Coach fall/winter 2014, Kuala Lumpur

Coach isn't exactly under my usual artistic label focus but I am aware of its commercial success with practical and functional leather-ware. The mammoth brand's reputation has been attributed to its diverse range of handbags that fit casual and office settings (being a household name Coach bags are coveted by my sister, cousins and even my aunts). But what I can say is their previous offerings may be still not necessarily my stylistic cup of tea.

The Comyns Jazz Collection at Royal Selangor

I have never seen pewter / silverware in person so I was pretty excited to get invited by Royal Selangor, the world's leading pewter giant to their flagship store recently. It was for the showcase of their sterling silver brand Comyns, a previously British brand with a heritage spanning nearly 400 years!

Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2014 - Day One

It's that time of the year again where Malaysian fashion designers congregate, street style peacocks prance around and insignificant bloggers like me meekly sit at the last rows (sad but true). But I feel grateful for the experience to witness the progression of (mainstream) Malaysian fashion scene. I'm not sure which direction it's heading to, but frankly it is going somewhere. At least away from the bridal fashion catering to new-moneyed Datins, smothering Raya peplums that we all know a bit too well (even my mum has outgrown that style in the 60's) or some garishly designed costumes suited for first year fashion student assignment. Thankfully the first shows include the ones who are paving their ways into fashion stardom and quite safely to say, has grown their group of cult followers...

Fall 2013 shoes: Church's, Car Shoe

There was a time, when I was a student abroad where I anticipated the autumn season with baited breath as the prospect of falling leaves provides us the opportunity for crunching/stomping the yellowed leaves with our feet. It's just a part of our 'tropical kids' mentality of watching American TV shows come Christmas season in Malaysia, where the setting would obviously be revolving around the fall/winter season and there was almost always the clichéd sight of falling maple leaves which is gradually replaced by the scene of pristine white snow. Of course the curiosity of experiencing the exact situation is only unravelled by traveling half the globe and finding out that there is actually more mud and slosh rather than pristine white snow. Ah, the naïveté of a teenager...

Monkeying around: Kipling Fall Winter 2013

Kipling is a bag brand that is synonymous with practicality and casualness in its design. Although primarily a woman's brand I did have my personal experience with Kipling bags - The Peter Pilotto collaboration piece that I have rings as a testament of its utilitarian prowess: I used the strapped pouch to travel and it was very handy indeed - it can fit a wallet, boarding pass, passport and some cash in its compartments; its heavy-duty nylon is a relief for a person like me who needs easiness and reassurance whilst travelling. Plus the attractive diamond print did not hurt the eyes either. Therefore from my observations it's safe to say that utilitarian and casual design is embedded in the brand's DNA. Recently my sister (who represented Dunia Fashyon as I could not make it) took the opportunity to attend the press preview of Kipling's fall/winter 2013 offerings...

Carven Redux

Sometimes a recurrent obsession towards a particular item can be a bit pervasive and such is the case with my fixation with Carven's school-boy charm. This time around I acquired a short-sleeved cotton shirt with a contrasting detail from Club 21 Pavilion's summer sale in Kuala Lumpur. However despite the discount I believe it is still more affordable to purchase something from this label online (recent perusing post Club 21 buy revealed that similar shirt on topic but with a different colour way actually cost much less. Oh, the trials and tribulations of a bargain hunter).

Either way I'm loving the cute little detail of the collar and the micro-gingham pattern of the shirt. At one glance the texture does look a bit leather-y which managed to fool a clinic staff or two. And even though the shirt is size 3 (my last Carven acquisition was a size 2) I think it's still wearable but perhaps some customisation is in order. Here's to a perennial summer of Malaysia and never-ending child clothing obsession in me!

Cut me out

My affection towards unconventional shoes has been going on since the old Dunia Fashyon days, and you know I'm always on the look for unique, wearable shoes. But unfortunately the nature of my work only allows me to wear such footwear outside of working hours - hence the onslaught of conservative/classic-looking shoes on Dunia Fashyon Instagram as they are snapped during the odd few minutes of break in-between patient appointment.

