Malaysian milliner Bremen Wong on pushing boundaries in a racially diverse country
- Known for his avant-garde hats and accessories, the designer talks about the challenges he faces at home
- He is completely self taught, having learned his craft from YouTube tutorials
What did you do before launching your own brand? “I was working for Carrefour’s textile department as a business development manager. I learned a lot about sales forecasts and marketing skills, about trends, how to grow your brand.”
How did you get into making hats and accessories? “I started selling headbands in arts and craft bazaars. I’m self-taught. I learned from YouTube tutorials and I bought a lot of materials, to experiment, not caring about how much money I was spending. I’ve been doing this for eight years. Every year, I have a collaboration with various designers [showing at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week, which is held in August]. This year, I worked with six designers to create hat pieces and jewellery for their runway collections.”
The millinery business in Malaysia is quite niche, especially your avant-garde style. What keeps you going? “Three or four years ago I thought about giving up. But sometimes God will give you something unexpected. When my bank account was almost empty and I was asking myself how I was going to survive, a fashion designer placed an order from me and I got a commission from overseas. My family is also very supportive. I don’t ask to be a millionaire or to run a big company. I’m satisfied: my dreams are small but my achievements are big.”
Describe your creative process. “I don’t do sketches, I have a more organic style. I look for references online or ask the designer to give me some references. I go straight to production once I confirm the designer’s concept. I work with acrylic, my signature, but I also use perspex and fabric.”
