The EO brand by Edric Ong is in the forefront of Eco-Fashion and Slow Fashion, consciously working with communities of weavers and crafts artists to create and market ‘hand-made’ designs. Based out of Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, the unique fashion of Edric Ong combines a touch of the ethnic and oriental with the contemporary; innovative styles with creative use of hand-woven silks and cottons.
The Sarawak Eco Fashion Gala Collection features natural tree bark cloth from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo with manipulation in shibori and origami with a touch of natural indigo dye!
Tree bark cloth is an indigenous native material worn as vests, skirts and loin cloth by the Dayak people of Sarawak. Edric is innovating the material for use in contemporary fashion!
He first showcased a Tree Bark Collection for SS 2024 at the London Fashion Week in September this year, as well as at the International Fashion Awards Show organised by Mad Mood Milano held in Brindisi Italy. That Collection was also invited to be shown at the Kokand International Crafts Festival in Uzbekistan.
Edric Ong is a multi-awarded Malaysian designer of natural dye textiles, fashion and crafts. He is the Advisor and Immediate Past President of Society Atelier Sarawak, the Arts and Crafts Society of Sarawak in East Malaysia.
He is President of the ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA), an organization that administers the UNESCO-AHPADA Craft Seal of Excellence since 2000. He is Advisor and Honorary Member of World Crafts Council Asia Pacific, and Honorary Member of World Crafts Council International.
An architect by training, he is author of several books e.g. Sarawak Style, Pua-Kumbu-Iban Textiles; Woven Dreams-Ikat Textiles of Sarawak. He is Founder of the World Eco-Fiber and Textile (WEFT) Network to further the cause of natural fibers and dyes; and Convener of the Biennial WEFT Forum since 1999. He is a curator of many exhibitions in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Korea, Australia, Japan, India, France, Sweden, United Kingdom and USA.
For the Sarawak Eco Fashion Gala, Edric Ong collaborated with Juliana Embrose, renowned beadwork master artist. Together they came up with new hand-beaded accessories and rattan hats in a Collection that reflects the Culture of the Indigenous Peoples of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo.
PertubuhanPenggiatKesenian dan Kraftangan Sarawak (Society Atelier Sarawak) with the support of the Ministry of Tourism, Creativity Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) Sarawak, BESarawak, Sarawak Crafts Council, Sarawak Tourism Board, Sarawak Tourism Federation were the hosts of the Sarawak Eco-Fashion Gala shows at the Dewan Sri Bunga Rampai, Kuching on Saturday 2ndand 3rd December.
By Saif Rahman Sozib