Givenchy pre-fall 2013

Did we mention that we also visited Givenchy's showroom during our previous Parisian trip? But unfortunately the PR girl was quite strict about me photographing the men's collection, making sure that I was hush-hush about next season's pieces. I waited anxiously until she revealed the women's ready to wear collection for pre-fall. Finally I managed to muster the much needed confidence (well, after seeing people around me taking pictures with their smart phones, that is) and started snapping the photos of that beautiful collection. Turned out that photography was actually allowed, but I was firmly warned not to release the images prematurely. Now that summer is coming to an end, I think it is appropriate to publish the images. Plus other major websites have the images up and running, so I hope I did not commit any copyright infringement of some sort...

Art of Writing at Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton opened the doors of its first Cabinet d'Ecriture in the Saint-Germain District of Paris and started a new journey into the world of writing. We had the opportunity to visit the pop-up store in the historic area during last winter's Paris Men's Fashion Week.

Sometime by Asian designers

My mission attending last November's Urbanscapes was to finally feel what it was like to be a festival-goer, and of course it was not supposed to involve shopping at all. But it was hard to be firm on my principles if there's something wonderful enticing me, especially when it comes in the form of good-looking and affordable bags. I stumbled upon Sometime booth right in the middle of the field, quite separated from all the music action that was going on.

What is luxury?

The fashion world has been always too comfortable with the definition of luxury and the connotation it brings. Soft silk and cashmere, supple lambskin or ostrich, exotic alligator, 24-carat gold or ideal-cut diamond jewelry: these items are luxury in their own terms. It's undeniable that fashion is a business-based sphere and to steer away from overt use, or sometimes, misuse of the L word is somehow too farfetched an expectation - luxury is the pinnacle of fashion and it's understandable why consumers easily fall into the perceived luxury, all thanks to many brands' marketing strategy that succeed in creating that illusion of exclusivity.

Dior Homme A/W 2013

Dior Homme presentation was our final few events in our itinerary before we enjoyed the city of Paris sans the feeling of being caught up rushing to fashion shows. After braving through the sloshes of snow (it was heel-deep) on a Sunday morning, and almost got lost in the midst of searching in between similar-looking weathered buildings, we finally found the presentation venue - tucked in between of unassuming office buildings...

Candy parfum by Prada

image via Tumblr

It is always good to see an effective teamwork especially if it results in a beautiful product. In this case the genius pair Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola utilised their fantasy-like predilections in film production into a short for Prada's cult fragrance introduction as an eau de toilette, Candy L'eau.



Known to successfully work together for the Oscar-nominated Moonrise Kingdom, Anderson and Coppola have brought their best yet for this project. Starring French actors Léa Seydoux, Rodolphe Pauly and Peter Gadiot, the clip is about a playful girl named Candy, who is being tied in a three-way relationship. The film is created in four episodes, each primarily about love - one that is filled with seduction and rivalry. And with a Nouvelle Vague feeling, Candy is not just a fragrance, it is visually sweet as well.

 

Words by Hafidzudin Zainal

The luxury of Tod's

To be honest I am not an avid follower of all things stereotypically categorised as 'luxury brands', especially the ones that are lagging in the directional front and revolve around preaching their so-called rich history, heritage and craftsmanship. But there's no denying of Tod's commercial role in today's luxury market: successfully selling expensive driving shoes, propelling this footwear style into popularity among young men (and women) resulting in the infiltration of cheaper high-street versions into the market. But of course no other brands (except Car shoes, maybe) can instill people's trust in these kinds of shoes like Tod's does. How do they do that?

