The Gala Night  of M-iFW almost always seem like  a Melium affair except this year. But it certainly  always is a night of glamour and above all awards and recognition for those in the fashion industry and I think it is befitting that there are such awards going out to those who toil long and hard in ensuring that Malaysia makes its own stand in the fashion world. So along that line I am putting in my five cents worth of accolades.

The shows started with Farah Khan’s lovely collection of glorious sequined and pailletes pieces. The breathtaking scene was appreciated by all including the mall attendees as the tall black velvet curtains were held back by ribbons giving glimpses of the catwalk  and I really appreciated the beauty of that sight from the outside of the tent and  I must say if I hadn’t just rushed thorugh KL traffic, I would have thought I was in New York or something and the setting this year was actually quite glamorous at the KL Pavilion concourse. The scene that keeps playing in my mind as I rushed  by to get in from the main entrance was of  a leggy model in a gold sequinned Farah Khan mini skirt worn with a white shirt, strutting down the runway…. it ws just stunning not just for fashionistas I am sure, but  also for  the mall goers some who have never had the pleasure of going to fashion shows much less international standard ones…granted it wasn’t without minor hiccups like the emcee announcing one the Maxis winners and inviting her on stage before the prize was paraded by the model somewhere in the middle of the evening’s proceedings but minor details surely.

The show then continued on with a small collection from Pucci, followed by Stefano Pilatti for YSL collection which had  international model Ai Tominaga strut her stuff  in a simple  black billowy  number.The thing about a great model is, she wears a simple number which only detail is in the asymetrical bubble trail and she makes it magnificent, every stitch and swing  of the material seems to almost work in slow motion with her movements.

Ai Tominaga in Yves St.Laurent

Ai Tominaga in Yves St.Laurent

Next, were clothes from Dato’ Bernard Chandran Spring Summer 2010, he who won mifa’s Special Achievement Award. He has carved quite a name for himself in New York and yes, the maturity and sophistication level has certainly shot up. No longer just creating pretty evening gowns , he showed a sharp  avant garde  collection. Daring with a touch of sophistication and I think oh so wearable.  Although, I can’t quite fathom the muzzlers, firstly it is methinks too ”inspired”  by Gareth Pugh if memory serves me correctlyand a little too  last season. I also think the bustiers over nude body suits (ala Madonna too Jean Paul Gaultier, daring though they were) and the little dashes of Givenchy or was it Balenciaga just too closely ”inspired”  for comfort. Otherwise , totally love the origami pieces, the cut is wearable and love the creative use of material.

Yes, he is ready for the big apple and I am sure more than one socialite would like a bite from this apple…

Next, I must say, the first night I saw Andrea Fonseka on stage, I wasn’t too impressed because she seemed too gushy to be true, although I heard she is a real darling. But on Gala Night I personally felt she is indeed an emcee that is mature and sophisticated, to just belt out  a number together with singer Donnie Ray simply to keep up the atmosphere was courageous and gave  a spontaneity to an otherwise predictable evening.

Next, was  when Farah Khan’s asked everyone to stand up and acknowledge Syeba Yip for her hard work year after year in organising this event and despite all circumstances…still manages to get it going year after year and she keeps improving too…this year saw Ebay getting involved to auction off  some of the designers pieces. Any assistance rendered to help Malaysian fashion designers gain some international ground is to  be lauded, although unfortunately I am not sure why it is always the same designers that get the opportunity …

Who won what at mifa this year:

1) Maxis Rising Star- Satheswaran Jeevaratnam- iphone 3G

2) Special Maxis award Rising Stars for best miniature design limited edition Blakberry sskin- Tengku Mohd Syahmil

3) mifa’ Model of the Year Award (Female)- Tinie- Anya Hindmarch bag n 18 year old Chivas

4) mifa’s Model of the Year Award (Male)- Ikhwan -Chivas 18 years by Alexander McQueen(apparently money cannot buy)

5) Chivas FantastiqueMEN- Jonathan Cheng and Voon Lai of STUD – Chivas 18 years by Alexander McQueen(apparently money cannot buy)

6) Maxis Innovation Award – Emerging Talent-Putri Azalea and Putri Yasmin of PU3 -(Mobile Device by Maxis)

- Pret-A-Porter- Eric Yeong and Moses Law of Tangoo -(Mobile Device by Maxis)

- Star Couture – Sharifah Kirana – -(Mobile Device by Maxis)

9) mifa’s Most  Promising Designer of the Year Award – Tengku Mohd Syahmi  & Jonathan Liang – RM10,000 and Business Opprtunity (Deserves  a mention as this was a tie, but the sponsors decided not to split up the prize but gave each of them one instead, NOW that is truly generous of the sponsors.  L’oreal was represented by Andrew Stanleick (Managing Director of L’oreal) and Maxis)

10) mifa’s Special Achievement Award- Dato’ Bernard Chandran ( Alexander McQueen by Chivas and  a trip to London Fashion Week & RM10,000)

www.emmagem.com :in support of Malaysian Fashion

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