Crafty Geeky Things

2010-08-19T23:46:00.002+08:00

There is something very sticky about electronic pop. The thump thump thump of beats, the shrill voices, the blaring synths. Not exactly rocket science, but it ain't high art either. You might say that it's a crowd pleaser, and to that I'd say cleverly crafted to appeal to the masses. Commercial art.

It is with the same vein of thought that I have now come to view the fashion industry or any sort of creative industry in general. Acceptance is probably the best word to describe this state of mind that many others in the world of business and commerce have long regarded as a granted and a universal truth. So with this, I am not entirely sure where I stand as a once creative. It's hard to be in this very comfortable position and still believe that one day an ingenue product will eventually find its voice in the sea of price wars and volume churners. Having faith in a product is easy, it is the consumers that makes the entire equation a tricky business. When ever is the right time to have the right product? I guess I'll just have to leave that to the masses to decide.

The dillema of X and Y

2010-05-31T22:06:00.004+08:00

If the style rookie is the voice of her generation as a Gen Y, then am not entirely sure where I belong when the generation definition is of concern.

In travel terms, you have the shoulder season.

And for someone born in the mid 80s, are we the middle generation, the shoulder generation, or just plain lucky to straddle in between transitional periods where X and Y meet? There must be a term out there for us within social history.

Too young for X and too old for Y.

Clearly, we are a generation open for interpretation, and the source of much intrigue. We lack purpose and hope unlike those born in the 70s, we take freedom for granted as it has always been there for us, and with that comes uncertainty, the sort of helplessness that can only be defined as not having any real direction and far too many options in life. We don't hold the same type of youthful optimism as the Gen Y-ers who saw an onslaught of 'boom' much more early in life. Next to them, we were all in a race but without the early headstart.

Maybe we don't need to be put into little boxes with labels. I'd like to think that we live life in our own terms. Not caged, yet not entirely without shackles. And perhaps that is the beauty of it, of just simply be.

2010-04-18T02:13:00.004+08:00

So I've left the blog on the lurch yet again, I must try to keep up with this blogging business, and am not entirely sure how at the moment. Time management, I must admit is not one of my greatest strengths.

Right now I am catching up with the web offerings, albeit at a slow crawl. It has been a while since I've trawl through all my favourite sites and blogs, and at the rate information piles up at the speed of light, it is as futile as an attempt of keeping the business of blogging alive. Hence the emergence of twitter no? Writing comprehensible paragraphs becomes way too much of a complicated task.

Am missing London, it has been too long. The web gives a sense of belonging, yet at the same time, I feel oddly removed from the action. All that emerging talent highlighted in my favourite blogs, the stylemakers, the refined European sensibilities, the changing of seasons seem irrelevant. I am not entirely sure how to fit all these things in my current context. There is this nagging feeling inside of my head that some major change is due soon and will pick up momentum in the near future. Started with the new job in February and the new car, what next?

2010-01-18T22:51:00.002+08:00

I didn't think I knew my job well enough until this nice lady at HSBC started asking me what it is a merchandiser does. 2 years is a relatively short period of time, yet long enough to accumulate a little pool of experience. I might have just found a reason to be here and the reason to move on and up in life. How did I go from Melbourne, to London and then back again? I can't quite remember the chain of events anymore, the process is beyond me now. It's all a blur.

That one thing that still holds true is that I am still very much an oddball in many ways, from the PG Tips to the leggings. Though the integration into Malaysian life will always be a scar deep down inside, I am still me. Nowhere prettier, and nowhere more sophisticated than the next girl from a middle class home. Aspiration is futile it seems.

The Ultimate White

2009-12-15T11:51:00.002+08:00

It's one of those niggling questions lingering around your ears when you reach a certain age, and believe me when I write these words : I am not one who dreams about white fluff of weddings. Somehow, being in your mid-twenties, Marriage is the inevitable question at family dinners and quick courteous conversation with people you haven't seen for awhile, usually from people of a much older generation, wondering aloud why is it that your fine self has yet to get hitched with someone of the opposite sex. And there's nothing much you can say but a cheeky retort of some sort to dodge the bullet.

