Our style-focused lifestyle writer Ong Chin Huat drops by Collabstore, the brand new fashion hotspot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s vibrant capital city, to acquaint himself with sixteen super-hot fashion brands and designers that should be on your radars.
A cool new hotspot for fashionistas and trend-setters has recently opened up in Malaysia’s capital city that houses 16 talented and creative designers all under one roof. CollabStore, located at Level 2 at The Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, is a multi-label store that showcases the creations of some of Malaysia’s most promising names in streetwear and fashion.
Offering ready-to-wear bags, accessories, footwear and fragrances for the fashionable man or woman about town, this slick new emporium of style was put together by Richard Tsen, a veteran of the fashion industry for the past thirty years. Tsen cut his teeth in the retail, merchandising and design areas of fashion. In addition to this, he is also a lecturer on fashion marketing and branding at numerous fashion colleges, including Esmod KL.
Richard Tsen created CollabStore as somewhere for the country’s fashion and design talent to safely showcase their crafts and talent and ensured it was located where the general populace would appreciate the wide range of skills on show.
Tsen said, “The idea of CollabStore started with only one objective; to provide a platform for struggling fashion designers to revive their business during this pandemic. I wanted to build a community for them to receive help and support from their peers (fashion designers) regardless of experience or seniority.
I have curated an eclectic range of products from evening wear, daywear, streetwear workwear, university or college wear, clubwear, iconic wear, athleisure and accessories like bags, footwear and jewellery to complement their outfits.”
Tsen believes the target market belongs to the fashion-conscious individual, regardless of background and age. “It’s for modern executives who work and socialize at the same time at their co-working office space.”
Among the designers featured in CollabStore are Yacub Taha and his label Yacutha. Utilizing print fabrics which have become his signature look, Yacub makes easy-breezy slip-on dresses that come without any buttons or zips.
Andy Sulaiman creates comfy clothes for men made with his favourite fabric- linen. Perfect for the Malaysian climate, his linen shirts in earthy muted tones would look appropriate in the new dress-down code most men have adopted during the lockdown.
Furry Macaroni by CJ JiWei is a streetwear label to watch. Printed hoodies and baggy pants are given a new twist with his unique take on colour and symbolic signs. It is a brand that reinterprets streetwear in its own unique way.
Another designer called 3thelabel consists of three designers, namely Syomir Izwa Gupta (master of colours and prints), Nurita Harith (expert in draping and feminine allure) and Justin Yap. The collection uses sensuous silk and satins with chiffon printed with digital prints to decorate elegant long gowns and is ideal for festive occasions or evening soirees.
Justin shows his love for colours in every collection, especially his signature turquoise shade. A Carven Ong protégé, Justin has mastered the ability to create novel garment constructions with a solid understanding of textiles in order to achieve flawless silhouettes. The outcome? Clean, classic shapes that shine with their own sparkling trend.
Finally, Projet1826 is a men’s sandal label that strives to educate and help the local farming community. Being environmentally conscious and placing sustainability at the heart of its business model, Projet1826 sandals are manufactured from the dripping rubber from the cans that were used to collect it. A brilliant way to go green and stylish!
Visit CollabStore on Instagram at @collabstoreofficial.
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