The Sarawakian Tattoo Artist Who’s Keeping His Heritage Alive Through Tattooing

Posted by & filed under Art, Featured.

Feature Image Credit: Reanimated Productions
Written by Ardi

Tattooing has been around since the beginning of mankind, with the first evidences of such a practice appearing from 3250 BCE. It’s no surprise, as we as humans like to decorate ourselves with different accessories even since the paleolithic era, and tattooing is an extension of that. Now when it comes to this section, we actually have a rich tattooing heritage that resides in East Malaysia, and deep in the jungles of Borneo there are indigenous people who still practice the same art as their ancestors, wholly decorated on every square inch possible. While tattoos are now more widely accepted in Malaysia, there is still a certain level of negative stigma to it, but that’s usually not the reality of it.

Credit:@ragang.nunuk (Instagram)

Apart from that, the art of hand-tapped tattooing in East Malaysia is not as prominent as it could be. I was wondering if the youngsters of Borneo either do not get tattoos anymore or they prefer more of the modern designs? It could be gone if the younger generations don’t give much attention to it which is upsetting since tattooing is a part of the culture of Borneo. I wanted to find out from a local Sarawakian who does tattooing if this is the case and what steps can be taken to keep this art alive.

To find out the answers to my questions and figure out what is going on, I decided to look online and see if I can find anyone who still does hand-tapped tattoos with native Bornean motifs and surprisingly I found a few! some in KL and some based in Sarawak. It was interesting to find out quite a few of these tattoo artisans are young people who are passionate about their heritage and are putting effort into keeping it fresh while making a living out of it. 

I had the chance to talk with Eddie David, founder of Borneo Tattoo Ink – Located at Desa Sri Hartamas and ask his opinions on the topic. I was eager to find out why he chose tattooing as a career and what he did before the start of all of these.

Eddie : “Well, I started tattooing, maybe in 1995 it was a little after I got my first tattoo. Before that I was studying accounting. And then I quit that and then I did architectural illustration for approximately five years. So that was basically my professional experience in doing art. Prior to that, I was actually good at drawing. Like I like to draw a lot. It’s something to keep my very crazy mind sane.

Then I think the economy crashed (Asian Financial Crisis in 1997) so I had to go back to Sarawak and it was when I picked up tattooing, not really picked it up but more like experimentation. And so a lot of the artistic skills were involved in tattooing like how to use the machine, judge how deep to go in the skin for the learning process, but you know, I started to learn and get a hang of it. It took me a little over year to figure out how this works, not 100% but was more than enough to got be able to get it done.”

Credit:@borneo_ink_tat2 (Instagram) – Eddie Tattooing A Client

 After that, Eddie came to KL to start his own business but during the time he began to work (bear in mind this was the early 2000s), there was a strong stigma against tattoos, and the ones people usually got were basic, modern ones like dragons. The locals did not show much interest in getting native designs tattooed on them. Surprisingly it was around that era when tribal tattoos were super popular overseas and Eddie told me that those tattoos were actually inspired from the traditional Borneo tattoos but because it was done in LA and many celebrities had it, as it was a cool design to get that time.

Ardi – What was so intriguing about tattoos that tempted you to try tattooing?

Eddie –  “There is a technical aspect to it. And from this technical aspect, you have to deconstruct how tattooing actually works. And then when you fill in all these blanks, and then the path to it becomes clearer. And so therefore, you’re able to take your artistic skills, and with the use of that machine like a tool, and you’ll be able to create one with a story.  Art is one thing, the media being the skin. 

So basically, you have to learn how to use a tool just like how you would use a paintbrush or a computer to be able to achieve what you have and transform it into an image on the scale. 

So that technical challenge is the thing that got me into it. It was so intriguing. it’s never like a pen and paper, you know, we just do it on pen and paper and it is there. But the skin is so fluid that it works well on some people’s skin and not so well on others. But as time goes by, when you learn the skill of how to tattoo then it becomes the same for everyone. But that takes a long time to kind of get to that point.”

It was great to be able to see his passion when he talked about his career and tattooing, he told me what tattooing means to him and its significance.

