Is there too much focus on Western fashion?

[fashionicon]

I kind of don't understand what you're saying? Most designers are from Europe and not Western (aka America). ???? The finest designs are usually from Italian and French design houses. But they showcase all over.??? New York fashion week is huge. Most designs stick to there routes, which are European (even while in America). Fashion is universal. This post is pointless. Do some research or post some pictures to back up what you are saying.

I'm confused too.

How is it mild racism, again?

The world is culturally different.

Maybe it's because the first fashion week, first called "Press Week" in 1943 was held in NY. It's main purpose was to highlight American Designers because French designers and ateliers were so dominate back then. There are way too many countries with fashion weeks. To put less emphasis on western fashion, at least in America, would be like say, taking money out of the country, considering a lot of foreign designers don't sell their brands/clothing here.

 

[manolocraver]

These articles are taken from my blog and written by me

Zery Zamry ... Malaysia's Up and Emerging Fashion Icon

To international fashionistas, Zery Zamry would be an unfamiliar name within the international fashion scene but in Malaysia, his name is already a household name in local fashion scene.

Touted as the next new fashion icon of Malaysia, Zery took his arts seriously and his hardwork pays when he won Jarum Berlian award in 2006, one of the most prestigious fashion awards in Malaysia, annually held to hail, celebrate and discover new talents in fashion designing. Previously, his entry in 2004's Jarum Berlian Award gained second place in the contest.

Born Zeri Zamri in Kelana Jaya, Selangor on 31st December 1984, the last out of four siblings has a strong passion in economics and business-related subjects back in his schooling days. At the same, he has the equal profoundness in arts and design as well.

After finishing secondary school, he was in dilemma - either to pursue his studies in economics or fashion designing. The outcome? He chose fashion design instead of economics and enrolled in Diploma of Fashion Design at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Seri Iskandar Campus, Perak.

Combined strong passion in fashion with endless hard work, what would you get? Crowned as the Best Student of the Faculty that is.

Yes, Zery was crowned as the Art and Design Faculty's Best Student as well as the Excellent Achievement Award - New Young Talent in Individual category for his accomplishments that takes UiTM's name to a higher degree.

Given an option between designing womenswear and menswear, the 22-year old designer prefers to design womenswear because there are no certain limitations like menswear. At the same times it allows his creativity to flow freely, an essential need for every designer and artists should possessed.

"I can design anything I like for women," he said. "It is all because, nowadays we want to see what people like Ning Baizura or Siti Nurhaliza are wearing these days and whether the peasant girl look is still in or its way out."

"I don't mind being a slave to fashion," the highly-aspired designer added. "I will use all of my free time designing new dresses, apparels and others."

Known for the uniqueness of his designs, Zery tends to include details such as polka dots, and ribbons with staple colors of red, pink and black as his favorite working palette. Sexiness, glamor and vogue is must-have qualities of his designs, apart from incorporating simplicity, authenticity, quality, and originality in his designs. Apart from couture pieces and apparels, Zery also designs bags and shoes to complement his creations.

The designer prefers to stay true to his Malaysian heritage as well in terms of creating apparels and materials that he used. His favorite Malaysian costumes include Kebaya, Kurung and Sarong.

Last year, Zery's avant-garde reinterpretation of Kebaya, which is a combination of Malaysian Kebaya with the touch of Victorian period influence, known as Splendour of Nyonya Kebaya won him an award at the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2006.

Besides designing coutures for local celebrities to wear at award shows and highly-publicized social functions within Malaysia, the designer too sponsored his creations to certain public occassion such as the Dewi Remaja pageant, a contest held on annual basis by local teen magazine, Remaja to discover new teenage beauties from all over Malaysia. The pageant too has been a stepping stone for some of Malaysian actors and models to launch their career in the entertainment industry.

Most of Zery's authentic, sensual yet artistic creations have caught the attention of several glamorous Malaysian fashion editors and they even have appeared in glossy fashion spreads for notable local fashion magazines such as Eh!, Glam, and InTrend to name a few.

Recently Zery was chosen as one of the finalists for the Malaysian edition of Project Runway, a US franchise of the famous American fashion designing reality show hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum.

The show will debut somewhere within this month and on 19 May, at the Faculty of Arts and Design, UiTM Shah Alam, Zery, who will be graduating this year with a degree in Fashion Design, will present his latest collection, Contemporary Kurung Exotica.

He also plans to start his first menswear line by this year as well as competing for the Piala Sri Indon, another prestigious fashion award in honor of the late Datin Seri Indon Mahmood, a fashion philanthropist whose aim is to preserve the art of Nyonya Kebaya and encouraged the growth of Malaysian Batik industry.

For those who are interested in viewing and purchasing Zery Zamry's couture or ready-to-wear pieces, do pay a visit to his boutique in Shah Alam and feast your eyes on the glamorous, or according to designer himself, VASS, and fashionable pieces of arts.

