KUALA LUMPUR: Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, looked elegantly regal in a blue baju kurung made of Kain Benang Johor during the recent state visit to Brunei.
A post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s official Facebook page highlighted that Kain Benang Johor, a plaid-patterned handwoven fabric similar to Songket, embodies a cherished part of Johor’s cultural heritage.
Her Majesty’s baju kurung featured the Johor Queen’s tiara motif elegantly woven into the Songket Johor Maharani pattern, a design crafted exclusively for her. The choice of blue represented one of the colours of the Malaysian flag.
The post also noted that the Songket Johor Maharani design is one of ten patterns patented under the Malaysian Intellectual Property Corporation (MyIPO).
"The creation of Kain Benang Johor is a meticulous process, involving eight distinct steps including dyeing, threading, winding, rusting, and weaving, all executed to produce the finest woven quality,” read the post.
"The production of Kain Benang Johor takes place entirely at Galeri Tenun, located within the Sultan Abu Bakar Heritage Complex in Johor Bahru,” the post shared.
The gallery, inaugurated on Nov 18, 2018, preserves the art of weaving practised at the historic Rumah Tenun Johor on Jalan Mahmoodiah - a weaving centre first established by the late Tengku Ampuan Mariam, sister of the late Sultan Sir Ibrahim, in 1946.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and Raja Zarith Sofiah embarked on a three-day state visit to Brunei from Oct 13 to 15, marking their first official visit to Brunei since ascending the throne on Jan 31 this year, at the invitation of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. – Bernama
