2011年5月2日星期一

Malaysian Designer 'Zang Toi'



Born: Malaysia, 11 June 1961.  
Education: Studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design, New York, 1981-83.  
Career: Production associate, Mary Jane Marcasiano, New York, 1982-87; freelance designer, Ronaldus Shamask, New York, 1988; opened own business, 1989, introduced diffusion line Z, 1992.  
Exhibitions: Fashion Institute of Technology Museum.  Awards: Mouton-Cadet Young Designer award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts, 1990.  
Address: 30 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, USA. 
Zang Toi has the dubious distinction of being a featured designer in a Newsday article of October 1990, “Fashion’s New Kids: On the Block,” and of being a principal in Nina Darnton’s article “The New York Brat Pack,” in the April 1991 issue of Newsweek. In the Newsweek article, Zang Toi had the last word, telling Darnton, “I think women are looking for good prices and styles that are new—not just young people in the same mold as the current stars.” Likewise, in the Newsday article, Toi’s pragmatic and sensible remarks form the article’s conclusion when he says, “There are so many young designers who are eager to be stars right away. But ego can be the worst killer to any young designer. You can’t let the press and the hype go to your head. If the work doesn’t meet the demand and the quality, it doesn’t mean anything.”
Toi’s work resoundingly meets demand and determined desires and styles in the early 1990s. The gifted young designer has demonstrated a color sensibility related not only to Asian textiles (the collection that earned him the Mouton-Cadet Young Designer award was inspired by Southeast Asian textiles, with rich batiks and embroideries) but perhaps equally to Matisse in his vibrant palette. Toi’s color is often and aptly compared to Christian Lacroix’s, but Toi has brought his tinted exuberance to serviceable sportswear separates while Lacroix tends toward almost baroque forms of highly elaborated couture. For Lacroix, the pleasure is in the whole and design by ensemble; in Toi’s work, the delights are in the elements. Even within, his ingenious and extravagant details give punctuation with whimsy. Well-cut jackets, saucy skirts and shorts, spunky sarong skirts with ornament, wonderful vests and trousers provide a sensible dressing from constituents rich in color and texture. As much as Toi loves glamor, he also created a diffusion line, Z, launched in 1992, that luxuriates in denim and less expensive fabrication.
Toi did not set out to be a designer. Growing up as the youngest son of seven children of a grocer in a small town in Malaysia, he loved sketching and drawing but dreamed of being an architect or interior designer. His love of fashion came later and always in conjunction with cuisine and other pleasurable arts. He admits to wanting to combine fashion and running a restaurant. Like many designers, however, a lifetime interest in classic movie glamor and stars such as Audrey Hepburn encouraged his fashion interests. The Malay tradewinds have always brought rich interactions of British colonialism (apparent in Toi’s schoolboy stripes), Chinese, Indonesian, and other converging possibilities. Exoticism and pragmatic synthesis seem to come effortlessly to Toi.
In the West, we have traditionally enjoyed an adulation of the new, and Zang Toi is a new designer. But his merit and interest reside in the fact that his design is distinguished not by novelty but by his intense commitment to color. His fashion draws eclectically and with an absorbing anachronism on history and global fashion, always keeping his international eye for color. His practicality and sensitivity to the consumer are hallmarks of smart design for the 1990s and the 21st century beyond. Infinitely personable and charming, Toi, like many Western designers, is a social mixer and has a gregarious personality. Lauren Ezersky wrote, “I love Zang. Everybody loves Zang. He truly is one of the nicest designers on the scene today. And his designs are as fabulous as his gams, which he displays on a regular basis by wearing shorts.
In a fiercely competitive and fickle industry, Toi has flourished as a high society and movie star fashion designer. His commitment to luxury, beauty, and glamor continued to be evident in his designs, which made him the obvious choice to create a millennium gown for Melinda Gates (Mrs. Bill Gates). Whether the theme is the wild, wild West, inspired by a Montana trip (spring 2001), or “An Asian in Scotland” (fall 2001), his collections are executed in the finest fabrics and characterized by his signature use of color and attention to detail. His fall showing was one of the few to receive a standing ovation and praise from the New York fashion critics.
A favorite of Madonna, Sharon Stone, Ivana Trump, and Kirstie Alley, Toi is reaching out to their significant others by introducing a limited men’s line for fall 2001. “This is really for the husbands and boyfriends of my private customers. They are the ones who pay for the clothes.” Like his women’s clothes, the new line is handmade or hand-knit and uses luxury fibers like cashmere and silk.Zang Toi has held fast to his vision of fashion, despite an era of increasing informality and casual dress. “It is not a separate thing outside you, but something that flows out from inside you. That is why my clothes, my home, and my showroom all reflect a core that comes from the same source—a beauty that I see and feel and which takes its form in the look and feel of my creations and in the space where I live and work.” No longer the new kid on the block, Zang Toi continues to inspire and delight and remind us of what fashion and glamor are really all about. 
Zang Toi:
At the house of Toi, it all starts with color. Lavish hues of chartreuse, red, and hot pink…which, theoretically, should never be seen together. Here they have been combined masterfully with a flair and wit that has won the hearts of both critics and customers alike. Breaking the rules is what I do best. I try not to limit my thinking to the way things have been done before—my customers have come to expect the unexpected. Pioneering in dressing up good old all-American denim—in splashy red and hot pink stitching—and [adding] metalic gold stitching to sexy suits and little bustier dresses is the chicest way to dress.The Zang Toi formula is creating glamorous, tailored, classic sportswear with a dramatic twist; with a surprising mixed palette and signature design finishes. Evening at Zang Toi means haute fantasy with a dash of old Hollywood glamor.It is always a dream of mine to merge my fashion sense with fine food…. Food is like fashion; clothes are just a piece of cloth until you add the decoration and the look, then it becomes fashion. The same with food—once you start decorating it becomes appetizing. My personal philosophy is that beautiful food and clothes should always be a part of life.
Information from:http://zangtoi.wordpress.com/
Found by Sheryl Lam Yee Mun

