Syomirizwa Gupta knows heritage can travel. For his Samudera Rasa Bespoke 2027/2028 collection, presented at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2026, the Malaysian designer looked toward his mother’s Indonesian roots. Inspiration came during a seven-day journey through Labuan Bajo, where the surrounding islands gave him a fresh vocabulary for an identity he inherited long before the trip.
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The 23 looks trace that voyage like a vivid travel diary, albeit one populated by familiar sea creatures. Rarely one to shy away from going the extra mile, Gupta avoids letting marine and island life remain politely printed on the fabric. Instead, organic shapes dictate the silhouettes themselves. Italian silk chiffon moves with the softness of water, while sculptural embellishments introduce creatures that plausibly inhabit a stranger ocean.
Then comes the island’s most famous resident: a white twill Komodo dress that required roughly 20 hours of hand-beading, alongside a hand-drawn Komodo motif that adds a wink to the proceedings—because an animal that has survived for millions of years definitely deserves its runway debut.
Tactile craft gives these memories something tangible to hold. Macramé developed with Malaysian artist Kit Yin takes cues from fishing nets and beach hammocks, complemented by coastal crochet and seashell embroidery. Megamendung-inspired cloud motifs, associated with the batik tradition of Cirebon in West Java, also add another cultural connection.
Yet amid all the fantasy, Gupta remembers that island dressing must allow a person to move. Bermuda shorts and loose shirts relax the collection’s theatricality, while lightweight jackets ground the lineup in a functional holiday wardrobe.
Perhaps that balance is precisely why Samudera Rasa succeeds as a homecoming. Syomirizwa Gupta avoids approaching his lineage with rigid solemnity, trusting his roots enough to embellish them, laugh with them, and send them somewhere fantastical. After seven days across the islands, heritage has clearly found its sea legs.
Photos courtesy of KUALA LUMPUR FASHION WEEK
Photographed by BIBO ASWAN
Frequently Asked Questions
Samudera Rasa Bespoke 2027/2028 is a 23-look collection by Malaysian designer Syomirizwa Gupta, presented at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2026. It draws on his mother’s Indonesian heritage and a seven-day trip through Labuan Bajo’s islands.
The collection translates marine and island life into organic silhouettes rather than surface prints, using Italian silk chiffon and sculptural embellishments to evoke ocean movement and creatures inspired by the region’s ecosystem.
A white twill Komodo dress features roughly 20 hours of hand-beading and a hand-drawn Komodo motif, referencing the Komodo dragon as one of Labuan Bajo’s most recognizable residents.
The collection incorporates macramé developed with Malaysian artist Kit Yin, coastal crochet, seashell embroidery, and Megamendung cloud motifs associated with the batik tradition of Cirebon, West Java.
Yes — the collection includes Bermuda shorts, loose shirts, and lightweight jackets designed to function as a practical holiday wardrobe, balancing the collection’s more theatrical pieces with everyday movement.
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