Recently, baju Melayu and baju kurung designs featuring motifs of the popular fictional superhero Ultraman – complete with his signature mask – have gone viral, catching the attention of netizens.
These outfits, generated by artificial intelligence, come in vibrant colours such as white, pink, purple and blue.
Edited and shared by a TikTok user, these AI-generated outfits have since received over 288,000 likes. Many netizens found the images “entertaining”, while others were excited about the designs as they reminded them of their childhood.
Some, however, criticised them for compromising the identity of traditional attire. Some of the comments left by users include:
- “Raya outfits are getting weirder, how much is the purple one?”
- “I thought this was real but apparently AI… I was about to ask my mum to buy it.”
- “I want to buy this, please make it happen bro!”
- “If this is real, I’ll be the first to grab one.”
So, can traditional clothing featuring designs like these become a trend and be widely worn during the festive season? Local fashion designer Hatta Dolmat believes this “innovation” may be relevant to fans of the superhero who wish to incorporate it into their clothing for personal satisfaction.
“In my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with this AI-designed Ultraman outfit. We’ve seen anime- and pop-culture-inspired fashion being adapted into Raya attire before, and you can’t deny that some people are passionate about characters like Ultraman, Hello Kitty and others,” Hatta told Bernama.
“But then, the traditional identity of baju Melayu may gradually fade as AI innovations become part of its design. A Raya outfit featuring Ultraman, with his mask and sword, leans more towards children’s fashion.”
He noted that if designs created using digital tools were incorporated into actual garments and widely worn during the festive season, they could become a topic of debate.
“When superhero mascots are incorporated into traditional fashion, some individuals will naturally come forward to give their opinions, especially since the Raya celebrations are close to our hearts.
“Some will see it as an innovation in modern fashion, while others may feel it diminishes the uniqueness and authenticity of baju Melayu.”
Still, Hatta believes fans of superheroes and cartoons are likely to remain undeterred by criticism.
“Perhaps we can inject some of these creative elements without going overboard, as excessive modifications can ruin the identity of traditional attire,” he stressed, suggesting that the AI-generated Ultraman Raya outfits were likely created to spark festive excitement and showcase creativity using technology.