So it comes to me as a relief when the Fashion editor of Elle UK found it difficult to get started on her wedding plans, let alone picking THE dress, culminating to a 2 year engagement, just because she didn't really gave much thought to the idea of being wed. It's good to know that there are people out there who hasn't got a clue what her preferences are for a wedding gown, considering the fact that this woman in question works in a big fashion magazine, and would've had at least a vague idea on styling her big day.

And then my bestie drops the biggest piece of news of her wedding plans next October and all of a sudden that conversation we had not so long ago about weddings and gowns all came back to me like a ton of bricks. It wasn't just idle chit chat.

She asked if I ever gave much thought to a 'dream wedding', and if I ever had a dress in mind?

Considering that I have put this post in draft mode for the past 3 months, I still haven't gave much thought to it, but am suddenly reminded of the video that Peter showed us during Design Studio in Year 3 and everything else just falls into place in a heartbeat.

It's the ultimate white, and that defining moment for me in fashion. It changed the way I thought of design and the very meaning of clothes, ironically, based on that single idea of brides and widows. Low and behold Yohji Yamamoto's legendary S/S '99 collection, in 3 parts, from YouTube (what would we do without you???) It's amazing how the deliberately slow pace choreography, muted colours, subtle complexities in construction and piano music can do to your senses and get the wheels churning inside.

Feet to fit the job

2009-08-12T00:18:00.005+08:00

I don't always proclaim my love for the job, and for the past 1 and half year, it has been a rare occurence. Monday, however was an exception, and whilst I'm not bursting to the seams with love for the career climbing, I was ready to jump through more hoops just to get to do it all over again.

Shoe buying is an experience to behold. So many shoes, so little time. I walked into the showroom greeted by half a room covered with shoes of all shapes and colours, laid neatly in rows, organised according to their monthly capsules. It might not be the most exciting brand out there for the under 25s, it's still a highlight in my career thus far. Being in that position of seeing, feeling and selecting the merchandise 6 months prior to its actual launch date is a privilege that I'd like to have all the time.

I don't always like my ugly toenails, but having sample size feet is a blessing in disguise. So I can't complain. It's like that moment in Grey's where Meredith walked out from the OR after her first surgery - it's just such a natural high. It's moments like these that makes everything worthwhile. >The cliches of a buying career is literally a cliche of sorts, and oh so much joy! <-----cue me in my most exaggerated enthusiastic voice. Sadly, in my haste, I did not snap any pictures of the whole setup.

Now, I might want to start thinking of painting my toenails if I'm going to start flaunting them in public.....hmmm.

Warehouse Sales as you know it

2009-07-21T23:25:00.005+08:00

In desperate times comes desperate measures. That's the reality of the fashion business these days unless you're a designer doing creative things and not really caring much on actually making a sale. I say this with some bite in my words and possibly with some slight contempt for I am truly worn out by the many offsite events that we've been pulling left and right, not to mention trying hard to stay in focus on the more important things in store.

Times like these I ask the inevitable question of whether the same module is practised by eminent retailers like Selfridges and Harvey Nics, for I am afterall still more familiar with the concept of a clearance outlet/ bargain corner or even sample sales than say warehouse sales where large stock lots were bought off by event organisers to make a quick buck.

So tonight, as I try to chill and prep myself on another day in the slaughterhouse, whilst aimlessly browsing through Diane Pernet's blog filled with all these hip young creative people doing creative things and lunching with their creative counterparts, I wonder if it ever occur to these people the real consequences of being too clever and creative for their own good? And if they ever had to degenerate to the extent of designing 'best buy' items like £2 t-shirts (not the cheapo high street collaborative kind) just to fulfill the requirements of the market, how would they feel?

The more I am involved in organising all these warehouse sales events, the more I am disgusted by the volume of stocks purposefully produced just to make that quick buck. Like I've always told people that nothing in fashion is accidental, it's been planned way in advance to behave in a certain way in the future. These value buy stocks are created in the same purpose - to anticipate sales period and as means to buffer margins and to ensure constant flow of sales merchandise. Of course such methods would be too crude for brands residing on the higher end of the scale, so they end up producing too many of the actual thing instead, resulting in countless dead stock accumulating around the world. Equally just as bad, but who am I to judge whose sale strategy is more effective and clever?