“Tattooing to me is just like a little door that opens up the rest of the culture. I wasn’t interested in it at first but it became fascinating as I started to unravel it. There’s a lot of things that are now considered like a taboo which invokes the spirits and things like that, But it depends on what you believe. But you know, that’s not it if you actually understand why they do it (tattooing). So my quest is to understand what are the motivations behind all these.”

At this point I understood why and how Eddie started this business but I was curious to know more about Sarawakian tattoos and the symbolism and meaning behind it. One cool fact that he told me was that many of the famous tribal tattoos in the 80s and 90s were actually inspired by our local tattoos from Borneo! 

To my suprise, Iban people don’t get their tattoos in the longhouse. When Eddie saw  images of Iban people getting tattooed in their longhouses in museums he told me this “Every museum photo, okay, every museum photo, everything that has to do with our tradition is a photograph of someone doing it in a house. Okay?  This is like the ultimate bullshit.

Credit:@eddieborneoink (Instagram)

Because many of these museums like anthropologists, whenever they want to go and see Iban people getting tattooed they go to the longhouse, but they wouldn’t find Ibans getting tattoos there. Because the  tradition is to get tattooed overseas, as far as you can go to make your tattoos have more value. So what they’ll do is they’ll go to the longhouse and they’ll take a photo of a mock up for someone getting a tattoo.”

I wanted to know more about the importance of tattooing for Ibans and what is the idea behind getting the tattoos. Eddie told me that the tattooing starts when the Iban person is going for  “bejalai”. The act of bejalai is to travel as far as you can and work and gain experience and get tattoos and come back. Before your bejalai, you will get the bunga terung tattoo first to help you with your journey and then you are ready to explore the outside world. 

This is repeated for every few years until they are in their 30s and 40s and then they stop traveling. So the more tattoos you have means the more places you have traveled and the more stories you and experiences you have achieved during these trips.

For example you take a trip and work in Brunei for a while with a group of friends and you give each other tattoos, then you go to Singapore and after working there for some time, you get another tattoo. So eventually your tattoos are a representative of your journey. Those tattoos do not necessarily have a meaning but some were treated as magic charms among the soldiers during war times. Each soldier had their own magic charm passed down to them from generation after generation and during the war, they would put all of their charms together to give them more strength and these charms could be bones or stones but also they would do tattoos that represented the charms to help them fight against the enemy.

Another aspect of the Sarawakian tattoos that caught my eye was the hand-tapped technique. I was wondering if it feels different compared to the tattoo machine. 

 

Credit:@eddieborneoink (Instagram)

Eddie –  “Some people say it hurts a lot more. It works completely opposite of how a machine works. When you fill up with a machine,  If it’s not solid, it (the ink) will stay not solid. But if you fill it up with a hand tattoo, it doesn’t look solid but looks solid over time, depending on how much pigment you actually put on it. So that’s how the difference between a traditional tattoo, but if you want a clean, a nice solid work machine is the way to go.  But if you want a piece of tradition, hand-tapped is the way to go.”

When I was interviewing Eddie I noticed that he has a few foreign customers. I wanted to check with him if they do the native tattoos for those who are not from East Malaysia. 

Eddie – “We do it all the time. So a lot of people don’t understand this, when a person who is qualified, it means that you have traveled a great distance from your country, or land, to come here. This is considered  bejalai, so if you want to remember your adventure, you can get traditional tattoos.” 

That was nice to hear since we hear so much about cultural appropriation but it seems that for Iban people, you are qualified to get a piece of their tattoos as long as you have traveled! Eddie told me that Iban people still do get their native tattoos done. For example those who come to KL to work still get tattoos done so once they go back home, they have cooler stories to tell in family dinners! But if you were wondering, they do more than just traditional tattoos here. 

Ardi –  Do you do all types of designs here or just a certain style of artwork? 

Credit:@ragang.nunuk (Instagram)

Eddie – “There’s no reason for me to not want certain things just because you have to be a specialist. Basically if you’re good at art, you can draw whatever the hell you want with any freaking style. For example, today we’re gonna do a Polynesian design and then I’m going to do something else. Like something Geometric and my stuff will be different every day.”

At the end, I wanted to know what Eddie thinks about how he thinks the native tattoos of Borneo are going to hold up in the future and if he sees people still getting the traditional designs tattoos .

