The Geeky Baju Project

South East Asian garments based on geeky themes. Any similarities with existing real life designs are coincidental. If you have or know someone who has the capacity to make any of these designs happen in real life, I'd love to be part of that endeavour.

If you enjoyed this, you can own postcards of the designs now!

DESIGN RULES
  1. Restraint.
  2. Reference source material in a thought-out way.
  3. Have fun.

Basic Designs


- Sharks and sundry -


Set 1: Shark Attack, Dragons in a Teacup, Star Stuff, Battle Dress

SHARK ATTACK
You know those shark socks? This is way bigger.

Cotton print, with red and white trim.

DRAGONS IN A TEACUP
Because dragons!

Printed silk with slight crinkled texture.

STAR STUFF
We are all made of it.

Embroidered constellations, star/moon-tasseled shawl.

BATTLE DRESS
The form-fitting kebaya is perfect for an ornate, military look.

Lion and phoenix devices stitched in gold on a thin coat, paired with matching songket.




Literary Designs


- Heroes and Antiheroes -


Hunger Games: White as Snow, Playing with Fire, Fashion without Fear

WHITE AS SNOW
So spotless and pure.

White silk baju Melayu with rose motif woven songket.

PLAYING WITH FIRE
All eyes are on you.

Embroidered Punjabi suit with jagged, slashed, shawl.

FASHION WITHOUT FEAR
You don't need to shout to make a statement.

Understated black silk baju Melayu with gold trim.



Lord of the Rings set: Fireworks, The Brown, Shadow and Flame, The White

FIREWORKS
"The finest rockets ever seen; They burst in stars of blue and green."

Embroidered silk baju kurung with tab sleeves and patterned scarf.

THE BROWN
"Radagast the Brown? Radagast the bird tamer?"

Rough cotton baju kurung with patterned dyed shawl.

SHADOW AND FLAME
"Its streaming mane kindled and blazed behind it. In its right hand was a blade like a stabbing tongue of fire...the shadows about it reached out like two vast wings."

Minangkabau headdress, embossed velvet baju kurung with shawl.

THE WHITE
"I liked white better."

Silk top and printed sarong.



Watchmen set: Watchmaker, This City is Afraid of Me, Queen of Queens, I am Pagliacci

WATCHMAKER
All puppets on strings.

Embroidered translucent silk ao dai.

THIS CITY IS AFRAID OF ME
Black and white vigilanteism is often gruesome.

Lace kebaya top with baggy rough cotton pants.

QUEEN OF QUEENS
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair!"

Silk top and skirt with metal beaded scarf.

I AM PAGLIACCI
"Heard joke once."

Printed and embroidered Punjabi suit.




Games & Film Designs


- Space operas and giant raksasa -


Mass Effect Set: Shepard, Scientist Salarian, Omnitactician, Sharpshooter

SHEPARD
Wrex.

Cekak Musang style, after the N7 armor. Black velvet ornamentation and red and white embroidery. Motifs based on powers and armor fabric.

SCIENTIST SALARIAN
"I am the very model of a scientist salarian..."

Dyed silk, embroidered with circuit patterns and motifs based on Mordin's powers.

OMNITACTICIAN
Regalia fit for a Commander, complete with omnitools.

Modern kebaya, after the ME3 Alliance uniform. Lace trim on coat with power icons.

SHARPSHOOTER
Suit up in silver and blue, let’s go rack up some headshots.

Based on Garrus' ME3 set. Silver and gold threads worked into blue, with gold insignia from his vigilante days.



Monster-fighting Set: All Suited Up, Hunter, Creature Comforts, Cape Calm, Chasm

ALL SUITED UP
Let's get down to business.

Leather and pleated chiffon top with chrome studs, and leather pants.

HUNTER
20,000 tons of awesome.

Crushed silk bolero with sleeve pockets and wearable LEDs, layered baju kurung with a deep green silk skirt.

CREATURE COMFORTS
Raksasa don't care about your fashion fads.

Super soft asymmetrical hoodie with wearable LED strips, and pleated baggy pants.

CAPE CALM & CHASM
Stay focused and warm.

Thermal-blocking cape with visor and high collar; ombre scarf with embroidery.



Notes


You're welcome to share this, but please keep the attribution in the photos and link back.

All Mass Effect characters belong to BioWare; credit to Troodon80 for their extensive collection of reference images.

All literary and film characters belong to their respective books and authors, etc.

The aim is not to straight out paste a 2D image onto a baju, but to incorporate the idea through things other than the textile pattern, such as the buttons, trims, shawls, garment cut, and what have you. In other words, I'm attempting to explore and work with the visual language that's already been established for baju, while taking liberties where necessary. I have no training or background whatsoever in textile or fashion design, but see design rule #3. I started this project in 2013 with the basic and Mass Effect designs, and recently added four more sets. Hope you enjoy them!

If you enjoyed this, you can own postcards of the designs now! Proceeds go towards supporting me in creating more cool art projects.




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