And then when the time is right, a group of people comes along with the great big plan of organising warehouse sales that promise good bargains and great finds at a massively reduced price. Suppliers and shoppers convene under a large roof with the retailer watches on as the cash register rings its melodious 'ka-ching', pleased with the innocent, so-called thrifty consumers that fell prey to their grand masterplans. Little did they know that their love for cheap thrills have been so thoroughly exploited by shrewd business people whom were actually playing a game of wits masked under the mostly false pretense of 'stock liquidation'.

But at the end of the day, it's a winning triangular formula. What's not to like about warehouse sales when there's bargains to be found and money to be made? You reap where your efforts are due no matter which side of the triangle you're on, and that is the true name of this funny game.

Still...woe to my sleep deprived shell.

Conceal, not lies

2009-07-15T23:38:00.003+08:00

I often wonder if my star sign has anything to do with my personality. Though it must be said that there are vast similarities that begged to be differ but one can't deny that the traits are all there. The sense of justice, the need to balance and profound indulgence on beautiful things, all telltale signs of a typical Libran. More often than not, we're told that we're suited for jobs in law, design and public sevice, but little mention of business. So tonight I'm stump as to where I fit into the whole equation at work, where a little bit of concealer is dabbed on the various mini situations that has been popping up left and right.

In my line of work I'm an entrepreneur of sorts. Usually I don't bother explaining what I actually do because in the most simplest of laymen's terms, I'm a buyer. A buyer conjures up a million images of a person who jetsets around the world buying things on the company's expense nary a care in the world, sourcing for the most interesting things from all the corners of the world and putting them on the shelves. To a certain extent, it's quite true but only a glamourised version of the real deal. Buying and sourcing is just one of the many tasks that I do as a merchandiser, and it's usually out of a catalogue where numbers and careful consideration take the joy out of what seems to be frivolous shopping. Bad shopping decisions end up being dead stock on the shelf, and no merchandiser likes selling things at half price as it's a reflection of all things negative, from your tastes, to your judgement and most importantly your understanding of the masses. And then there's the people that supplies you the goods, and the people that you work for. When one is at a position where tons of information passes through everyday, talking becomes more than a skill, it's an art of its own.

In business, the most important thing that I've learnt from my job as of late is to conceal and to hold back. It took me a while to figure this out as it seems that I'm genetically predisposed to be far too honest for my own good that the only links that I made were that of little white lies.

Contrary to my own beliefs, it has nothing to do with lying or altering the reality of the situation. It is a matter of choosing the right words to say and when to say it. There is a line there somewhere where information travels only to come to a stand still, sometimes, it crosses over the line to the other side, other times, it's just there, for you and only you to know. Within business context, your bosses know, but your vendors and your frontline staff don't. Why say it when it doesn't benefit yourself nor 3rd parties nor change the situation? So while it doesn't always point to the right side of the moral compass, knowing what to say can help you secure the best of deals, failing that, you grab the raw end of the stick, hoping that your words won't come back and bite you in the head. Whoever said that it's lying anyways, when selective speech is concerned?

Moral of this post? Always always think before speaking, in business, in relationships, in life. Now someone give me the Art of War, before I engage in a spar of words with another vendor...

G for gratitude

2009-07-07T23:33:00.005+08:00

It's been an interesting day of sorts where very little paperwork is accomplished and paths with new seasoned faces are crossed with each hour passed. While most of the time it's face value, inane chit chat and industry gossip, it's actually a battle of wits where the art of tact is practiced down to the tee. You might say that it's superficial, but it's one of the many areas that I enjoy at work. Like any relationship, it always start out all polite, civil and friendly, until you start working with them that is.

From the POV of a lowlife, it's a spectacle of its own. I observe and I listen. I butt into conversation occasionally, trying a hand at the small talk. Sometimes my brain drifts a little and I wonder if I'll ever be like these people 10-20 years down the road, still working within the industry, seasoned as old ginger and reeking wisdom (and not oil nor sly) out of every pore. I can only hope, that with sheer hardwork, persistence and good luck, I'll eventually be someone respectable and revered in my chosen field. Not too much to ask from the fashion gods, no?

