https://www.scmp.com/rss/328971/feed Ling Low writes about culture, travel and urban development. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Last year, when the world looked very different, Malaysian fashion designers were busy planning their collections for Eid 2020. The Islamic festival of Eid ul-Fitr follows the holy month of Ramadan. It’s usually a time to gather with family and friends, to eat home-made feasts after a month of fasting, and to wear new clothes. But since mid-March, most Malaysians have been confined to their homes under a nationwide lockdown. Even as the restrictions ease, it looks like reunions won’t be the same... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3082875/fashion-ramadan-malaysian-designers-adapt-cyber-raya?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3082875/fashion-ramadan-malaysian-designers-adapt-cyber-raya?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2020 09:30:13 +0000 In the basement of a shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur, you’ll find one of Malaysia’s most unusual fashion ateliers. Biji Biji is a brand which creates fashion almost entirely from upcycled materials – or as other people might put it, from trash. From surplus seat belt straps to discarded plastic banners, this is where the old becomes new. In a small workshop, sewing machines hum as the team works to create satchels, tote bags and other accessories. Look closer and you might guess at the origins... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3050457/malaysian-fashion-brand-biji-biji-upcycles-seat-belts-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3050457/malaysian-fashion-brand-biji-biji-upcycles-seat-belts-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2020 23:45:12 +0000 It’s a common sight across Asia all year round – international brands vying for the attention of people with their glossy, seasonal posters and bright lights illuminating their latest products. That includes beauty and skincare stores, and we know what to expect. For Denise Neri, retail architectural manager of Aesop, though, this kind of predictability is exactly what she hopes to avoid. A luxury skincare company founded in Australia in 1987, Aesop has long prided itself on its partnerships in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3047865/why-online-shopping-era-bricks-and-mortar-beauty-stores?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3047865/why-online-shopping-era-bricks-and-mortar-beauty-stores?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jan 2020 21:00:07 +0000 How did you come to work with refugees in Malaysia? “Back in 2008, I met a few refugee families living in Malaysia. I was hosting a documentary for UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] and sat in one family’s home listening to their story. I left that day committed to making sure these kids would have access to education and a brighter future. “Today, over 170,000 refugees in Malaysia cannot work legally or access pub­lic-education services and have limit­ed access to health... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3038538/how-former-miss-malaysia-deborah-henry-empowering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3038538/how-former-miss-malaysia-deborah-henry-empowering?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Nov 2019 01:15:09 +0000 Fashion seasons have always revolved around trends that come and go, but some clothes are a little more timeless – and more companies than ever are rising to the challenge of creating these forever pieces. Take, for example, the humble plain T-shirt. Once, it might have been an afterthought – one grabbed off the rack in a store selling 1,000 other louder, shinier or trendier offerings. These days, though, a good quality basic tee is increasingly in vogue – which was exactly what Goh How Khiam... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3033603/uniqlo-everlane-brands-making-high-quality-basics-antidote?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3033603/uniqlo-everlane-brands-making-high-quality-basics-antidote?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Oct 2019 21:00:12 +0000 Shan Shan Lim isn’t quite a household name on the fashion scene yet – but that could change very soon. The 27-year-old Malaysian artist is already a favourite with designers around the region. In the past few years, her captivating floral designs have attracted many fans, and brands are lining up to collaborate with her. In 2018, Malaysia’s d.d. collective commissioned Lim to create motifs for their special collections, while another brand, CalaQisya, adapted her designs for its jackets. More... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3033365/asian-fashion-houses-pink-jambu-calaqisya-are-flocking-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3033365/asian-fashion-houses-pink-jambu-calaqisya-are-flocking-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Oct 2019 08:00:11 +0000 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... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3024486/malaysian-milliner-bremen-wong-pushing-boundaries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3024486/malaysian-milliner-bremen-wong-pushing-boundaries?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Aug 2019 00:45:11 +0000 In the beauty industry, every little jar promises to fix a skin problem. From fighting wrinkles to lightening armpits, we’re inundated with adverts that show flawlessly smooth – and often pale – skin. In Korea, the style of skincare has even given rise to a look known as “glass skin”. But in recent years, a few faces have challenged this concept of beauty. One of them is Canadian model Winnie Harlow, who was featured on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Taiwan earlier this year. Harlow has vitiligo,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3012640/malaysians-challenging-beauty-conventions-and-empowering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3012640/malaysians-challenging-beauty-conventions-and-empowering?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2019 11:00:06 +0000 In a single Cassey Gan design, multiple pieces of fabric are pieced together like collages, exposed buckles and straps showing. When she presented her latest collection at London Fashion Week in February, her models showed the colourful, printed layers of Gan’s signature style – dresses layered over tops, tops over dresses, a riot of pattern and texture. “I feel a resonance with London because it’s known for an individualistic style of dress,” says Gan. “Depending on how you layer my clothes, it... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3005232/style-your-signature-fashion-ever-changing-malaysian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3005232/style-your-signature-fashion-ever-changing-malaysian?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Apr 2019 04:30:14 +0000 Every year since 2010, Malaysian designer Lee Khoon Hooi – known simply as Khoon Hooi – has travelled to Paris Fashion Week to show his seasonal collections. Many of his clients travel from the Middle East to meet him there. Once fashion week is over, he returns to Kuala Lumpur, where he has a showroom and his production headquarters. Male designer of women’s fashion on why women dress women best “The world has become smaller. With social media, all the information you need is on hand. Travel is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/2184037/why-malaysian-fashion-designer-khoon-hooi-says-home-place?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/2184037/why-malaysian-fashion-designer-khoon-hooi-says-home-place?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jan 2019 04:15:57 +0000 As a boy growing up on Penang island in Malaysia, Jonathan Liang remembers how much he loved the flowers in his grandmother’s garden. The plants grew in an air well inside the house, where tropical rain fell straight through a space in the roof. For the 29-year-old designer, these flowers became a starting point, a motif for his creations. But lately, he’s been thinking of another island, far from home: Kihnu, a fishing town and an island in the Baltic Sea. The Estonian island is home to a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/2172725/women-best-dressing-women-says-man-designing-them-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/2172725/women-best-dressing-women-says-man-designing-them-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Nov 2018 00:45:00 +0000 In the centre of downtown Kuala Lumpur stands Pavilion, a gleaming shopping centre. Since 1989, the Melium Group, which operates several stores inside the mall, has been shaping Malaysia’s luxury industry. The retail empire now distributes over 100 luxury brands, including Givenchy, Max Mara and Lanvin. In Pavilion, the multibrand store M Pavilion also includes cult and emerging designers. Chinese fashion brand Mukzin has found a fan in Gigi Hadid The group was founded by Farah Khan, known by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/2169670/malaysias-first-lady-fashion-farah-khan-30-years-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/2169670/malaysias-first-lady-fashion-farah-khan-30-years-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Oct 2018 00:45:15 +0000