Malaysian Designer, Dato' Jimmy Choo



He is a Malaysian fashion designer based in LondonUnited Kingdom. He is best known for founding Jimmy Choo Ltd that became known for its hand-made women's shoes.

Choo was born in PenangMalaysia into a family of shoemakers. He is of Chinese Hakka [2] descent. He made his first shoe when he was 11 years old. He is perhaps the most notable of students ofCordwainers Technical College in Hackney from which he graduated in 1983. (The college is now part of the London College of Fashion.) Choo has divulged that he worked part-time at restaurants and as a cleaner at a shoe factory to help fund his college education.



Jimmy Choo's beginnings can be traced back to his workshop in Hackney, North London, which he opened in 1986 by renting an old hospital building. His craftsmanship and designs were soon noticed and he came to the verge of international notability when his creations were featured in a record eight pages in a 1988 issue ofVogue magazine. Patronage from Diana, Princess of Wales from 1990 onwards further boosted his image.



In 1996, he co-founded Jimmy Choo Ltd with British Vogueaccessories editor Tamara Mellon.

In April 2001, Choo sold his 50% stake in the company for £10 million. He has since been concentrating his work on the exclusive Jimmy Choo Couture line produced under license from Jimmy Choo Ltd. The Jimmy Choo London line, also known as Jimmy Choo Ready-To-Wear or, simply, Jimmy Choo, is under the purview of Tamara Mellon. The ready-to-wear line has expanded to include accessories such as handbags.



Choo lives in London. He is currently involved in a project to set up a shoemaking institute in Malaysia, where his iconic status is often evoked to inspire budding shoemakers and fashion designers. His company Jimmy Choo Ltd. produces some of the most expensive high-end shoes.

Well, I think that is all for the introduction, lets see the work of his. Okay?










