LOCAL clothing brand Monokerom is a wordplay on “monochrome”, that puts an emphasis on minimalist and versatile garments unimpeded by trends.
In 2016, designers Amirah Imanie and Hafiz Azri, who are also partners in life, were determined to prevail over the cycle of fast fashion with well-thought and produced clothing “Minimalism encourages us to remove anything non-essential, not just from our closets but also from our lives,” explains Amirah.
“It means that you value yourself more than material things and make a conscious choice to surround yourself with the things you love and nothing else.
“Primarily, it is a practice that harmonises well with our brand and personal philosophy.”
How did sustainability and slow fashion come into the picture?
We knew that we wanted our business to be driven by a bigger purpose beyond just selling garments, that is, to encourage the public to forego disposable consumption of clothing that we have unfortunately grown accustomed to.
By creating and producing long-lasting garments that can be worn in many ways and serve many needs, we hope to reduce waste, which is prevalent in the fashion industry today.
When producing a garment, we always ensure that it isn’t designed to fit just one specific style or type of person. Therefore, we take inspiration from viewing people’s creativity on how they can take a piece of our clothing and adapt it into their personal wardrobes.
How does Monokerom draw inspiration from art and culture?
Living in multicultural Malaysia, there is plenty to be inspired by when designing a new collection. There have also been instances when a silhouette of a garment was inspired by architectural design, and colours were selected based on what we see in nature.
We have also grown a liking for Japanese culture, as you may notice that some of our designs are a nod to the aesthetics.
How do you balance modern minimalism with traditional aesthetic cues?
Once a year, we come up with a traditional wear collection for the Eid season. Specifically for this, we prefer to maintain the classic silhouettes of traditional clothing, and then add our own modernised elements.
Staying true to our philosophy of mindful consumption, our traditional wear collections are always designed in a way that transcends the festive period. Usually as a two-piece outfit that can also be worn separately and styled differently.
What are some of the sustainable practices at Monokerom?
Other than producing functional garments that transcend time and place, we make a conscious effort to select only high-quality natural fibres and materials for our pieces as they are friendlier on the environment and have a longer lifespan when given the right care. A few years back, we managed to eliminate our single-use wrapping paper packaging by using reusable bags instead.
What are your thoughts on sustainability and consumption habits in the Malaysian fashion industry?
I believe that it needs more voices to speak about sustainability and slow fashion. With that said, there has been a rise of local brands that are heading in the right direction. Many independent designers and labels are starting to make the shift as the public becomes more aware and protective of the environment.
At Monokerom, we plan to continue being a part of the movement by using our platform to share more about these issues.
What does the role of a fashion designer mean to you?
As fashion designers and creatives, we need to keep creating to give people something to look forward to and be inspired by it, to take their minds off the mess that is our ongoing reality.
However, it is also important for us to go beyond what we create. We need to come together and use our platforms to bring awareness to the public regarding the important matters that are happening both locally and globally.