Bottega Veneta menswear AW13 review

The Bottega Veneta show was scheduled at 9.30am on a Sunday morning, located inside the brand headquarters in the industrial part of Milan. We managed to arrive very early albeit the freezing and drizzly winter weather. Ashley Thng, the brand PR from Singapore greeted and brought us around the complex. Model-looking ushers approached and held a large black umbrella for us as we made our way into the building - an experience which felt very much like a Downton Abbey moment to us. Once inside, we headed to the cafeteria in the showroom-turned-lounge space for a quick cup of freshly brewed Italian espresso.

IKEA Family pouch

(This post is certainly not about the IKEA Monkey).

It is very seldom to find a family-related post in Dunia Fashyon. Well, not literally of course. Another rare occasion is finding something that is remotely fashion in a furniture warehouse, in the form of this IKEA Family product that I just acquired - an Upptäcka case made of polyester / synthetic rubber mix. It's funny how I proclaim myself as a bargain hunter but realise how a slowpoke I am to just noticing the benefits of an IKEA Family member (bonus points redemptions, reduction in meal prices, and more importantly, discounts on certain products, among others). And the the white case is included in the offer!

I'm just so attracted to the minimal hassle-free design (a hallmark of IKEA Family range) and the affordability of the item, above all. This might just be my go-to pouch to grab a cuppa at the neighbourhood mamak stall, or a space to hold my toiletries during travelling, without worrying much about spilling the tarik or caked toothpaste onto the item...

Thirtyfour Bespoke

Thirtyfour is an emerging Malaysian leather ware label which I came across last year. For those who are not familiar,  the brand is already making its way to catering a niche of higher-end bags and jewelry designed and crafted in Malaysia. Beginning their steps with female-oriented designs this brand has evolved and expanded into men's section as well. I could still remember the creations that caught my eye when I paid a visit to their first outlet in Bangsar Village II last two seasons (there was a small, simple document holder in snakeskin imprints that was so smart-looking even for a man).

The opening of Thirtyfour Bespoke in Publika (yes, I only managed to check them out recently despite raving commentaries in the blogosphere) has opened a new door for me to seek for affordable made-to-measure leather items in Kuala Lumpur. To be exact, this branch takes orders for pre-designed bags and clutches (now including small leather goods and sandals as well) to their expanding inventory. The lowdown on the 'bespoke' part is you can't really opt for designing a bag from scratch - instead, you can choose a selection of materials and colors which suit your taste and further incorporate them into Thirtyfour's template designs. 

The Sandwich Bag: WANT or SHAN'T?

It was love at first sight. 

Since being introduced on the runway last January I can’t stop thinking about the clutch. My ‘accountant–self' has been battling hard with my ‘fashion-slave' other half as I'm trying to justify the rationale behind acquiring what could be the “most expensive paper bag in the world” (The  Telegraph/ British Vogue).

Jil Sander Fall Winter 2012 fashion show.
image source: nowfashion.com

Anna dello Russo's Fashion Shower

Back in April we were teased with a video of what seems like Anna dello Russo practicing choreography to the tune of her own vocal on a track that is now officially named ‘Fashion Shower’.

MMM Bag!

The title would falsely read as Hanson's MMMbop! (What ever happened to the boys? I remember the lead singer with that vaguely husky voice of his).

But really, the leather bag is another haul from, yes, I'm going to drag you to the dreadful phrase: MUSA sales. The shoulder bag bag first caught my eyes during my visit to Maison Martin Margiela showroom in Paris last year - an experience so good, it basically proves clothes look so much better in person. Screw internet fashion bloggers like me who steal other reputable fashion insiders' images and comment as if I was the one who dissected every fashion piece in-person. Magazine editors, stylists, buyers - you guys know I'm so green with jealousy right now...

I hope I'm not exaggerating when I say this bag is a design genius - say goodbye to misplaced clutches and coin wallets. Everything's attached to the main body, and they will become detachable as you wish.

Wearing MM6 Maison Martin Margiela x Opening Ceremony bag, Uniqlo cardigan, Christopher Kane t-shirt, et vous pleated trousers, Sanders shoes

written by Hafidzudin
twitter: @naboonies