My year and a half back in KL has been in many instances enlightening. The time spent in Melbourne trying to find my real voice, to being in London all comfortable in my skin and then back to being unsettled again in the city I was born in, continues to raise questions on my identity as a global citizen, and the role that I play as a puzzle piece within my immediate circle. Life goes through its motions and fashion with its endless cyclical circus, I am reflecting as I write , in this slightly pensive, gratitude manner of the people that made my career as a merchandiser interesting and rewarding thus far:

B, the manager with the heart of gold, always so kind and understanding, when will I learn to have patience and tact like yours, combined with H's razor sharp tongue, wits and spunky attitude?

To the female GMs that I have had chance to meet, wow, I don't know if I'll ever soar to those heights, it seems so far away right now, but I'd sure like to know how you juggle multibillion businesses and life and still look fabulous. It's a mystery.

S, who has so much influence over the industry, I didn't think of it much until I witnessed it first hand today. Someone's gotta do something for the designers and kudos for being the one championing it and in magnificent looking heels. I'd like to be doing the same in my own way some day.

J, the VP, whom I can never decide is a good or bad cop. Clever nontheless.

My fellow peers in the industry, let's rock the joint together and put our little stamps all over the place until we can truly say that we've made it to the top.
--------------------------------------

Now this reads like a thank you note at the back of the album cover.
I am capable of cheese after all.
good night! x

Simple Pleasures

2009-07-01T00:01:00.006+08:00

I wonder if I've reduced myself to a post a month. It's that time of the year again, or shall I say that time in the month where everyone spend themselves silly in store trying to grab the best bargains? Some days I wonder how I cope with all these things in my life, but I suppose that's what you really learn in your twenties - that delicate act of balancing. How do you walk on the fine line every single day without losing balance? I'm living it and I'm not even sure how. So between the super super madness at work (is the entire world in a sale fatigue mode just yet?)and my craft and running the market circuit, it leaves me very little time for this blog. I'm going to have to work on it harder! So many things have pass me by for the past 3 months in a furor of work and a little bit of London nostalgia was somewhat welcoming.

Scar reducing gel plasters - I do not for my life understand why you can't get them in asia. These are better than any gels or cica care I've ever used. At the very least, I feel like the scars are being flatten as we speak.
Gorgeous magazine freebie in the form of a cotton Urban Outfitters tote. Whilst I don't usually get overly excited over bags with slogans or brands plastered over it, this was done so subtly that I didn't mind fessin' up my love for Urban Outfitters.
Manolo Blahnik book of shoe sketches for under 10 quid. Need I say more?
Pylones liquid ring and earrings - ah I do miss wandering in the Octopus store just to be inspired.
Modern Jewellery catalogues that make you wish that you were the one with the brilliant idea.
crafty bits and bobs from the market.
M&S cherries. If only we have the food hall here...
PG Tips! the only way to drink english breakfast. Yums. You can't get more English than that. How typical!

This cheers me up to no end. I am a girl of simple (imported) pleasures.

Bless mommy.

When words and art collide, no one cuts paper like Rob Ryan does

2009-06-08T23:22:00.011+08:00

Tonight, words have utterly utterly fail me as mom and I pour through a word document filled with bad English. It reminds me of those nights spent editing group assignments to a seamless fault. Language might not be everyone's cup of chai, but it is one of the many things that I happen to like (and good at it). Crafting a simple prose is an art form in itself, and seeing that we use words and sentences everyday, it would seem that we're spouting, living art constantly on the tips of our tongues and nibs, only some more refined than others. Poetic justice, no?

Often I find the beauty in words not just on a page of a book, but on the book cover itself. In some instances, you could say that I judge a book by its cover, and that a beautiful cover sells the book on its own, very much similar to the hanging appeal of a garment. It is art afterall that we admire, both inside and out. It's always a bonus when both words and art collide, creating more than just oratorical fireworks, but something much more divine and complex, inspiring far more emotional content than each singular form of art could ever be.

Introducing Rob Ryan's brand of cut paper. Immaculately detailed and complex, it is more than just cleverly crafted paper or spoken witticisms. It is unrequited love, and the grandeur of romance entwined in lush foliage, bows, birds and ringing bells, the common denominator and favoured symbols in all of his artworks.

