S3, E26 | The Psychology of 'Cool': How Dayang Syafiqah Made Gen Z Obsessed With Tradition

Long before she became the face of a modern Batik revolution, Dayang Syafiqah was a musician at heart. She didn’t study fashion, she studied music and she brought that same soulfulness to the world of textiles. When she looked at the Batik industry, she didn't see heritage, she saw boundaries. To her, Batik felt trapped, stuck in the realm of stiff formal wear and government uniforms that didn't resonate with her generation’s desire for freedom. She realized that for this art form to survive, it couldn't just sit in a museum or a bridal suite, it needed to flow, move and feel alive, just like music. That feeling became the heartbeat of Oh Dayang. Trading instruments for a canting (wax pen), Dayang set out to make tradition feel cool again. She threw out the old rulebook of rigid cuts and embraced the imperfect beauty of hand-drawn art, creating oversized, earthy pieces that you’d actually want to live in. Today, she hasn’t just designed clothes, she’s changed the conversation. By treating Batik as wearable art rather than a uniform, she proved to young Malaysians that honoring your roots doesn't mean looking old-fashioned, it can be the most stylish thing you own. 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio) Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/[email protected] 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor