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Tom (second right, front) with models wearing her designs.Advertisement
By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 27: Miri Arts Festival 2025 (MAF’25) will honour Sarawak fashion icon Dato Indera Tom Abang Saufi with a special recognition award for her outstanding contribution to promoting local heritage through fashion and arts.
Tom, also known as Tom Abang Saufi, will be a key speaker at the MAF’25 Arts Forum and the recipient of the MAF’25 Special Art Recognition.
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Her 40-year journey aligns with MAF’25’s focus on local ethnic and contemporary creative arts.
“I started my fashion career after becoming a mother, so it’s never too late to share a dream. Life does not pause after motherhood; it evolves,” she added.
Rooted in Borneo’s traditions, Tom’s designs blend modern elegance with cultural authenticity and strong feminine structure.
“Every motif has meaning, and every weave carries memory,” she said.
Her designs draw inspiration from Bornean textiles, indigenous craftsmanship, tribal motifs, and earthy tones, which she uses as a form of storytelling rooted in Sarawak’s heritage.
Her work gained national and international recognition in the 1980s and 1990s, establishing her as one of Malaysia’s most respected designers.
“Fashion is not about creativity and fabric alone, it is presence, it is memory, it is power,” she said.
She continues to play an important role in preserving art in daily life and inspiring communities to embrace creativity as part of their identity.
Tom will share her experiences and insights at the MAF’25 Arts Forum at 2pm on Jan 2, 2026, at the Miri City Indoor Stadium, with free admission. — DayakDaily
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