Ultraman-inspired Raya Outfits In The Limelight On Social Media

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- With Hari Raya Aidilfitri around the corner, social media timelines have been flooded with images of Malay traditional attire in various designs, colours and patterns. 

Interestingly, baju Melayu and baju kurung designs featuring motifs of the popular fictional superhero Ultraman, complete with its signature mask – generated using artificial intelligence (AI) – have gone viral, catching the attention of netizens. These outfits come in colours such as white, pink, purple and black.

A TikTok user, @nabiu_rahman, edited and shared images of these AI-generated outfits, receiving over 288,000 likes. Many netizens found the images “entertaining”, while others were excited about the designs as they reminded them of their childhood. However, some criticised them for compromising the identity of traditional attire.

Some of the comments left by users include, “Raya outfits are getting weirder, how much is the purple one?”; “There's no yellow bag”; “I thought this was real but apparently AI… I was about to ask my mom to buy it”; “I want to buy this, please make it happen bro”; and “If this is real, I’ll be the first to grab one”.

But can traditional clothing featuring “amusing” designs like this become a trend and be widely worn during the festive season?

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Well-known fashion designer Hatta Dolmat believes that the “latest innovation” may be relevant to fans of the superhero who wish to incorporate it into their clothing for personal satisfaction.

“In my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with this (AI-designed) Ultraman outfit. We’ve already seen anime and pop-culture-inspired fashion being adapted into Raya attire before. You can’t deny that some people are passionate about characters like Ultraman, Hello Kitty and others.

“But then, the traditional identity of baju Melayu may gradually fade as AI innovations become part of its design. Logically speaking, wearing an outfit featuring Ultraman (with his) mask and sword for Raya leans more towards children’s fashion," he said in an interview with Bernama.

 He added, however, if designs created using digital tools are incorporated into actual garments and widely worn during Hari Raya, they could become a topic of debate.

“When superhero mascot sentiments are incorporated into (traditional) fashion, of course, some individuals will come forward to give their opinions, especially since the (Hari Raya) celebrations are close to our hearts. Some will see it as an innovation in modern fashion, while others may feel it will diminish the uniqueness and authenticity of baju Melayu,” he said.

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Hatta also believes that superhero and cartoon fans are unlikely to be deterred by criticism as they see the designs as unique ideas.

"Perhaps, we can inject a bit of some other elements without going overboard, as excessive modifications can ruin the identity of traditional attire," he said, suggesting that the AI-generated Ultraman Raya outfits were likely created just to spark festive excitement and showcase creativity using AI.

Meanwhile, Salikin Sidek, 61, a designer known for championing traditional fashion, sees the Ultraman-theme as creative and out of the box.

“As a fashion designer, I think it’s creative and out of the box, but (personally) it’s not my concept. I prefer classic contemporary styles,” he said. 

-- BERNAMA