At a sweeping glance, there is a mass of paper, large in scale and impossibly fragile. I remember feeling awed by it all standing in the small space in Beyond the Valley(gem of a shop off Carnaby Street, London). Bit by bit the details sink it. First you get mesmerised by the overall prettiness of it. All one see are the cute, happy symbols of love. Then the words start to speak to you, I would imagine, in a non-plussed manner. It's unassumingly plain and not entirely chirpy like the birds. All of a sudden, your heart's wrenching, a realisation dawned. It hits you like a ton of bricks, quite like falling in and out of love. All that is left in the end is this endearing vision of romance.

I kind of regretted not buying his book whilst in London early this year. I'm finding it hard to track it down in local bookstores, but have alas made an order with MPH. Times Bookstore has lost their copy somewhere, and there's no information at all on Kino bookweb. Such is the obsucurity of this little gem. In the 3-4 weeks that I'm patiently waiting for my book to arrive (MPH had to reorder), I'm going to ogle at my Rob Ryan skirt kit instead (bought at a happy bargain price from the net) - which I am reluctant to put my scissors to work but have every intention to frame it up.

Chained

2009-05-24T23:52:00.006+08:00

There seems to be a slight writers' block on my end but thankfully there isn't much of a creative block on the crafts front. I am making things and god knows how that is possible with my gruelling schedule at work (it will only get worst next week as I believe that all that I've worked for for the past 2 and half months or so will culminate into this boiling point of no return).

Ling and I will return to the marketplace early next month at Bijou Bazaar with our handmade goodies which is more reason for me to work extra harder on the sidelines so that I have new things to sell to a new audience. Aye, my inventory needs replenishment!

I might be dabbling at plastic alot but today I've ventured out into the land of chains. I've gone mad at my recent trip to Chatuchak and ended up with a bag of chains of all colours and sizes. Spotted around BKK were all these Chanel-esque gold chain bands selling at the vintage-wannabe stores, shoddily made, but most of all selling at extortionate prices!

I thought I give it my own spin and came up with this lovely purple / black piece. It's probably the only one that I would make for now, as I've only got enough purple ribbon to make this piece and not nearly enough tiny silver chain to make another. boo. I'll think of a way to make more somehow...I'm thinking of a variety of jewel-tone ribbons with silver chain.

While I whip up something else in my box room, and think of the right price for the necklace, here's a sneak peek :

Short writeup at DoinkDoink

2009-05-18T20:39:00.004+08:00

DoinkDoink is kind enough to label Ling and I as pretty girls running ur 'ickle stall at Arts for Grabs. It's written in Chinese, but if you don't read the language, you might want to ogle at the pictures of us and other super cool stalls.

Arts for Grabs May 2009

2009-05-11T22:42:00.009+08:00

First things first, a big shout out and THANK YOU for those of you who came to Arts for Grabs last Saturday and Sunday and kind enough to stop by Crafty Geeky Things / Butter & Cream stall. Ling and I had lots of fun meeting all of you and seeing the explosion of creativity coming from the wonderful people that made it all happened. It was a real eye-opener.

spot the colourful little men pick & mix!

You might not know this but Arts for Grabs marked the debut of Crafty Geeky Things in the arts/ fashion market circuit and I couldn't be more encouraged by the enthusiasm and support (and sales *wink*) shown to my own little brand of quirky handmade jewellery. I've never stopped exploring the notion of Crafty Geeky Things ever since it was conceived 2 years ago in my tiny roomshare in London. Some family and friends have seen my work, though I must admit Arts for Grabs was the push I needed to show it to a bigger audience. The thought of it was intimidating at first, but well worth it in the end. I can now put my failed South Melbourne Market ghost to sleep, and look forward to September!

In the meantime, here's some Crafty Geeky Things that I had on sale...in case you've missed out on the event. I'll get more up on the web soon, hopefully on my very own Etsy store. However if anything tickles your fancy, just drop me a mail. :)

Not so gloomy for 3.1 Phillip Lim & Matthew Williamson for H&M

2009-04-19T23:43:00.002+08:00

I know I'm grossly behind the fashion goss as of late, but hey, nothing's change and we're still feeling the gloomy state of affairs. This was acutely felt in Singapore for the past week when I was there for a business trip. Despite the recession blues there doesn't seem to be a decrease in shoppers on Orchard Road, though it must be said that the discounts given are definitely on the rise. Consumers are going where the discounts are unsurprisingly. They should be thankful that the Singapore government doesn't impose a sales license like Malaysia, and from a retailer's POV, it allows immediate reaction towards loss leaders.