*Photos courtesy of Zery Zamry.

Zery Zamry Couture - 11A, Jalan Tuntung 20/11, 40300 Shah Alam, Selangor. Tel: +60 017 6519056



***
Watch Out For ... Jovian Mandagie

He is yet to be on the same level as one of his favorite designers, the enfant terrible John Galliano of French's most venerated fashion house and couturier Christian Dior but Jovian Mandagie has what it takes to be one of Galliano's future successors.

Counting singer/actress Ning Baizura, celebrity deejay and the big boss of Malaysia's Radio ERA, Kudsia Kahar, and TV host Yasmin Hani as his loyal fans and muses, these ladies could not get enough of this wonder child.

Born in Indonesia and raised in Malaysia, Jovian's involvement and interest in fashion began at a very young age. Influenced by his family's thriving cosmetic business that goes hand-in-hand with his vision - to make every women look and feel beautiful - and growing up commuting between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta enhanced his perception of fashion by experiencing the best of both metropolitan cities and the rich heritage possessed by both countries, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Graduated from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Fashion Design major, Jovian once turned down internship offers from big players in the international fashion industry such as Laura Ashley and Eric Way.

With a deep passion and interest in acquiring the age-old techniques and exploring new interpretations in constructing the Indonesian kebayas, he chose to do his internship under Ivan Gunawan, one of Indonesia's top designers to date.

Like many designers, Jovian too has his own style of designing, known as the 'Malindo' style. The eclectic designing style is apparent in all of his designs, from traditional ethnic-inspired Kebaya to funky fashion statements such as the dresses that he created for Ning Baizura, Yanie and Nikki under the theme 'leather and denim' at last year's Anugerah ERA 06, one of the prestigious award show that celebrates and appreciate music in splendor and grandeur. Before, his big break came after he was commissioned to design outfits for Indonesian pop group Ratu.

His ability to blend fresh, young ideas with a matured sense of fashion that goes beyond his years, plus the intricate embroideries, beautiful cuts and feminine fabrics used within the designs have resulted a twisted conventional style that is wearable and flattering.

At the moment, the designer has successfully marketed his couture wedding gowns and formal outfits through his own label, Jovian Mandagie. He also has since expanded his business by opening a studio workshop.

Early this year, ERA radio presenter Linda Onn was supposed to wore a creation that she and Jovian had worked hand-in-hand at the world's most anticipated annual event, the Academy Awards or the Oscars to report from the red carpet at it's Hollywood venue.

Due to some unknown factors, last minute changes were made and the creation failed to see the daylight. At the same time, Linda too did not appear to cover the assigned event as scheduled.

Even so, it never deters him from creating more and more masterpieces and to date, his creations have appeared in several publications in Malaysia and Indonesia, apart from being seen at award shows and social functions. And of course, now it is every Malaysian and Indonesian woman's dream to be dressed in Jovian Mandagie, just as how they tend to dream of being dressed in Roberto Cavalli.

*Photos courtesy of Jovian Mandagie.

Jovian Mandagie - 95, Jalan Telawi Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

[Whitelinen]

I kind of don't understand what you're saying? Most designers are from Europe and not Western (aka America). ???? The finest designs are usually from Italian and French design houses. But they showcase all over.??? New York fashion week is huge. Most designs stick to there routes, which are European (even while in America). Fashion is universal. This post is pointless. Do some research or post some pictures to back up what you are saying.

Western also indicates European. To be honest I don't understand what you are saying... fashion is universal, how? Care to elaborate? Do some research or back up what you are saying, please.

Photos? What? How could I back it up with pictures?

The world is multicultural, but to me it seems that fashion world is dominated by one culture.

 

[SomethingElse]

The fashion business as we know it today in the global marketplace was born in Europe, I believe. But we live in changing times with fresh voices coming out of amazing cultures rich with artistic capabilities that greatly expand what fashion can be in the greatest sense of the word. On such a forum as tFS, we have an opportunity to express our personal, global curiousity in art, fashion and industry. How amazing! While the media focus may be Europe and the US, here we can openly share non-Western culture and creativity with people who really need to know that there is more to the world than what meets the tabloid eye...

 

[Whitelinen]

The fashion business as we know it today in the global marketplace was born in Europe, I believe. But we live in changing times with fresh voices coming out of amazing cultures rich with artistic capabilities that greatly expand what fashion can be in the greatest sense of the word. On such a forum as tFS, we have an opportunity to express our personal, global curiousity in art, fashion and industry. How amazing! While the media focus may be Europe and the US, here we can openly share non-Western culture and creativity with people who really need to know that there is more to the world than what meets the tabloid eye...

Exactly, that's what I want to encourage.