If you have a passion for luxurious traditional crafts, keep the evening of July 10 free for a night of musical entertainment and contemporary interpretations of traditional fashion at the Songket Ball.

The event, themed “Keeping Heritage Alive”, will be held at The Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, and is organised by the Tuanku Nur Zahirah Foundation under the royal patronage of the Queen, Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah.

The Songket Ball will feature a live musical performance by Stephen Rahman Hughes, M. Nasir and Ida Mariana, and also showcase contemporary songket designs using lightweight songket produced by the foundation’s weavers. Local designers whose fusion creations would be put on display are Tom Abang Saufi, Radzuan Radziwill, Melinda Looi, Jovian Mandagie, Rizalman Ibrahim, Tangoo and Pink Jambu.

“The Songket Ball guests will be able see, feel, touch and taste heritage woven into songket. Guests will also discover songket in a different light as the evening unfolds with a special musical performance directed by award-winning theatre director Datuk Zahim Albakri with Man Bai as the technical director and Jason Voon as the musical director,’’ said organising chairman Datuk Larry Gan.

“This is an excellent opportunity for existing sponsors, partners, industry insiders as well as individuals to enjoy a classy evening at the fabulous event,’’ he added.

Proceeds from the event will go towards supporting the fair employment of the foundation’s weavers in Terengganu and Sarawak as well as promote and preserve the craft by upgrading the weavers' tools and purchasing their output on a monthly basis. One of the foundation’s initiatives is to support these weavers, who are typically single mothers in villages along the East Coast who use traditional hand looms to weave. 

Other items for sale at the ball include a coffee table book titled “Songket Revolution”, which was commissioned by the foundation, as well as other songket products designed under the Royal Terengganu Songket brand.

Official partners for The Songket Ball are Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia Tatler Magazine.

Interested? Call Sarah or Evelyn at 03 2284 8253 for seats or tables.