These shoes are amazingly made by Dato' Jimmy Choo.. He is our Malaysian despite living in London, but Once Malaysian, Always Malaysian

Found by Sheryl Lam Yee Mun

2011年5月1日星期日

Faces to watch

Faces to watch
10 young designers showcase their latest creations to an international audience
http://sun2surf.com/images/sun2surf/articles/28369/Daniel%20Chong%2003.JPG
http://sun2surf.com/images/sun2surf/articles/28369/Nurita%20Harith.JPG
http://sun2surf.com/images/sun2surf/articles/28369/Rizman%20Ruzaini%2001.JPG
Daniel Chong
Designer Nurita Harith
Rizman Ruzaini
Young, talented and ambitious! These best describe the 10 designers who showcased their collections at the Malaysia International Fashion Week 2008 (M-IFW’08) recently.
Each of them told a separate story of a fashion designer’s dream.
http://sun2surf.com/images/sun2surf/articles/28369/Alexandrea%20Yeo.JPG
Alexandrea Yeo and her model.
Featured at the start of the last day of the fashion week were Winson Tan, Nurita Harith, Rizman Ruzaini, Alexandrea Yeo, Justin Yap, Jimmy Lim, Eleanor Ng, Amir Luqman, Hatta Dolmat and Alwyn C.
That morning, the audience - comprising mostly friends and families - were in awe as the models took to the runway wearing each designer’s creations. As a special treat, Daniel Chong - one of Malaysia’s young talents - made a special appearance.
In different countries with different cultures and ethnicities, fashion can be interpreted through so many ways. It could never be described with only colours and patterns as inspirations are drawn from almost everything in a fashion designer’s lifetime experiences.
The same goes for these 10 up-and-coming fashion designers who showcased a wide array of bizarre and fashionable collections in line with the theme "10 Rising Stars". It was a memorable show that will surely spur them to greater heights in the international platfonm one day.
http://sun2surf.com/images/sun2surf/articles/28369/Daniel%20Chong.JPG
Daniel Chong and his model
Just before the designers went backstage to celebrate a job well done, I managed to speak to three designers about how they felt about their fashion creations.
Nurita Harith
I started off taking part in competitions, including the Project Runway Malaysia. Since I was very young, I loved drawing female figures due to my fascination with models. I realised later that fashion was a big part of me. Most of my designs are seen in neutral tones, complemented by softness and femininity. My collection, ‘Shades of Grey’ was inspired by my new boutique in Bangsar which I have just given a new coat of paint. Using mostly satin, silk and stretchable fabrics, my dresses are seen in pastel colours. You would notice that it’s a statement of sophistication in a subtle way.
Alexandrea Yeo
http://sun2surf.com/images/sun2surf/articles/28369/Winson%20Tan%20and%20Jay.JPG
Winson Tan and his model.
Androgyny, sexuality, trans-gender and cross-dressing are some of the elements which you would notice in some of my designs. Based on high street ready-to-wear garments, the uniqueness of my collection is communicating masculine women, feminine men, shoulders and sleeves and the colour black. My collection this time around is inspired by an anime character, Mononoke. It tells of a story about escaping reality. Some of the illustrations that are noticeable are ‘how a Japanese brothel is like’, ‘a woman and man’ and ‘sexuality’. I’ve used a lot of embroidery and vibrant colours on black fabric as a canvas (background colour).
Winson Tan
My label started after I won the Most Promising Designer Award last year in the M-IFW’07. You would notice that my designs are more focused. My design process is a mould of intuition, imagination, experimentation and creativity. One obvious thing is that I’m greatly inspired by abstract issues of thoughts, feelings and emotions. The collection which you noticed on the runway this year is inspired by distortion. Distorted silhouettes are reflected through parts of the gowns which are made by Lego pieces. One of the gowns took me two days to complete! Besides the Lego-piece gowns, other colours which I used were black, ash, brown, grey and I even used Lego pieces to build the model’s shoes. However, there’s not much evening wear. My collection is more towards casual wear made of cotton and linen fabrics. Instead of a single element, I combined the avant garde and casual elements into one major element.
http://sun2surf.com/images/sun2surf/articles/28369/Alwyn%20C%2001.JPG
http://sun2surf.com/images/sun2surf/articles/28369/Daniel%20Chong%2002.JPG
http://sun2surf.com/images/sun2surf/articles/28369/Alexandrea%20Yeo%2002.JPG
Alwyn C
Daniel Chong
Alexandrea Yeo

