KLANG: Considering Aidilfitri comes only once a year, TikTok influencer and entrepreneur Syed Muhammad Syah Hasif Syed Othman thought nothing of laying down RM90,000 on 120 pieces of clothing for himself, his wife and two children to show off throughout Syawal.
Pride of place went to their colourful Barbie-themed outfits for the first day of Hari Raya today.
As in previous years, the 32-year-old who is better known as Prince Syed among his followers, chose the theme to be different from the norm.
These four outfits alone cost the family a whopping RM40,000.
"This year, I see many people have chosen orange for their baju raya, but my wife and I want to be different from everyone else.
"We had a list of characters from which to choose and we ended up picking a Barbie theme. Besides, we had previously gone with a Hello Kitty theme in a previous Hari Raya, so this time, it is Barbie.
"I like cute characters and so does my wife, so there was no dispute about our clothes... in fact, my wife came up with some ideass on the concepts of our clothes and the feathery elements we incorporated into the outfits," he told Harian Metro.
Syed Syah Hasif said he took two days to sew the four Barbie-themed outfits, including the tanjak and sampin for himself and his 5-year-old son, Syed Muhamad Nouis Jaeden El-Alawi.
"The challenge for me this year was in finding the right material because it's difficult to find cloth with Barbie motifs, whether online or at textile warehouses.
"Much of the material you find have Hello Kitty or Sponge Bob patterns, so I decided to use bedsheets and blankets. I also added some lace at the bottom for my wife and daughter," he said.
Syed Syah Hasif said there was no question of him being embarassed about wearing the outfit, adding that it was a worthwhile investment as he gets to show off extravagantly during the festive season.
"Everyone has their own interests so it's not wrong to choose whatever theme you want... the most important thing is to maintain certain boundaries so that you're appearance isn't too eye-popping
"Besides, Barbie is universal and suitable for all age groups, whether adults or children," he said.
On another matter, Syed Syah Hasif said he has also come out with a Hari Raya song entitled Tiberr Raya.
"I'm no singer, but I figure there's no harm in developing my talents when given the opportunity, and this Raya song is more about enhancing the celebration of Aidilfitri," he said.