Promising Designer Wins Title With Anti-War Inspired Collection.

Promising Designer Wins Title With Anti-War Inspired Collection.
read more: Limkokwing: Promising designer wins title with anti-war inspired collection

Promising fashion designer Rico Rinaldi Tono bagged 1st Prize in the Fashion Category in the Piala Seri Endon Batik designing competition yesterday, 13 December. Rico beat off competition from renowned Malaysian Batik-makers with his ‘Republic Flora’ collection to bring home the trophy and RM30,000.00 in cash.

He opted to go with a back-to-basic, floral motive while drawing inspiration from anti-war efforts in the United States of America where the term ‘Flower Power’ was widely used especially against the war in Vietnam during the 1960’s.

Rico said that the strength and conviction of the efforts although masked behind the gentlest form of creation, a flower, conveys the true essence of Batik which is a dominant craft executed with extreme gentleness and detail.With three garments on display - women’s casual, women’s evening wear and men’s formal Rico made to the finals against a total of 122 entries.

Rico added that he was a overwhelmed by the competition as all the other designers displayed very creative and beautiful garments.Rico is no stranger to batik designing competitions as he has previously won the Malaysian Batik Fashion Accessory Design Competition organised by the Yayasan Budi Penyayang in 2006.
The Piala Seri Endon, now in its 7th year, was held in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur International Batik Fair at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The Star: Weaving A Spell With Batik

Weaving A Spell With Batik 
Wednesday December 16, 2009 
By CHOONG MEK ZHIN

Theme: Republik Flora

IT WAS a tough and long decision for the judges of the Piala Seri Endon grand finals. However, after much deliberation, the top prizes that comes with a replica of the original iconic trophy and RM30,000 went to Rico Rinaldi Tono for the fashion category with the theme Republik Flora, Tunas Kaktus for the soft fur­­­­nishing category and to Sangga Batutha for the handicraft category.

The competition that was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre was the highlight of the Kuala Lumpur International Batik Convention and Exhibition 2009 that was held over the course of three days.
The event organised by the Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia was graced by Raja Perempuan Perlis Tuanku Tengku Fauziah Almarhum Tengku Abdul Rashid who awarded the winners while accompanied by the Yayasan’s chairman Nori Abdullah and Yayasan’s chief executive officer Datuk Leela Mohd Ali,
Judges for the fashion category finals included National Art Gallery Malaysia director-general Dr Mohamed Najib Ahmad Dawa, designers Datuk Farah Khan, Datuk Bernard Chandran and Datuk Tom Abang Saufi as well as Indonesian designer Ghea Panggabean.

Winner of this year’s Piala Seri Endon in the Fashion category, Rico Rinaldi Tono (holding trophy) surrounded by models.

 

The competition was part of the “Malaysia Batik — Crafted For The World” movement that aimed to revitalise the Malaysian batik industry.

read more: Weaving a Spell with Batik.

Piala Seri Endon: Utusan Malaysia

14 Disember 2009 / 27 Zulhijjah 1430

Pereka muda batik juara Piala Seri Endon 2009

Tuanku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid menyampaikan replika cek beserta Piala Seri Endon 2009 kepada Rico Rinaldi Tono (empat dari kiri) sambil diperhatikan Nori Abdullah dan Leela Mohd. Ali (kanan) di Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

 

KUALA LUMPUR 13 Dis. - Pereka muda tempatan, Rico Rinaldi Tono, 23, dinobatkan sebagai juara pertandingan Piala Seri Endon 2009 kategori fesyen mengalahkan 11 peserta lain.
Pertandingan tahunan sejak tahun 2003 itu dianjurkan Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia.
Kemenangannya bagi kategori utama pertandingan itu melayakkan Rico Rinaldi membawa pulang hadiah wang tunai RM30,000, piala dan sijil penyertaan.

Tutor acara fesyen di Universiti Lim Kok Wing itu berkata, penyertaannya pada pertandingan berkenaan adalah kerana minat mendalam terhadap fesyen dan kekagumannya kepada pertandingan tersebut sejak ia diadakan. Rico Rinaldi berkata, memandangkan penyertaannya pada pertandingan itu adalah yang pertama, beliau tidak meletakkan keyakinan tinggi untuk menang tambahan peserta lain dilihatnya lebih berpengalaman dan berbakat.

''Sebelum ini, saya pernah menyertai pertandingan Batik Fashion Accessories dan menduduki tempat pertama, jadi ia sedikit sebanyak memberi saya semangat menyertai pertandingan ini.
''Saya amat bersyukur atas kemenangan ini dan ia tidak akan dicapai tanpa sokongan daripada keluarga, rakan rapat dan kakitangan pengurusan di universiti,'' katanya ketika ditemui selepas pertandingan itu di Pusat Konvensyen Kuala Lumpur (KLCC) di sini hari ini.

Hadiah tersebut disampaikan Raja Perempuan Perlis, Tuanku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid.
Turut hadir, Pengerusi Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia, Nori Abdullah dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Datuk Leela Mohd. Ali.Mengenai konsep rekaan pakaiannya untuk pertandingan itu, kata Rico Rinaldi, beliau menggunakan tema Republik Flora yang bermaksud sebuah cerita mengenai wanita Vietnam.
''Di Vietnam, wanita berarak dengan memegang bunga sebagai simbol menghentikan peperangan, jadi saya gabungkan corak lukisan wanita, bunga dan peperangan pada fesyen saya ini yang menggunakan fabrik satin, sifon dan kapas.

''Idea menggunakan konsep itu tercetus melalui sebuah buku sejarah yang saya baca dan saya memang banyak mengumpul pengetahuan serta pengalaman melalui hobi membaca,'' kata anak ketiga daripada empat adik-beradik itu.Menurutnya, pertandingan berkenaan amat baik bagi memberi peluang kepada pereka tempatan terutama golongan muda menunjukkan bakat dalam dunia fesyen batik.
''Ia juga dapat membantu memperluaskan penggunaan batik yang diperkenalkan sebagai warisan negara.
''Batik adalah seni lukisan yang amat menarik, indah dan menyeronokkan kerana ia bermain dengan warna, jadi terpulang kepada pereka fesyen untuk mencantikkannya,'' tambahnya...

read more: http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=1214&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_29.htm