Found by Rachel Wong Sook Leng
From: http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=28369

2011年4月21日星期四

Bernard Chandran




Search at Google
Found by Tan Yee Kay

The Fashion Designer "Bernard Chandran"

Bernard Chandran
Dato' Bernard Chandran
Born
February 27, 1968 (1968-02-27) (age 43)
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Nationality
Malaysian
Education
Paris American Academy
Labels
Bernard Chandran
Religion
Hindu
Spouse
Datin Mary Lourdes Chandran

Dato' Bernard Chandran (born 27 February, 1968) is a Malaysian fashion designer. His talents have earned him many faithful clients among Malaysia's elite most notably the Royal families of Malaysia and Brunei as well as two former Miss Universe. Due to this, Chandran used to be known as Malaysia's "Prince Of Fashion", but is now being hailed as Malaysia's "King Of Fashion".
Bernard Chandran is also a Malaysian television personality. He's known as the chief designer of the reality television show Project Runway Malaysia, since its debut on 8TV on 3 August 2007.
He is also a brand ambassador for the Tiffani By Izen service apartments (to be completed in 2009), developed by Ireka Land Sdn Bhd.
Chandran was a guest judge on Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 6, Episode 12. The top three models were given the chance to model for Chandran's fashion show during the London Fashion Week.


Early Years
Bernard Chandran was born to Mr. P Ramachandran and Mrs Chow Yook Lin.Bernard Chandran is of both Indian and Chinese parentage (commonly referred to as Chindian in Malaysia). He grew up in an average Malaysian family. His father wanted him to become an accountant and he almost followed this advice, before briefly considering being a tobacconist, "It's a good career!".
At aged 16, he had already decided he wanted to be a fashion designer and it was just a case of convincing his father. He initially studied fashion in a local fashion college known as International Fashion Training Centre (IFTC) in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
During his time at the college, he was known for his shyness backstage around the undressed models during his initial fashion shows at the local college. Given three months after graduation to prove himself, he arranged his debut solo show, taking the first steps on the road to becoming Malaysia's top designer. Bernard's father was won over and helped fund his son's further studies, with Bernard soon winning a place at the prestigious Paris Fashion School in Paris, France.
In 1991, he decided to join the 'Open European Contest for Look of the Year 2000'. Chandran won and broke the record of being the first non-European to win the coveted title. "The contest was gruelling," grinned Bernard. "I am so happy to be the first non-white winner as it proves that Asians are as good as anyone else". For his pains, Chandran received a camera, 19 000 francs, and more important publicity and contacts which opened doors.
Lolita Lempicka offered him a job on the spot, which was flattering but he felt it was still too early. "I want to be completely well-versed in my craft before joining a top house because their expectations are high and by then you are not allowed room to make mistakes." quipped Chandran.
Chandran is only too aware how important this was in starting his career, "Everyone must go to a fashion school to understand the basics of fashion. Not only to learn design, but the history of fashion too".

 

Fashion Business

 In the Industry

After honing his skills overseas in Paris, he returned to Malaysia to set-up his maiden shop in KL Plaza in 1993. The first 'Bernard Chandran' couture house was a small rented shop with a handful of staff in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. From there, he built up his client base amongst the who's who of Kuala Lumpur, ranging from the rich to royalty. He has now expanded his shop in KL Plaza to take up 4 shop lots and is nearly 300 square meters in area. He was voted Designer of the Year by the Malaysian International Fashion Awards in 2003.

