as I will have to learn a lot about their national costumes before I attempt to do so!” laughed Farah.