When it comes to accessorising a traditional attire, it’s equally important for men as it is for women to enhance their overall look.
For example, the baju melayu is not complete without a samping, a sarong-like cloth typically made from songket or tenun which wraps the mid-section of the body.
There is more than one way to wear a samping, however the most common style would be the "ikatan lingkup” where the samping is folded tightly across the chest, then rolled down a few times to secure it in place.
However, the small drawback of wearing a samping is that over time, when the wearer moves about to sit down, get up and walk around, the samping loosens up.
When this happens, one has to repeat the steps of securing the samping in place again. It could be tedious, especially if you require help from others.
This is something that entrepreneur Amin Fuad could very well relate to and he believes he isn’t the only one.
He found the solution to this problem, by creating a stretchable belt which he can wear inside the samping to keep it in place all day despite his movements.
"I used to wear leather belts to keep my samping in place but after a few hours of wearing it I would often feel uncomfortable.
"I thought a stretchable belt with no buckle would do the trick,” he said.
Thus, this was how his brand SMAD was born.
The belt is made from cotton and latex, and comes with two buttons and six button holes for the wearer to adjust accordingly.
"The goal for me was to provide a hassle-free experience for men to keep the samping in place while providing all day comfort,” he said.
He was pleased to learn that his idea was well-received as orders came flooding in when he kicked off his business last year.
Besides Raya, many grooms have purchased the belt to wear with the samping on their special day.
HOW TO WEAR IT
Once you neatly fold the samping across the chest, roll it down once or twice to mildly secure the samping.
Wear the SMAD belt and adjust it accordingly.
Then roll down the samping until the desired length is achieved. The belt should be hidden inside the samping.
The SMAD belt is currently available in black in size S - M and can be purchased at the KL Songket booth at the Absolute Bazaar & Gaya Raya in Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).
You can also purchase it at KL Songket, ground floor, Malaysia Grand Bazaar, Bukit Bintang City Centre, Kuala Lumpur, and Senjakala booth at Festival Ramadan Putrajaya 2022.
Another booth that offers the product is Songket Melati in Publika Shopping Gallery and Aeon Tebrau Johor.
For more information, go to smad.com.my.