Avant Guard is a series that digs into a personality’s fashion hacks, dos and don’ts, red flags, and more. In this edition, Seri shares her favourite artists and designers, along with hacks for fashion girlies who wish to practise and do their part for sustainability.
“What I’m most proud of is building a community that supports my advocacy for sustainability in fashion,” says Seri Mizani, the multifaceted artist who wears many hats. Despite being known as a sustainable fashion advocate, she refuses to be framed and put labels on herself, “I see myself as an ever-evolving being, and my journey is the reflection of the evolution.”
From content creation and being a speaker for Converse’s sustainability week in Los Angeles to hosting the H&M Southeast Asia Co-Exist Story collection and being a social media coordinator at a textile recycling company, Seri has proven that sustainability in fashion can be approached in various ways, a position she never envisioned herself in after dropping out of her fashion design major in college. Best known for her relationship with cast-off heritage fabric such as batik, the talented Seri then started her brand Pari-pari Mentari, focusing mainly on exploring the purposes of an artist in fashion and sustainability.
Confess a fashion crime that you have committed before
I was a shopaholic before I learned what mindful purchasing meant. I’d leave thrift stores with at least two to three bags of clothes that I wouldn’t end up wearing.
A fashion item you cannot leave the house without
It’s my leather-brass bracelet and ring, both from leather artisans Utile from Penang. I highly recommend dropping by the studio if you’re visiting the cultural destination, they are a welcoming group of people and you can learn the art of leather too.
Three items that are on your fashion wish list right now
More perfumes! I’ve been collecting perfumes this year. Smelling good completes your whole look. The second would be a handmade handbag from Sticky Harmony, an artist based in Germany. Lastly, brass necklaces that are custom-made.
Your first luxury purchase
Plane tickets—such a Sagittarius answer—but that’s my definition of luxury in life.
A talent from the fashion industry you would like to work with
I’ve been wanting to work and learn from local batik artisans, and also the photographer Weeyang. Internationally, I’d love to just be in the same room with the people behind Suay Sew Shop from the U.S., Neonyt Dusseldorf from Germany, and an Arab-Australian photographer named Sarah Bahbah.
A fashion tip you’re gatekeeping right now. Spill.
If you run out of options for tops, use a skirt! Likewise, if you run out of batik to wrap as a skirt, use a kaftan as a skirt instead! The tip: always carry safety pins around to secure and add more volume to your look.
What is your favourite fashion accessory?
My Chandbali earrings from India!
A controversial fashion opinion you have
Probably skinny jeans. My opinion changed after seeing Wisdom Kaye style them with cowboy boots!
If you could wear only one fashion brand for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I don’t have a specific brand, but I know I could happily wear batik, maxi skirts, and dresses for the rest of my life.
Your lazy day outfit
Hands down, a kaftan or an oversized T-shirt. I sweat rather easily, so I will reach for anything flowy that doesn’t cling to my skin.
A trend that needs to die
This is a tough one—every trend has its place and should be preserved.
A fashion red flag
When someone believes their fashion sense is better than others.
What is your last fashion purchase
The laces I bought to sew on my handmade scrunchies for Pari-pari Mentari!
Your biggest regret purchase
Tools and materials for a workshop that ultimately didn’t happen. I could still use them when I sew, but still, it’s a lesson learnt for accepting freelance work: never forget to get the upfront payment!
A song that will always get you in the mood to get ready
It’s tough to choose just one, I’m a big fan of instrumentals. A good Yussef Dayes Experience, Khruangbin’s Pitchfork Live and Glass Beams’ ‘Mahal EP’ on YouTube are what I’d opt for. I secretly listen to my partner’s unreleased songs and edits too—not much of a secret now!
A fashion memory you’d want to erase
Erasing a fashion memory is not an option in my book. Fashion is seasonal. If I didn’t go through all the seasons in my styling I wouldn’t have evolved from minimalism to embracing prints on prints.
A fashion icon that you’ve always looked up to
The late Yasmin Ahmad—I find myself wearing baju kurung and kebaya more often lately. Her devotion to her faith makes me admire her even more. ((( O ))) too, also known as The Sundrop Garden, especially for her artistry. I wouldn’t necessarily call them the “fashion” icons, but they are the people I look up to.
Something from your wardrobe that you’d love to pass down
Any of my leather items—I own a nearly two-decade-old Guess handbag that was passed down by my sister. I’ll also pass down my Revolt Industry saddle bag, crafted by a leather artisan from East Java.
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