Chandran has also started introducing Europe to his couture with a boutique at swanky Knightsbridge, London.
His creations are drawn from Chinese, Malay, Indian and other eastern cultures. He regularly does shows around the world, although he does tailor his overseas ranges to be more daring than his range for Malaysia. Bernard believes in the importance of creativity, confidence and vision. "I believe in myself. If my heart feels right then I will go with what it says"
"My inspiration comes from my customers...how they move, how they talk, their attitudes, their lifestyles. When I first meet a new customer, I make her understand that I am here to make you look good," Chandran's favourite designers are Valentino "For his femininity and finishing", and Galliano "He has a great spirit".
Chandran himself has appeared on the covers of numerous Malaysian magazines, such as Malaysia Tatler, Shape Malaysia, Female, Men's Health and Parenthood.. His wife, Datin Mary Lourdes Chandran has shared spotlight with him on few covers too.

 

Celebrities in Bernard Chandran

Estelle notably wore a striking azure blue dress by the designer with exaggerated pointing hips to perform at the 2008 MTV European Music Awards. She also chose to wear two (one on stage in a duet with Kanye West and one for the red carpet) of his distinctive pieces to the 51st Grammy awards, where she went on to win her first Grammy.
Lady Gaga has also been spotted in designs from Chandran's Collections. She even wore a Chandran piece for her interview with Jay Leno
English electropop musician, Little Boots wore a Chandran dress for her interview with Metro.co.uk.
Rihanna wore a hat from Chandran's Autumn Winter 09 Collection for her famous topless, bondage-style shoot with Vogue Italia.
Musical goddess, Tori Amos chose to wear a stunning red gown from Chandran for the cover of her 2009 holiday album, "Midwinter Graces". The dress is from Bernard Chandran’s Autumn Winter 09 collection.  Chandran had also designed all the 15 gowns for her current concert.

 

Collections

Chandran's Ready-to-wear collections.
  • Autumn / Winter 2011-12
  • Spring / Summer 2010
  • Autumn / Winter 2010
  • Spring / Summer 2010
  • Autumn / Winter 2009
  • Spring / Summer 2009
  • Autumn / Winter 2008
  • Spring / Summer 2008
  • Autumn / Winter 2007
  • Spring / Summer 2007
  • Autumn / Winter 2006 - 2007
Chandran comes up with a special collection every year called the Petang Raya Collection (An Evening Of Celebration) to cater to the local Malaysian market for the festive season of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
  • Petang Raya 2010 / 2011
  • Petang Raya 2009 / 2010
  • Petang Raya 2008 / 2009
  • Petang Raya 2007 / 2008
  • Petang Raya 2006 / 2007

 

Family

He is happily married to one of his former models, Datin Mary Lourdes Chandran (A Malaysian of ethnic Indian origin). She is a former International model and was one of the most successful Malaysian models in the 1980's. Together they have five children.
Datuk Chandran is intensely proud of his Indian ancestry and heritage. His home has many portraits of him and his family regaled in extravagant historical Indian garbs.
Chandran is firm about not spoiling his kids. That means no branded clothes or flippant purchases, so they would learn the value of money. He starts his mornings by offering puja (prayers), together with the family. It’s a daily discipline that he wants his children to embrace, so they will grow up with a strong set of values and a sense of duty. Chandran wants his children to be grounded in faith. 


Awards
  • He became the first Malaysian to win the 'Open European Contest for Look of the Year 2000' in 1991.
  • He was voted Designer of the Year by the Malaysian International Fashion Awards in 2003.
  • He received his honorific, Datuk, in 2006 when he was awarded the Seri Indera Mahkota Pahang (SIMP) by the Sultan Ahmad Shah Sultan Abu Bakar, the Sultan of Pahang, Malaysia.
  • Chandran was awarded Malaysian International Fashion Alliance's [MIFA] Special Achievement Award 2009.