“I mean eventually, you know, I will stop doing this. But then there will be another guy in a few years who will come pick it up again. Just imagine, someone who is 19 years old, who travels, gets a bunch of tattoos done and then stops. He’s not gonna tattoo anymore later in his life  because he stopped traveling. Then you know, his kids when they start traveling , they will get tattoos and hold on to their traditions and so if you want to follow your tradition, that is the way to go.” He said. 

Credit:@eddieborneoink (Instagram)

For example, when a lot of Sarawakians converted to Christianity, many of them did not want to do tattoos anymore but there were still a percentage who followed the tradition.

 Eddie told me about how he thinks the flow of the revival works.

“What happens is like, by the time we got to my father’s generation, it was split in two already.  50% who wanted to keep the tradition and the educated ones wanted to be a Christian, and also wanted to throw away a lot of cultures.  So then you see a dip. But tattooing still continued and then it stopped. It stopped And then 15 years later, people like me came along. Everything died. It just lay dormant for a while until someone picked it up again and then it became alive again. And then now it’s reached a point where like dude, start to travel man. And then, eventually there will be another revival.”

After gathering the info and writing this article, I realised that culture and traditions don’t really go away, but they adjust to our lifestyle and our current situation. Things may not look the same but it doesn’t mean that they are not there. It is great to keep in mind our past and our culture but be open and embrace change and new ways of respecting our past and traditions. 

If you are interested to see some of their work or maybe get a new hand-poked tattoo,  check out their Website and Instagram.

NEW MUSIC: Dominic Chin Brings A Playful, Almost Ed Sheeran Type Vibes In His New Single, ‘Aware’

Posted by & filed under Music.

Written by Ardi

Dominic Chin, Singapore-based pop artist has put out a new single called “AWARE”. This is the fourth single of his debut EP “License to Cry”.  

AWARE is a fun, whimsical song about having a crush and going an extra mile to impress them and give them what they want.

This electro-pop with catchy rhythms and synths goes along quite well with Dominic’s vocals as he sings about how he is devoted to meet every demands of his lover. Playful whistling and the quirky synth riffs really uplift the mood of the song. “these are my favourite parts, they have such a party vibe to them, I imagined colourful laser lights everywhere”, said Dominic. 

Dominic will be releasing his 7-track debut EP License to Cry throughout 2020 via Umami Records, leading up to his debut show at the Esplanade Singapore at the end of the year to celebrate its launch.

AWARE by Dominic Chin is available everywhere at this link: https://ffm.to/awaresingle

SonaOne Has Just Dropped His Latest Project Titled ‘The Loccdown’

Posted by & filed under Music.

It’s probably to be expected, and after numerous teasers on SonaOne’s IGTV as well as dropping his single ‘Bomba’ to announce what he’s been working on, the rapper has finally pulled the covers off of his latest project titled ‘The Loccdown.’

Loaded with honesty and postivity, Sona crusies through these themes encompassing other topics such as loneliness, boredom, partying it up to pass the time, and a lot of stay at home reminders while maintaining Sona’s trademark cheekiness and grooviness.

Now, what’s unique about this album is that 90% of all the work that you see and listen are all done solely by him. From wringing out the most out if his sound equipment, Sona has produced, mixed, master all of his songs as well as designing the cover art and directing and editing a music video, all since the MCO started in early April. In addition to that, the ‘Bomba’ remix contains collaborations of epic proportions, a klaxon for the entire Def Jam SEA roster to come together and sing their piece before being compiled into one eclectic remix that showcases the breadth and ability of the new generation of rappers that Southeast Asia is birthing right now.

Stream ‘The Loccdown’ now on all major streaming platforms!

No Good Brings Their Kelantanese Punk Rock Music Merged To A Nostalgia Filled 80s Music Video

Posted by & filed under Music.

It’s not often you have a band that puts forward the ‘kecek Kelate’ in their music, much less a whole demo tape, but in the case with No Good, that’s exactly what they did, and we’re all here for it, even though it takes some time to really understand what they are trying to say. Still, the oxymoron is an entertaining thought, merging two ends of the spectrum from a well known state with an ultra-conservative outlook to the very rebellious nature of punk rock, but I digress.

The music video above refers to a song from their “Demo Kawe” EP, titled ‘Che Using,’ revolving around 3 hitmen who go around KL in order to find a green suited man, presumably possessing something of considerable value. The music dictates the flow of the video, following a rhythm of fast paced car chasing, street chases, and a surprising drop from the top of a parking lot, all excellently done in full 80s graphics and cinematography.

