ASEAN Records is proud to officially recognise Karl Ho, international fashion designer and cultural advocate, for achieving the milestone: Most Participants Wearing Batik at the Launch of a National State-Flower Fashion Collection (1,808 Participants)
This landmark achievement was realised during the First Jiuzhou Cultural Heritage International Fashion Showcase, held on 24 January 2026 at Chung Hua High School, Negeri Sembilan—marking a powerful convergence of fashion, education, and cultural identity.
Uniting Fashion, Education, and Negeri Sembilan Cultural Identity
The fashion showcase brought together 1,808 participants, all dressed in batik, forming a record-setting display of collective cultural expression. Participants included students, alumni, educators, models, and members of the wider community, reflecting broad-based engagement across generations.
Curated and led by Karl Ho, an internationally recognised fashion designer and alumnus of Chung Hua High School, the collection integrated Negeri Sembilan’s state flower—the Pepper Flower (Bunga Lada)—as a central design motif. Through batik textiles and contemporary silhouettes, the collection translated state identity and heritage into a modern fashion language.
More than 100 students, alumni, and models participated in the runway presentations, demonstrating how fashion can serve as a living platform for cultural education, creative expression, and heritage transmission within a school and community setting.
A Cultural Showcase Beyond the Runway
The two-day cultural programme extended beyond fashion, incorporating music, traditional performance, art, and interactive cultural activities. Highlights included live musical performances integrated into the fashion presentation and traditional Negeri Sembilan dance elements, creating a multi-sensory cultural experience for attendees.
Supported by cultural and tourism-related organisations, the event emphasised that heritage is not static display, but a form of living culture—meant to be experienced, participated in, and passed on.
The ASEAN Records recognition affirms the significance of this achievement not only in numerical scale, but in its ability to mobilise collective participation around cultural pride, education, and identity.
A Landmark Moment of Recognition
The ASEAN Records certificate was officially presented on 24 January 2026 at Chung Hua High School.
The certificate was proudly received by Karl Ho, recognising his leadership in conceptualising and executing a cultural fashion initiative that successfully united large-scale community participation with meaningful heritage representation.
Voices of Leadership
Reflecting on the recognition, Karl Ho shared:
“This recognition by ASEAN Records is not about fashion alone—it is about culture, education, and belonging. Batik carries our stories, and when thousands come together wearing it with pride, it shows that heritage is alive.
Bringing this showcase back to my alma mater was especially meaningful. It represents continuity—where education, culture, and creativity meet. When people move together with the same purpose, culture gains the strength to resonate far beyond the runway.”
About the Cultural Fashion Initiative
The Jiuzhou Cultural Heritage International Fashion Showcase was conceived as a platform to integrate Negeri Sembilan’s cultural symbols, state flower identity, and batik heritage into contemporary expression. By combining fashion, education, and community participation, the initiative demonstrated how traditional culture can be reimagined and sustained through modern creative platforms.
Through record-setting participation and cross-generational involvement, the event stands as a benchmark for culture-led community mobilisation and heritage-driven fashion innovation.