Having said that, it's not always doom and gloom, at least from this interview on BOF of Wen Zhou, the CEO of 3.1 Phillip Lim. It's refreshing to have such a positive perspective coming from a young designer label. While most businesses keel over, Lim and Zhou are staying afloat with their combination of good business acumen and desirable well-made, well- designed goods at prices a fraction of the big big brands.

At such turbulent times, it's easy to go into price wars when retailers keep on upping the competition ultimately sacrificing their margins and bottomline, but the message is loud and clear from the start. If there's any time to prove one's worth, the time is right now. Give consumer products that really has depth and value and they'll come back for more. There's really no room for drab unexciting fashion. As Zhou says: " ...make sure that your product has heart and soul. It really shows on a hanger."

So, perhaps we've seen the first light at the end of the tunnel at the more successful designer-highstreet collab this year from Matthew Williamson for H&M? The peacock feather inspired 20 piece range in bright acidic colours flew off the shelves in Oxford street within half an hour on Thursday. It's about time someone brought the excitement back to the high street.

Shades of grey

2009-04-08T00:11:00.005+08:00

Sales is over but there isn't time to stop and reflect, such is the state of current affairs that a stop-gap could potentially mean lost opportunities in a difficult period in retail. It's been a while since I felt vaguely suffocated by work. My early periods back in KL wasn't always pretty, tainted mostly by extreme backward culture shock and a sort of severe detachment that I have towards the people around me, which I still suffer from now and then, but today, it's the same old problem with boundaries and responsibilities. Job descriptions are a blanket of grey.

Of course, given a chirpy stance, I could've felt less worked up about it, but condescendence is possibly the hardest obstacle to overcome at work. It's like a broken record player that will never stop playing the same bits of music over and over again, but not to be mistaken with nagging. I believe that there needs to be a better way to get the message across to people than an imposing authority. What's an act of rebellion if not an act against authority? Call me stupid, but I have blind faith in humanity. When it comes to operational issues, I'm perceptive yet very much a pessimist. As R was saying the other day, it wasn't laziness or motivation, it's a matter of passion, one of those potent key drivers towards branding success, also the hardest one to achieve and maintain.

It's time to get my hands on a copy of NLP for dummies. That should do the trick. You won't even notice when I'm steering with invisible hands in my artful ways. Can human dynamics be anymore complicated than that?

Bangkok Calling

2009-04-02T23:23:00.006+08:00

Hmm this weekly posting isn't doing me good. I hope my enthusiasm on blogging won't just die on me again yet. It's days like these that gets me wondering how pro bloggers do it. 3 posts a day must mean that you do nothing but surf the internet for material, photoshop/coordinate lots of cool looking pictures and subsequently getting round to writing a post jam pack full of relevant / irrelevant information. Where does real life fit in in between, especially when you spend lots of time in the office like moi during super crazy peak season? I guess that's why holidays are meant to be.

So my little trip to BKK came and went. I was a happy person, my friend's a happy person, my luggage was stuffed to the brim (7kgs when I left KL and 13.4kgs when I came back!), my bank account has a tiny frown on it and the bit between my neck and back is slightly burned with a t-shirt tan (yuck!), whereas the zits on my face seemed permanently plastered to my face from the scorching heat of Thailand. It's all good.

I will eventually get round to taking lots of piccies of my many many purchases (many is a understatement) but in the meantime, a vacation doesn't mean that I stopped having fun with my outfits. I'm just a poser on holiday.

Now I've got a lot of reading to catch up at the blogesphere. and sleep.

The week that was..

2009-03-23T23:25:00.006+08:00

swirling and swirling around in a vacuous pit...that was my week.