Click here to listen to the full demo.

Peep local graffiti artist Fritilldea in the MV!

Hockey Skateboards Founder Andrew Allen Revives The Authentic High Pro As Part Of His Collaboration With Vans

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

In the typical world of so-called “good” skateboarding, Andrew Allen is anything but. the founder of Hockey Skateboards has made a career iut of himself by constantly subverting the norms, with a unique creative approach and zero-fucks attitude earning him a cult following within his niche.

And his first Vans collaboration reflects much of the same too, dusting off an archive model and upgrading it to meet the needs of the modern skater. Enter the Authentic High Pro,, which as it stands, is an Authentic Pro rebuilt as a highcut silhouette. The Authentic High was a catalog model from the early 2000s, and subsequently caught Andrew’s eye and has been given turned into a Pro model, complete with an UltraCush footbed for superior support and board feel, and Duracap technology to reinforce the underlays in critical high-wear areas of the shoe. This is one shoe that’s meant to be skated in.

Apart from the shoes, the Vans X Andrew Allen collection also features an apparel collection, featuring a rudimentary make-shift graphic that appears throughout. The Authentic High Pro in Andrew Allen Hockey Black and Vans X Hockey L/S and S/S shirts are now available in stores nationwide.

 

Diving Deep Into The Ins And Outs Of A Bundle Business

Posted by & filed under Fashion.

Written by Charmaine

It wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone within the younger generation to mention anything about thrift, and such is the scale of this culture that there are now numerous thrift shops (or bundle shops) are scattered everywhere from brick and mortar retail stores all the way to online stores on Instagram. And It’s not gonna stop anytime soon. The allure of affordable clothes in various different sizes and patterns that would be normally too expensive to purchase at your standard Zaras, H&Ms, or Topman can be had for much less than a fraction of the retail price, and often in still reliable quality.

It now has its own ecosystem within the network of bundle owners, and in this article, we talk about how the business of bundle is dealt with experienced thrift shop owners, Zamir and Shakira from OKGO, Adiq from Bundlehood, and Elf and Elvie from Baju Sampah.

When did you start venturing into the bundle business and what made you do so? 

Everyone’s purpose and journey when it comes to starting a bundle business is different. Some might have ventured into it due to traveling and starting small just like OKGO. 

“We started selling in 2016 selling pieces that we found on thrift stores on Instagram and got more insight during our trip to Japan to do something bigger and bring in the things we learnt and saw in Japan to Malaysia,“ laments Zamir and Shakira, whereas, others have had the inspiration of thrifting at a young age and had plans to take it up a notch when their older such as Baju Sampah and Bundlehood.

Zamir and Shakira from OKGO.

“I got involved in thrifting back in 2005 when my father brought me to a thrift store in Gombak Medan, Idaman and bought me my very first pair of a thrifted Timberland Jacket and Dr.Martens boots for my ‘Baju Raya’. This was then I also realised that clothes from a boutique were expensive and my family could not afford them” said Elf.

“It was in 2019 when I had actually started my thrift business after I bought a bundle of thrift clothes from my friend in Japan, and me and my partner decided to sell them on Carousell and ever since that day, we’ve started to receive some bookings” he continued. 

Adiq, owner of Bundlehood.

Adiq also expressed that he had been practicing the bundle culture at a very young age but soon made his passion in high school as he realized that he had too much unwanted clothes that he does not use anymore.  “My business did not just become my side income but it also taught me a lot about fashion based on my experience on finding different types of clothing” he said. 

How do you acquire your clothes to sell and where are they mostly from ? 

Just like any food outlet or retail store, each business has its own theme and is catered to a specific target audience. The bundle business does not differ from this concept. Although most of these stores have started off differently, a similarity that they have in common is obtaining and curating the different types of clothes from various places for their customers.

When it comes to hand picking clothes for a store, it all depends on the approach of each of these bundle’s business. As for OKGO, Shakira and Zamir obtain their clothes from different suppliers and choose them based on their quality and also its style where they focus it more to vintage pieces from the of the 70’s till 2000’s. At the same time, both of them had also expressed that most secondhand clothes in thrift stores in Malaysia are obtained from the US, Canada and South Korea. 

