The owner of the Zachrin Jaafars brand never imagined his debut show at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW) last year would catch the attention of the Malaysian embassy in the US.
Last month, the embassy invited him to participate in a fashion show held in conjunction with a Malaysian Songket Day Exhibition it had organised. The invitation came eight years after he ventured into fashion designing.
“When I was preparing for KLFW, the biggest challenge was figuring out how to bring Zachrin Jaafars, a kampung brand, to such a prestigious stage. But we succeeded and received praise from many people,” Sazrin told Bernama.
“Zachrin Jaafars began to be seen as a fashion brand, not just one that makes wedding attire. In the past, we were known for designing wedding gowns, but now we’ve become more versatile.”
Sazrin, the son of a Felda settler from Sungkai Perak, said he had received the call from the Malaysian embassy to participate in the Washington event one week after KLFW. “They wanted a new generation of designers innovating Malay culture, and my designs fit that description.”
He said his designs incorporated modern elements, proving that the handwoven fabric is not only suitable for the traditional baju kurung but also for skirts and shoes.
He admitted he was initially nervous about participating in the Washington event – themed “Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage: The Magnificent Golden Threads of Songket Fashion Show” – given that the fabric is expensive and not everyone can afford to work with it.
“But Felda took the opportunity to sponsor me, allowing me to use songket produced by settlers at the Pahang Felda Weaving Centre,” he revealed.
According to Sazrin, a single outfit made from songket takes more than 150 hours to complete owing to the intricate work involving gold thread embroidery, beadwork, and various other details.
Not just a kampung brand
Reflecting on his early journey in the fashion industry, Sazrin, who has a degree in fashion design from Universiti Teknologi Mara, said he started by taking orders around Slim River.
“My parents didn’t really understand my field because they thought I could only open a tailoring shop with my degree. They assumed I would just stay in the village and take orders for baju kurung,” he said.
Indeed, it was only after several years of sewing baju kurung that he came up with the idea of creating a bridal collection under the Zachrin Jaafars brand. Still, he faced challenges early on: 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 a video of him assisting a disabled man was widely 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, 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,” Sazrin said.
“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.”