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Destination: Home ground
Rooted in tradition
KUALA Lumpur Fashion Week 2026 (KLFW ’26) just pulled its curtains, closing out with Hatta Dolmat, who marks its 20th year in the fashion industry, as the designer was honoured by The Malaysia Book of Records.
Fresh off the theatrics, KLFW ’26 puts itself on the global fashion map through pure showmanship. As the local beau monde strutted the Esplanade ramp, one thing became clear: Malaysia came to serve, and this is only the beginning.
So, here is a look back at the historic event, through the lens of Kit Woo, Behati, Fiziwoo and Rizman Ruzaini.
Destination: Home ground
This year, local fashion houses lean into their DNA when crafting their collection – going back to the roots of their brand as seen in KitWoo’s controlled and quieter silhouettes. In its collection (Nothing is Finished), Kit Woo make intentional lines and deconstructed silhouettesthe central focus of its collection, embodying its signature of unfinished hemlines and bold cuts.
Kit Woo arrives as a renegade redefining home, legacy and tradition – mirroring the cosmopolitan KL in a post-apocalyptic streetwear collection. Built around the philosophy “every ending leaves something unresolved” the unfinished collection tells us that the story always continues.
That conviction is accentuated by the neutral tones (black, beige, denim blue and white) as they act as a blank canvas to highlight subtle architectural details.
Kit Woo’s collection doubled down on his brand’s signature without looking jaded, reshaping streetwear in Malaysia that has shifted since Virgil Abloh (LV) hijacked the aesthetic, steering it away from dark subversion towards the loud, skate-maximalism of the mid-2020s.
Kit Woo’s Nothing is Finished. – PICS BY JOHN TAN
Bringing back its staple, oversized blazers, the collection is a clear visual rebellion against the 9-to-5 as “office” accessories are used to subvert the “corporate cliche”. He reclaims the anti-establishment culture – ironically, while presenting at the city centre – with his interpretation of discourse.
Juxtaposed in absolute polarity is the wild card: Behati by Kel Wen. Embracing Southeast Asian culture with the collection Bangsawan, the brand stays true to its exaggerated theatrics and shapes.
Almost camp, Behati takes on street-couture with its massive contours and disruptive tailoring – driven purely by the rebellious nature of the subculture.
The collection, as usual, draws inspiration from many other cultures in a dominantly Malay-inspired line with traditional South Asian-draping styles, Mandarin collars, Japanese geta footwear (boat-shaped clogs).
As the line progresses, craftsmanship takes centre stage with modern corsets and songket pleated with mastery, alongside heavy and loose shapes.
Behati destabilises the “Hypebeast” drop culture and fast fashion with intentional, radical pieces that carry quiet dignity, making us rethink the dialogue of fashion while still embodying that streetwear attitude.
As Kit Woo chooses to “dim” the colour palette to embrace its architectural shapes, Behati honours its Nusantara inspiration with gold and silver heavily dominating the runway.
Behati’s Bangsawan. – PICS BY VERONICA ELANKOVAN
Even so, Kel Wen chooses to balance the maximalist showcase with pinstripe pyjamas, which are utilitarian streetwear shapes. Also seen once in Kit Woo’s collection, Kel Wen uses the pinstripe pyjamas as the “uniform of the collection”.
Here, Kit Woo and Kel Wen’s Behati meet at the crossroads, both beckoning the return of minimalism to streetwear. Kit Woo welcomes it through quieter silhouettes, while Behati acknowledges the global macro-trend via its pinstripe pyjamas.
Amid the noise, both stand in quiet resilience and a shared creative philosophy – despite their opposing aesthetics – as their radical pieces continue to rattle the foundation of the fashion society.
Rooted in tradition
As minimalism returns to streetwear, maximalism goes back to its roots in formal wear before the “Great Swap” in the 2010s. A lavish, cultural ode to the Peranakan heritage, Rizman Ruzaini’s Lemari Nyonya is the epitome of maximalist glamour.
It is heavy, dramatic and unapologetically Malaysian. Taffeta is the choice of fabric, making the silhouette structured – yet movement breathes through the collection. Inspired by the rich heirlooms of the Baba Nyonya closets, the collection comes in shades of emerald, teal and magenta.
Evoking hyper-femininity, the colours of the collection play right into that narrative. While the saturated hues and colour blocking are reminiscent of the 2010s, the collection shapes are inspired by the 1960s with heavy cascades.
Silhouettes from the “Swinging Sixties” such as Mod box jackets and A-line dresses, where more is more, capture the maximalist essenceof the line.
The Peranakan culture is vibrantly illustrated with high-density sarong flower motifs that were meticulously hand-beaded to mimic the micro-precision of Kasut Manek (beaded slippers).
Rizman Ruzaini’s Lemari Nyonya. – PICS BY VERONICA ELANKOVAN
Incredibly architectural, the collection cleverly merges Western tailoring and silhouettes with Eastern (Southeastern) luxury, inspired by the Straits porcelain motifs.
Amid this elegant line, a youthful shake-up comes in two Baby Doll dresses (purple and baby yellow), with tiered, feathered bottoms, a nod to the rising trend – recently popularised by Olivia Rodrigo.
Au contraire, Fiziwoo takes on a minimalist approach in silhouette, focusing on fluidity. In three chapters (Act 1: The Pastel Prelude, Afterlight, Heirloom), it embraces femininity like an Olivia Dean song – soft and dreamy.
A nod to its inspiration – the Malay heritage – the collection comes out in hues of deep earthy tones and gentle pastels. Colours you would normally find in a baju kebaya or sarong.
Fiziwoo. – PICS BY SHIVANI SUPRAMANI
Fiziwoo trades the structured fabrics (such as Taffeta) for songket and duchess satin to create soft knots and draping, attuning to the quiet luxury aesthetics.
While the line stays minimalist in silhouettes, it embraces maximalism in luxury fabric and embellishments. The anatomically graceful collection is a refreshing alternative to rigid formal wear.
As Rizman Ruzaini bursts in with loud maximalism, Fiziwoo hushes in with a structurally clean collection but both ultimately achieve the same goal – beautifully preserved and elevated heritage in modern formal wear.
KLFW ’26 retells the Malaysian story through a defiant lens. It resiliently reclaims the muchness of our culture while putting ourstoried fabric on the map in a language that the world would understand: Sincerity and authenticity.
Homegrown fashion houses, this year, refuse to stand down as they cling to their signatures while embracing macro and micro trends. This is a testament that they are writing their own narrative as they position themselves to become the dictators of the local fashion scene.
As we reach an impasse in the maximalism and minimalism debate, this year’s KLFW proves heritage and modernity can coexist with one another linearly.
LOOKBOOK: Head-gear in the game
KLFW ’26 keeps their head in the game as it embraces identity and heritage from head-to-toe. Here are some headgear, from tengkolok to bucket hats, spotted on the runway.
Deconstructed and bucket hats were seen on Kit Woo’s runway. – PICS BY JOHN TAN
Tengolok were worn on Behati’s runway. – PICS BY VERONICA ELANKOVAN
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The Sun Malaysia