Elf and Eve from Baju Sampah.

The hotspots usually differ, but are mostly from overseas, and Elf gets hers from the Land of The Far East. “When it comes to obtaining clothes, we have a friend in Japan who is doing a thrift business and is our main supplier, from there we buy 2-3 bundles worth of clothing and pick and choose the one that are worth selling “ says Elf.

Whereas some businesses like Bundlehood, choose to get their clothes from local stores instead “ Most of my items are selected in Malaysia and I get them through various thrift shops, factories and even sometimes in markets” says Adiq. 

What is the reason for some second hand clothes being sold at a higher price? 

If you’re a regular person that thrifts, you would notice that some secondhand items are more expensive compared to others, which makes this a real debate topic amongst people if it’s because of the business of the store or the value of the item. However, there are many valid reasons why some of these clothing are sold at a higher price and Shakira and Zamir, expresses that it is not because of the business but how limited they are. “Some items are sold at a higher price because of the year it is made and how rare it is,” Shakira and Zamir explains. They also state that there’s is a distinguishable difference between the term ‘vintage’, and ‘secondhand clothing.’

“Vintage clothing is usually 20-30 years old and vintage shirts that are made in the 80’s will definitely cost more than the ones that are made in the 2000’s which makes up for the fact that anything in the world that is rare and limited will cost more” they add. Elf and Adiq however, provide a different perspective to the fluctuations in price.

“To me, the clothes are expensive because of the value and the business. I see it in a way like finding a needle in a haystack,which makes that particular item really rare and if you do find a limited item, it is quite normal to market it to be a bit higher for profit “ says Elf. 

“Clothes that are over 10-15 years old won’t be that easy to find in normal shops and takes time to scavenge, and that’s why it’s sold at a higher price especially if the item itself is branded “ says Adiq. 

Due to the implementation of the MCO, how are you maintaining your business and has it affected you badly? 

Although this MCO period has definitely affected a lot of people in different sectors of businesses, Zamir and Shakira are still keeping their heads high and not giving up. “We’re affected really badly and have been selling our items online on our new webstore but as business owners you need to find ways to overcome problems. “ they say .

“We started off by selling a pair or jeans and a sweater on Instagram to what it is today; giving up is not an option” they add. 

Elf and Adiq have also been affected during this period with Baju Sampah not being able to operate, but are now focusing on other projects at the time being, but Adiq has made a point that some bundle shops online are thriving during this period. 

“The MCO might be affecting a lot of bundle shops but online bundle accounts are still maintaining their business as I’ve seen some of my peers who run their bundles online bid their clothes on IG live. This could be the next initiative for bundle shops to survive,“ he says.

What will your future plans be for your business after the MCO ?

There’s always a bright sky after every storm, although this MCO period has affected a lot of people, the silver lining behind it is that this is the time to make new plans and reinvent new habits . OKGO expresses that “It will take time to even things out but we do have another plan but are not going to jinx it just yet. As of right now, we hope to get back on track again and focus more on our webstore in the future. “ 

“We finally have opened up a studio at Bandar Puchong Jaya and have a lot of plans in the future as we will update soon on our social media” says Elf. At the same time, Adiq hopes to join more streetwear and preloved events after the MCO period too. 

Do you have any suggestions of other bundle and thrift shops which offer great clothing choices? 

There are countless amounts of thrift and bundle stores in Malaysia that is ripe to be scavenged, one of them includes Jazz Vintage Store in Kota Damansara or One Plus Two which has a wide range secondhand and vintage sneakers as suggested by Zamir and Shakira. “I recommend Wan Bundle, which is a thrift shop in Taman Melati, it was where I used to go when I was younger to get inspired and buy my clothes” says Elf. Adiq suggests a his top 5 online Instagram bundle shops such as @oneplustwo.my ,@amuroshops, @selamselalu, @hiddengarment.my and @boyfromterengganu. 

What tips would you give to future individuals who would want to have a bundle/thrift business too?

Starting out something is never easy, but in the long run it will be worth it. With that Zamir and Shakira’s express that “ We are not going to give those typical cliches words of wisdom so here’s a different one; Be prepared to sacrifice 3 years of your social life if you want to thrive in any business.” Elf and Adiq share the same advice, and that is to always do a lot of research on the thrift business and the brand’s market on the items being sold. 

