Amot Syamsuri Muda definitely had clubbing on his mind when he staged his first solo runway show, last Wednesday night at the cavernous hall of Empirica. After years of serving as the co-creative director at Sky.INC (formerly Isis), it’s clear that Amot has been freer to exercise his visions through his eponymous menswear label, AMOTSYAMSURIMUDA.
He opened the show with a white shirt and a pair of tight black vinyl pants. The model also sports a buzz cut with faux jewels like a walking multi-coloured disco ball. As straightforward as it is, the look successfully relayed the sexual undertones of the show that brings to mind the idea of nightlife, whereby attraction matters just as much as good music and good times.
It’s apparent that Amot placed most of his focus on the upper body: shirts are an amalgamation of formal and casual wear, while some of the jackets feature the austerity of a traditional kimono and Karate gi but cropped to sit high at the waist. There were also leather and see-through fabrics to heighten the sexual tensions. It’s a logical approach given how in a packed and dimly lit club, attention mostly falls on the chest up.
But the Achilles heel of the collection is the weak integration of artworks from the collective of artists of Atreyu Moniaga Project. The show’s note mentioned how it’s about highlighting the whole idea between nature and manmade as well as cosmic force that’s just disconnected from the entire show.
The potent sexual undertones and urgency were immediately diluted with the presence of the printed shirts and the second half of the show was also burdened by overwrought design. In particular, a bright colourblock jacket comes across like the dress code of an eighties themed party instead. If this was an actual scene in a club, you can tell who is going to get lucky and who is going to go home disappointed. Plus, you actually wish Amot had placed equal emphasis on the pants.
Before the show, Amot explained his decision for presenting an annual show instead of by the seasons as a way to lay his visions for the entire year. And judging from the looks of it, the designer casts an optimistic view in a year that’s currently rocking under the uncertainties of weak economy and the upcoming election. Regardless, this collection will effectively find its way into the wardrobe of those looking to dress up for a night out at Dragonfly or Thursday night at Bauhaus.
