Highlights from Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025
Under Kuala Lumpur’s bright runway lights, designers transformed seven days of shows into a vivid portrait of Malaysian fashion’s past, present, and future
Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 brought together some of Malaysia’s most distinct creative voices, with each collection offering a different perspective on how clothing can interpret culture, function, and identity. Across seven days of shows, the runway served as both a stage for experimentation and a reflection of the country’s evolving fashion identity.
In covering the event, VMAN Southeast Asia flew in from the Philippines via AirAsia and stayed at InterContinental Kuala Lumpur throughout the week.
Kit Woo — The Earth is Flat
Opening the week, Kit Woo’s SS25 collection, titled The Earth is Flat, was a meticulous study of volume and silhouette. The 23 gender-neutral looks built on the designer’s signature exploration of structure, employing hunchback drapes, boomerang-shaped folds, and modular constructions.
Each piece seemed to question the conventional relationship between garment and body, balancing conceptual design with immediate wearability. It was a confident, refined statement that underscored Woo’s position as one of Malaysia’s most intellectually driven designers.
Syomirizwa Gupta — Disco and resort fusion
Syomirizwa Gupta’s show combined the ease of resort wear with the glamour of the disco era. The runway opened in a burst of saturated colour with breezy linens in citrus tones before shifting into monochrome eveningwear that captured the energy of the dance floor. Standout ready-to-wear pieces in crisp linen demonstrated the designer’s attention to both practicality and elegance. The evening looks, sequined and fluid, offered an invitation to reclaim the joy and theatricality of nightlife.
TACT Airport — Functional elegance in transit
TACT Airport introduced a new take on workwear through the lens of the frequent traveller. Tailored shirt dresses, satin coordinates, and layered knits were styled alongside sleek eyewear from Sunglass Hut and RIMOWA carry-ons. The result was a cohesive vision of functional elegance, garments capable of moving seamlessly from airport terminal to professional meeting, designed for the modern, mobile lifestyle.
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Ezzati Amira — Sculptural formalwear
Ezzati Amira reimagined formalwear with a sculptural sensibility, layering pleats, tassels, and suiting in place of traditional ties. The show was a study in texture and proportion, disrupting conventional office attire while retaining a sense of precision and polish. It presented a vision of formalwear that was less about conformity and more about individuality.
Uzair Shoid — Heritage in motion
Uzair Shoid’s collection drew inspiration from traditional weaves and aquatic motifs, integrating them into modern silhouettes. The designs showcased intricate fabric manipulation, with patterns and textures that evoked water in motion. This mix of heritage techniques and contemporary styling created garments that felt both culturally grounded and visually dynamic.
MSYD — Legend Dystopia
In Legend Dystopia, MSYD wove Malay folklore into a cinematic runway narrative. Leather dominated the collection, layered into precise yet forceful silhouettes that balanced strength with refinement. The show clearly demonstrated how traditional themes can be reframed for a contemporary audience, producing designs that feel both rooted in history and forward-looking in execution.
BEHATI — Heritage with drama
Closing the week, BEHATI presented a collection that combined oversized tailoring and power suiting with direct references to Malaysian heritage. Songket suits and baju melayu featured Victorian-inspired details to create silhouettes that felt both grand and modern. Batik, sampin, songkok, and tengkolok appeared in the looks, placing cultural garments in a contemporary, fashion-forward context. The finale affirmed BEHATI’s skill in merging heritage and high fashion and delivered a collection that celebrated identity through design.
Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 ultimately reinforced the strength and diversity of Malaysia’s fashion industry. Across the shows, designers showed that tradition and innovation do not oppose each other but act as complementary elements shaping the country’s fashion narrative.
Photography Bibo Aswan and Amirul Irfan
Special thanks InterContinental Life and AirAsia