In conclusion, although the bundle business might be different now due to unprecedented times that does not mean it’s not over, as there are many bundle and thrift shops that are still trying to keep the bundle and thrifting spirit alive . 

If you’re interested to buy a few clothing items to dress up at home or even to save them after the MCO, you can always check out Okgo, Bundlehood and Baju Sampah on instagram. 

No Time To Kill, Time To Heal: A Venture With Our Local Streetwear Designers To Help The Less Fortunate

Posted by & filed under Fashion.

Big or small, short or long, the COVID-19 crisis has affected us all, some more so than the others, and in doing our part, we’ve teamed up with several local brands to launch “No Time To Kill, Time To Heal.”

The t-shirt comprises of the campaign name at the front with all the united brands at the back, and each piece will be sold at RM 99. All profits will be donated to MERCY Malaysia, who will then allocate these funds to the ones who need it most. You may purchase these t-shirts through the following websites.

Preorders for this shirt will close on 25th April.

Let’s all do our part, and #kitajagakita.

myBurgerLab Has Hosted A Pop-Up In Nintendo’s Animal Crossing

Posted by & filed under Art, TECHNOLOGY.

In a move that no one would have ever expected, myBurgerLab has just opened a stall inside Nintendo’s Animal Crossing, complete a simplified design of the myBurgerLab logo.

The pop-up is an effort by the company to interact with other users in the virtual world, inviting them to play musical chairs and race around the island just for fun, as well as take a photo with their stall. Though their last pop-up was a week ago, they have now hosted a competition till the 27th of April whereby players of Animal Crossing can build their own myBurgerlab franchise and stand a chance to win 3 months of their Burger Lab subscription. For more info, tap the link here.

Are you planning to cop a Switch now?

 

RIUH!: How One Of Malaysia’s Most Prominent On Ground Festivals Has Managed To Carry Its Spirit Over To The Digital Sphere

Posted by & filed under Lifestyle.

Feature image creedit: VisionKL

There really isn’t any other festival quite like RIUH!, much less any other festival who executes it quite like their team, and they’ve been at the forefront of the local arts and crafts culture since their inception back in 2017. With a simple goal to enhance the creative ecosystem of Malaysia, the platform has successfully hosted 24 editions aross various areas including APW, Sentul Depot, The Gasket Alley, River Of Life, and Ipoh.

However, even this stalwart brand had to close it doors for the time being as a response to the Movement Control Order, but with every cloud, there is a silver lining, and RIUH!’s silver lining laid in them to fully utilise their Instagram, bringing RIUH! from one central location, and into everyone’s home instead. We managed to talk to lead team member, Marissa Wambeck on how RIUH!’s adaptation online may just be the change that they need to keep on going.

Marissa Wambeck

As RIUH! is a festival that welcomes all walks of life into its grounds, how has the coronavirus affected it as well as the plannings in the foreseeable future?

Marissa: RIUH, is a two-day, bimonthly event, held over the weekend. And being a large public event (we usually have an average of 10,000 visitors per weekend) – it has led to major interruptions – the postponement of Panggung RIUH which was scheduled for 29th Feb and 1st Mar, now pushed back to July 4&5,  as well as the cancellation of upcoming RIUH Raya which was scheduled for May 16 & 17. Looking at the current situation and as advised by the authorities, it is very much unlikely the rest of the editions planned for the year will happen. This is the first time in three years, ever since we kickstarted in 2017, that we have yet to have a RIUH at all.

However as a platform that has always been championing the local creative scene, we will continue our efforts, a little differently this time, as we have to adapt to the current situation. We are now going online, through our social media platforms, having campaigns like RIUH In Your Homes as well as an online directory of brands and performers on our website (www.riuh.com.my) –  we are working on it as we speak.

How was the decision to switch to a digital platform made? And has it been successful?

