Kuala Lumpur, Oct 31 (IANS) Leading designers Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Zara have shown keen interest in Malaysia’s Terengganu state’s batik and songket.
Representatives from these companies were interested in the Malaysian state’s local textiles during a promotional blitz by the state government in Milan, Barcelona, Paris and London last month, an official said.
‘European designers were impressed with the elaborate patterns and designs and want to explore the potential of unveiling haute couture using batik and songket,’ Rural Development, Entrepreneur and Co-operative Committee deputy chairman Rosol Wahid told The Star newspaper.
Rosol said several other leading fashion designers from Europe were also keen to use locally-produced textile for their design collections.
He said fashion writers in Barcelona were also impressed with Terengganu’s textiles.
‘The European connection will one day be an impetus for the local textile industry, making it a high-revenue earner for the state,’ he said.
The state government would continue to court fashion designers from other countries to promote the local industry.
Batik is popular in Malaysia and is donned by many political leaders at public functions.