Information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Chandran
Found by Rachel Wong Sook Leng

2011年4月12日星期二

The Fashion Designer "Melinda Looi"







Melinda Looi (born as Looi Lai Yee in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) is an award-winning fashion designer famous for her signature avant-garde and vintage style. She has won numerous accolades; she won the title Designer of the Year three times, twice at the Malaysian International Fashion Awards Malaysian International Fashion Week and latest in 2009 at Mercedes Benz Stylo Fashion Awards .

She has three distinct brands to her name, which are: Melinda Looi Couture, Melinda Looi Prêt-à-Porter and MELL, which are sold in Malaysia, and selected boutiques in Europe, Australia and the Middle East. Her latest addition is a sub-line called MELL BASICS consisting of must-have basics made from certified Organic Cotton.

Besides working on her own fashion labels, Melinda is also involved in numerous and very diverse collaborations reaching from charities and eco-friendly events to art projects as well as collaborations with brands such as L'Oréal , Levi's, Swatch,…and many more.


Education and Early Years
 


Melinda Looi was born into a family where her mother was an illustrious tailor. She had no plans to venture into fashion as she wanted to become an artist. However, her parents were against it as it was too risky and thus decided upon the next best thing, fashion.

She studied at the La Salle Institute of Design in Kuala Lumpur before winning the title of Malaysia Young Designer Award in 1995. The prize was a scholarship to study at the La Salle School of Fashion in Montreal, Canada. In 1998, Melinda returned to Malaysia and worked for her parents’ business for a year before venturing out on her own.

Within the short span of her ten years of creating unique story-telling 'art pieces', the designer's prêt-a-porter wear and couture line have won an international clientele from the U.S.A, Middle East, South Africa, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Her clients range from socialites to the working professionals, and royalty to celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Britney Spears and Mena Suvari.

Her passion for culture, theatrics and costume culture is reflected in her designs - the gothic tradition of 'avant-garde' is her signature, and eclectic vintage is her handwriting. The designer has confessed her love for chiffon, which she finds sexy and classy, as predominantly used in most of her creations.

Melinda’s favourite designer is Jean Paul Gaultier for his ever changing bold and adventurous style that dares to be different. One of her dreams is to establish a museum in Malaysia dedicated to the Malaysian fashion industry and the history of fashion.

Fashion Business

Mellooi Creation was formed in the year 2000 to take the designer’s creations to greater horizons while also strengthening the brands. Today, a private limited status has been formulated and Mellooi Creation Sdn. Bhd. was created to further develop business opportunities for Melinda Looi Couture, Melinda Looi Prêt-a-Porter, and MELL in local and international markets.
Being part of the multi-racial and multicultural country that is Malaysia (Malaysia’s population consists of 62% Malays, 24% Chinese and 8% Indians, with other minorities and indigenous peoples) she has consistently drawn inspiration from this rich cultural diversity. Lately, she has been participating in the Islamic Fashion Festivals  in Jakarta, Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, venturing into a new and booming market, with her creations that were traditional yet modern. 

Brands

Melinda Looi Couture
Melinda Looi Couture is the designer’s top of the line collection under the brand. It is made to measure exclusive clothes with the usage of the finest quality materials such as French laces and silk-chiffons. The line is also extended to sophisticated bridal gowns with rich fabrics and luxurious details. The Melinda Looi Couture Showroom is located in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur where the couture collections can be found and the designer herself welcomes local and international clientele.

Melinda Looi Prêt-à-Porter
Melinda Looi Prêt-à-Porter is her collection of ready-to-wear evening dresses in a series of cocktail dresses, tops, bottoms and accessories. The collection has garnered wide popularity among socialites, celebrities, office ladies, modern housewives and those seeking for young, trendy and stylish apparels. Since 2009 this line also offers ready-to-wear bridal gowns.

Awards


Information from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melinda_Looi

Found by Rachel Wong Sook Leng