With how the year started and with us having to defer our events because of COVID, the idea of exploring something else rather than a physical platform has lingered in our minds for some time, even before RMO. And with the RMO, it just felt like the right time to kick-start something like this. Thus, to continue to support the creative scene and uplift the general morale of the people, we decided to create online content through mainly IG Takeovers and IG Live Performances. Since we cannot #riuhinthecity, we will #riuhinyourhomes! IG takeovers include featuring brand owners and local creatives to touch on specific topics, such as productivity, local films and music, home recipes, mental health and parent-child activities. In support of music artists whose livelihoods depend on shows and gigs, RIUH pays these artists to perform via IG Live – similar to booking them for a gig. We are also exploring how we can help other performance artists besides the music industry.

To be able to make a positive difference in the lives of the creatives, given the current circumstance, we would say our objective is successful. And to compliment the success, we’ve also gotten really good feedback from the community, that’s the cherry on the cake!

Do you plan on retaining this once the MCO has been lifted?

We can’t say for sure, as we’re still trying certain things out to see what works and what doesn’t, and there’s always room for improvement! However, regardless of what situation we find ourselves in, we will still work towards elevating the local creative industry. One thing is for sure, we are aware that we would need to reinvent ourselves as the previous RIUH format in terms of it being a large-scaled event, would not work, for this year at least. Hence, we are moving forward and thinking of fresh and effective ways to still continue to do what we do, which is supporting the creative industry.

What are some of the lessons that you have learnt during this MCO period when it comes to running RIUH! online?

The MCO period was a time of uncharted territory for us, being a physical event, as well as for many other businesses, organizations, etc too. With people confined to their homes, the next best way to connect with each other is online! And because of this, we also realized that it became a very “crowded” space, in a sense that online content was flooding everyone’s feed at a rapid pace, the IG Live features were being utilised more than ever and that could easily make a brand’s effort “drown”.

We have learnt that sometimes it’s okay to take a backseat, not to rush into things and really think things through ie. how to be different and provide a unique offering, so you still stand out and deliver your messages effectively and to the right set of people! Always take a step back and remind yourselves why people love your brand in the first place, reinvent yourselves accordingly while staying true to your brand DNA/objective and try your best to not get caught up in the frenzy of it all. Be mindful of what you put out there.

If, touchwood, let’s say the MCO is further extended, what would RIUH!’s plans be moving forward?

We will continue the momentum, online, through not only our current initiatives, but we will do our best to come up with fresh ideas that will support the creative industry. With the MCO extended, it will also give us more time to go back to the drawing board, and come up with reinvented concepts for RIUH 2020, moving forward. We also believe in collaborations and will seek to form more strategic partnerships for the benefit of the industry.

Any exciting plans that we can look forward to in the coming weeks?

Yes we are working on something to support our creatives while also making the stays at home all the more bearable and fun! Set to kickstart on the 24 April till the 17 May, we’re introducing RIUH Raya Rumah – which will be an online RIUH edition that will feature up to a curated selection of 80 homegrown brands, both retail and food! We’re also happy to announce that MyCreative Ventures Sdn Bhd (RIUH’s parent company), is contributing RM30,000 worth of sales support to encourage sales for fashion retailers! Consider your shopping needs covered, with plenty of promotions you do not want to miss out on, so stay tuned to our IG @riuhinthecity! To top it all off, we also might just throw in a finale special to end RIUH Raya Rumah with a bang 😉

Follow RIUH! on their social media platforms to get the latest updates.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riuhinthecity/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riuhinthecity/

Website: http://www.riuh.com.my/

UNIQLO Is Set To Launch Its Pokemon X Daniel Arsham Collection In May

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A hum away from the lips of streetwear enthusiasts worldwide, Daniel Arsham has made well enough of a name combining his art with the hottest pop culture items around, most notably his collaboration with Dior, and now the artist sets upon his next venture to translate his quartz artwork into Pokemon character for UNIQLO.

The UT designs will feature Arsham’s drawings of quintessential Pokemon and its sculpture. Arsham had this to say,”With many of my projects, I try to make work that’s not just for art people and I think UNIQLO has a similar egalitarian culture. The reason I feature iconic characters in my work is that they are very recognizable, and, on the surface, they make it easy to enter my work. Pokémon has been a monumental presence ever since I was a child and I’m excited about the opportunity to present my work to a much wider audience.”

The collection offers seven design variations for men, women, and kids, applying the crystallized sketches of famous characters such as Pikachu, Mewtwo, and Jigglypuff.

Stay tuned to this article as we announce the release date closer to the estimated launch date in May.