[Fashion]

The Starhill Gallery Fashion Week Kuala Lumpur Spring/Summer 2017 was held from Wednesday, 12th April to Saturday, 15th April 2017 in its typically glitzy affair with GH Mumm champagne and ABSOLUT vodka flowing while socialites and celebrities like Dato’ Jimmy Choo, Patricia K, Sabrina Bennet and Lee Yvonne mingled and posed for photographs.

The shows featured the latest trends of 2017’s Spring/Summer collections by some exclusive designer labels housed in Starhill Gallery namely; Valentino, Kenzo, McQ Alexander McQueen, M Missoni, Debenhams, Mita Tam Style Studio and iKarrtini.

The runway show opened with Kenzo, which celebrated the cultural euphoria portrayed in menswear and womenswear with garments characterizing expressions of freedom. Ponchos, parkas and military jackets, blouses and dresses were deconstructed into feather-light yet voluminous silhouettes. Technical taffetas with metal snaps or drawstrings featured a more industrial feel to the design. M Missoni was second after Kenzo, showcasing a Spring/Summer 2017 collection this season, taking the upbeat and feminine woman as an inspiration for the line. With the theme “Glitter Glam”, the free and youthful spirit of this line was enhanced with vivid colours and bold lines inspired by graphism to modern art to the hippie-folk movement.

McQ Alexander McQueen delivered a 90s interpretation of the 70s in its Spring/Summer collection. Pop culture’s infamous icons, David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lydia Lunch were muses for this range. McQ translated the era and these enigmatic muses into garments of easy silhouettes, contrasting fabrics and jarring, provocative colours. Then, the runway welcomed Italian fashion mammoth, Valentino, with its Spring/Summer 2017 line. This time, Valentino was inspired by the renaissance painting of Hieronymus Bosch and British designer Zandra Rhodes’s lively prints. Garments evoking historic Venetian textiles and quirky prints were designed on ethereal soft dresses, shirts, and smart trenches for modern daywear. Accents of appliqués and movement of fabrics brought out a sense of sophistication and grace to the collection.

The Spring/Summer 2017 collection by iKarrtini encapsulated true Malaysian culture, in a marriage between the traditional and the contemporary. This collection highlights batik as an art of creating patterns. With the theme “Break Free”, light patterns as well as colourful floral dresses for both casual and formal occasions were a prominence in Mita Tam Style Studio Spring/Summer 2017 collection. Debenhams took the stage, showcasing its Spring/Summer 2017 design, delighting fans who adore British fashion.

This year’s event also featured a special Malaysian debut fashion show by Australian luxe-label ae’lkemi by the award-winning fashion designer, Alvin Fernandez. During the opening, Fernandez featured some 20 beautiful pieces from his latest Spring/Summer Ready-to-Wear and Couture collections. In addition, attendees had the first-time privilege of viewing bespoke pieces from his latest Spring/Summer and couture collections at the ae’lkemi Signature Store with the theme “… turning a raw material into something precious”. The ae’lkemi Signature Store will be at Starhill Gallery’s Lot UG17, Adorn Floor until 10 May 2017.

On 14th April 2017, three renowned Malaysia designers; Celest Thoi, Nurita Harith and Syomir Izwa Sen-Gupta have also presented their latest collections. Celest Thoi debuted 12 beautiful pieces from her exclusive Newfangled collection, meaning “new and and often needlessly novel”. For this collection, Thoi collaborated with SARAKICHI, a Japanese label that fuses Tokyo’s traditional dying techniques in garment making. Next, Nurita Harith revealed her Spring/Summer 2017 collection – a range inspired by the elegant Georgia Hamilton, incorporating Nurita’s signature drapes with knots and bias cuts. Last but not least, Syomir Izwa Gupta features his Spring/Summer 2017 Ready-to-Wear collection. This line pays homage to Yoko Ono’s early years. Syomir’s collection comprises of the cross-cultural elements of late 60s London, androgynous 70s suits and the bohemian movement fused effortlessly in creating jumpsuits, dresses and pussy bow blouses.

Vice President of YTL Land & Development Bhd, YTL Hotels and Properties, Joseph Yeoh, said “Starhill Gallery epitomises fashion and our portfolio of the best fashion brands is constantly growing. Now, on our seventh year of organising the Starhill Gallery Fashion Week, it gives us pleasure creating a platform for aspiring talents in the fashion industry to be a part of the local and international fashion scene. We aim to make Kuala Lumpur a fashion hub and to be amongst the top destinations in Asia. We are proud to be able to offer such a variety of selection and deliver an exclusive experience which Starhill Gallery Fashion Week offers.”

The event was organized in partnership with Armani Dolci, BMIC Nail Spa Salon, Lifestyle Asia, Number76, Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur, TeaLive, Pernod Ricard Malaysia, Softsrve, Volvo Car Malaysia and YTL Info Screen.