The raison d’être (Rationale) behind the choice of Music Notes for Piala Seri Endon 2008 batik competition

Why music notes again?

This was common question raised by many friends and whoever saw my design in 2003 when I used the music notes again for PSE 2008. Still using the same motif even after 5 years..? Are you going to have the music notes design as your trademark? Why don’t you put other design or more organic theme? Are they relevant with the current trends? And the questions continue...

Let me make things clearer on the rationale of the choice. At first, music notes were not the main motif that I wished to apply on Batik. However I felt guilty towards music notes because there was actually a story lies behind the selection...

Back to 2003....

I personally adore the facets of music notes even some people may call them sort of dead geometric forms or once my lecturer called them “taugeh”or Bean Sprouts in English.
No matter what they are named, for me music notes flow as if they are dancing all the way and by applying them on fabric, I could imagine on their rhythms, tunes, beauty, and character without I need to play the music according to the accurate key notes.

Music notes also have their own fabulous fashion style and persona. With many different modes, they represent special notes, various sounds and different melodies. Hence the characters for each music notes are chic and outstanding.

Some of the creative music notes designs..

Down to the issue, what’s wrong if I choose other motif? There is nothing unethical, really.
Initially deep inside, I felt that I did not appreciate enough the music notes motif when I first took them as subject matter during my first fashion show in 2003. At that time so many issues going on... including not enough time to finish the 8 finished garments in less than 4 months due to not geared up (mentally), lack of moral support, and more. As a result, at the end of the 2003 runway, the design became too straightforward or a lame endeavour for a grand finale.

Therefore when the second chance came 5 years after that, which was during PSE 2008, I grabbed the opportunity to repay my wrongs to music notes by appreciating them in a very artistic and more honourable way via portraying them stylishly on our own pride heritage... Batik.

Who do you ADMIRE the most and WHY?

Do you have someone in mind that you admire? Most people have, some people may not have. Wonder why? Do you think that there is someone out there that admires us? We never know.

Let's flash back during our school days when we were trying to figure out of what we wanted to be "when I grow up," At that time the person I most admired was the economist who gave talk on economics issues when I was ten years old. I thought I wanted to be an economist and give talks the way he did. But later I realised economy just wasn't the right field for me.The people I have admired in my life caught my attention because they possessed qualities I wanted to have or they represented values which were already important to me. I admired Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates because of their self made fortunes--but I didn't want to follow exactly the same path. The life I eventually chose was that of artist and fashion. I am not a huge name in fashion industry yet, but I speak to almost every issues of art, design and fashion in my art and writings.

There are so many reasons for us to look up to a person's positive characters such as good reputations, success, good personality, good looking, nice smiles..but what if we found out about their negative characters or their weaknesses?.. are we going to leave the person behind and move on to the next successful person? Are we willing to shut an eye of their weaknesses by saying…ahh well...After all they are just human being like us too.. ?

I made an entry on fashion icon last year. Generally, I would admire those fashion icons on their fashion senses, fashion styles, their good deeds and their courageous stories. However, they do have weaknesses like us too.

The person I admire the most has strong philosophies in free-will based on his writings to the local newspapers. He is a gem, a great one and he is genuine,true, intelligent and he is a libertarian. He is not afraid of who he is.

I don't want his profession. But I do want to emulate him in my own style. Is that an answer? I don't know. But it makes sense to me.