Saturday 26 November 2016

Indigo inspired collection in collaboration with David Cheah

I knew David Cheah way, way back when we (my mom n i) were helping him sew one-off designer cushions in silk, taffetta, velvet and other opulent fabrics. He even choreographed an intimate "Cushion" fashion show for his friends and clients at a furniture shop in Bukit Ceylon in 1990s

Then he became my guild (The Arts and Crafts Guild, KL & Selangor)'s president, taking over from 'nature' artist, Teh Yew Kiang who has been helming the guild for a decade. I also became part of the committee and later when David left for Sydney, i was entrusted with keeping the guild running (it was formally registered in 1993) as it's president. Nothing glamourous there. What an uphill task...and this was way before the Internet era, where newsletters were posted out with committee members complaining tht they had to lick too many stamps! My guild just turned 23 in October 2016.

Two decades later, Joe Sidek started George Town Festival (GTF) in Penang. It was and is a multi-discipline festival ranging from performance art (dance, theatre, song) to visual art n photography and street and community based art.



Prior to the festival, the Municipal Council of Penang held a competition to find a way of displaying and informing the public about the story and anecdotes of each road in Penang's UNESCO heritage site (centre of Georgetown). A company called Sculpture At Work came up with a witty, yet informative way to make sculptures stand out yet do not intrude into the heritage buildings' architecture.



David, who trained as an architect but found more satisfaction as a multi discipline artist (textile n design) has been assisting Joe Sidek @ GTF. In 2014, the theme was indigo and since David has a wide collection of indigo fabrics and clothes he was made in charge of Mission Blue - Indigo House (see previous post) and guess who was roped in to design and produce a range of clothes for their pop-up store, since I have interest in both traditional and contemporary wear and was trained as a fashion designer (among other things). All to be completed within 3 months!


 While I sourced for fabrics locally, he sourced from many Asia countries (mainly Indonesia). Our focus was on minimalistic dresses with often asymmetrical detailing, blocking of various textures and patterns. I re-organised my small apartment, bought extra tables for pattern n fabric cutting. Even got a cute little Juki workhorse (in plain English - is bought a new small but reliable/strong sewing machine) The brand Juki is synonymous with industrial sewing machines. But I needed one I could carry around in case I was required to work partially in Penang. Mind you, I was also holding a regular job. So working into the wee hours of the morning everyone alternate day became the norm.

Here are some of the ready-to-wear that were designed specifically for Georgetown Festival 2014!

Hope you like them -

 You can find the complete collection and other collections too in my little online FB store - Three Black Cats Studio

Sunday 10 August 2014

All things indigo!

D-Day came on 1st Aug..  Launching of Georgetown Festival 2014 - beginning with Mission Blue-Indigo House
Photo by Pek Min Han
But oops... i missed the opening as i booked my flight a little too close to launching time.


The PLACE was wonderful - It is a renovated house - Formerly housed Christian missionaries - The largest mission house in Southeast Asia.


The PEOPLE there - the gallery sitters, volunteers all work hard to get things going and in order, guided by GTF 'seniors'. There were some touch and go moments but everyone rallied together. I'm impressed!

 


The VISITORS were indigo lovers from all over - from locals who came from mainland, Seberang Prai to Klang Valley and across the causeway (Singapore) and tourists from Japan, Vietnam, US, UK, Australia...everywhere!

The POP-UP SHOP --






EXHIBITIONS -
Regina Ibrahim : My Indigo Life


Tradewind Treasures -  Exhibition of Ship-wreck ceramic shard jewellery


- Made into pendants, bracelets, cufflinks
 

Self Edge - an exhibition of indigo artworks from around the world





 


Tuesday 29 July 2014

Crossover journey 3

In arty endeavours, the journey never ends. Guess what!  I'm back to FASHION.

Recently, life has been handing me some very sour lemons - tension and frustration consumed me in anger.. BUT as if life always balances itself, an old fren called up. He was setting up an exhibition and pop-up shop for the annual George Town Festival 2014 in Penang.


We brain-stormed - tossed around concepts & design ideas, rummaged through tons of lovely fabrics.. It was a wonderful experience, to be able to talk shop with an artist and designer.

Back home, i was inspired and started the ardious task of pattern-making. But it was a very welcomed distraction from my current woes. I felt a sense of HOPE, a sense of PURPOSE, a kind of art THERAPY!

Life takes u through many bends and turns, sometimes adding a somersault too. My blogs reflect all that i have been doing ever since - PetcrazeeSewcrazee, Crazeepatches, , crazeeEatEkocrazee, Crazeefit, Crazeefit Over40, etc. My calling card reads - blogger, educator, gym rat, crafter and now, fashion designer :)

It was not easy... I had been away from fashion for more than a decade. I studied fashion design whilst holding down a full-time 'normal' job. I still hold that job which is also dear to me. So many, many late nights and weekends were spent on this GTF project. I missed covering art exhibition openings and crafting events as head of an arts & crafts group. But my members have been great, stepping up, organising themselves during craft events.

Here's some of the highlights along my creative journey -

1990's  Costume designer for stage production of Macbeth (sponsored by NST & Isetan)



1997  18th Century French Costume - Research, Exhibition & Dance







2010 - 2014 Organised art & crafting events for ACG 
@ Femme City exhibition - Star Publications
Eco Fashion Show @ National Textile Museum 2011
 
Year-end textile & jewellery workshops @ National Textile Museum 2011-2013

Corporate workshop @ eTiqa, Dataran Maybank
2012  WTSC - White Tee-Shirt Challenge
Contestants of WTSC  

2012   Teaching Textile Art & Embroidery class with co-instructor,  Siti Aishah Awaluddin 
2012  Wrote "Development of Printmaking in Malaysia" for Printmaking Triennial -Macau
           - co written with Prof. Rahman, USM


 Translated into 3 languages



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