‘People throw stones, I hand them flowers’: TV personality Aznil Nawawi addresses ridicule for his baju Melayu collection

PETALING JAYA, May 10 ― Some likened it to a blouse, others made comparisons to wearing an apron, a miniskirt, or just a short towel.

Safe to say, popular TV personality Datuk Aznil Nawawi’s baju Melayu collection has not gone down well in terms of reception on social media.

In fact, the collection by the celebrity in collaboration with fashion designer Razman Razmi became a laughing stock of social media, for what many claim is the lack of masculinity in the traditional garb.

Pakai baju melayu tapi inginkan ciri ciri blouse.. Mungkin design ni sesuai untuk anda 👇 pic.twitter.com/GVttCPikS5

— MALAYSIA MOST VIRALL (@MALAYSIAVIRALL) May 3, 2019

Aznil however stands behind his collection which he says was inspired by the look of the late and great entertainer, Datuk Sudirman Arshad.

“What I want to sell is the baju Melayu itself and the accompanying pant, because I have a dream of continuing the legacy of the outfit ala Sudirman, I added the samping with matching material and colours.

“It’s considered an accessory, and it is up to the wearer to use the accessory or not,” he told Harian Metro.

The body hugging “corset” feel was added to give the look a neater feel.

“Normal fabrics don’t grip and loosen easily, but the outfit I came up with Razman Razmi, can also be worn with the songket samping.

Aznil pairs off his creation with a more traditional songket samping to show its versatility in look. ― Picture via Instagram/aznilnawawihm

To highlight his point of functionality, Aznil took to Instagram and matched the look with a more traditional songket samping.

“This matching look I have come up with may be more exclusive for celebrities or those who just want a different look on Aidilfitri, and the accessories in the matching samping and the ‘corset’ is free at no extra cost.”

According to Aznil, for Astro’s Go Shop from May 19, he would also offer a freebie of a songket samping along with free buttons, to prove his point.

“People throw stones, I hand them flowers. So no problem,” he captioned post after announcing the inclusion of the freebies to accessorise.

He said his collection was not to gain profit alone, but also to liven up the Ramadan month as well as the coming Aidilfitri.

“No matter the criticism, I will wear this outfit that reminds and celebrates the memory of Sudirman who has been my idol for the longest time.