I might be a little slow on the uptake but I'm hooked on MGMT, and also to reading random thingies on the web that has nothing to do with fashion. It all started on a really slow Wednesday. Job fatigue possibly? It's been a long week seeing that I had to work on Sunday but I'm looking forward to jetting off to BKK on Thursday. Hopefully I won't have holiday fatigue trying to cram too many sights and shopping in a few days. I shall just lay back and let C drag me around the city with her mighty enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, I've traded some laptop time in for the real Crafty Geeky Things. It's a month away from Arts for Grabs and with a little nudge from NJ, I'm getting into the flow of making things, though not very quickly. I am still experimenting with ideas. I remember my first attempt running a market stall in Melbourne with L which ended with us feeling extremely disappointed with ourselves. I think we failed miserably in visual merchandising and me, I just didn't have enough variety, stock and competitive price points. Half a table with scattered handmade bracelets and earrings was a far cry from those seasoned stall owners.

Ironically, I've gone from failed miserly market stall to a medium sized retailer with way too much stock that I can possibly sell off. If you'd give me a cent with every mention of the word 'Sale', 'Clearance', 'Discount' or 'Bargain', I might possibly be laughing my way to the bank right now.

Chalk it up to experience, a much nicer name to call our mistakes.

The Retail Rat Race

2009-03-16T21:08:00.008+08:00

So will it be the vacuum cleaner, net basket, or your own 2 hands?

So there's my sad excuse of being absolutely bogged down by work. This is what happens when the whole nation goes on sale, always a frenzy for both shoppers and retailers alike as we scheme for more cunning promotional ways to make consumers spend more than they ought to. I'd say it's an art onto its own, and they certainly don't teach you that in fashion school.

As the weeks loom by, it is evident that the market is moving at a sluggish pace. Consumers are exercising caution with what they buy. Goodbye impulse buys, Hello 'I buy only what I need'. Not even my best bargains are tempting the smartest of shoppers. It seems like I'll never finish clearing off those miserable shoes and bags which feels very much like the leftovers from a wedding dinner that nobody ever wants. When it comes to the battle of the wits, I feel like I'm holding on at the short end of the stick. Tres annoying no? The lengths that one has to go through to get the cash flowing.

Then again, there's always next time. Kinda like being in a money box where you're trying to grab as much cash as possible in the shortest amount of time. What will your next strategy be?

*hand drawn doodle with 0.6 artline black liner, fineliner, warm grey copic, and lots of colourful felt tips from Faber-Castell

Amelia's Magazine Issue 10 DIY Bag Kit

2009-03-09T20:33:00.006+08:00

The long weekend seemed to have come and gone really quickly. I haven't been doing much (obvious from the lack of posts) apart from catching up with sleep, books, films, computer game (Spore from Will Wright, the creator of The Sims is overrated and very much a let down after you get past the creatures stage), and some long overdue sewing machine action on this free DIY bag kit that came with Issue 10 (sadly, the very last issue!!) of Amelia's Magazine. It's not a big bag but one of those that's good enough to hold your essentials like a wallet, keys and phone.

The great thing about the kit is that it's pretty much straightforward. The lines are already printed on the Fairtrade Certified cotton fabric for you to cut, so no messy measuring and a case of not-enough-cloth-itis. Even without a sewing machine, you could pretty much just work your way through it in a gusto with your needle and thread!

Hack your fabric according to the lines! Easy Peasy!

I've added extra bits to mine with some french seaming, red top sewing and binding to match the colours and a button fastening. Instead of joining the 2 straps to form a long shoulder strap, I have made mine a mini shoulder bag.

My personal touches: the french seaming, bias binding and button fastening. How would you do yours?

Shoulder or Sling? It's all up to you!

I don't know about you, but personally I have always been a major sucker on DIY kits of all types, from beaded thingys, cross stitch, soft toys, felt toys, necklaces to paper stars...which explains alot on my penchant for crafts and also ultimately my choice of degree and career path. I'm spying some ClothKits for my next downtime project. Case of a lonely child? Perhaps.

Bedtime stories fit for a Pajama Party

2009-03-02T23:54:00.005+08:00

Last weekend has gone by in a mad dash for all of us who work in retail. The long and tedious preparation leading up to mega sales is always a time for lots of sweat and tears but not exactly a lot of rest. Emotions are riding high culminating on that one day of absolute frenziness in the form of a close door event. It sets the tone for the one and half month long sale period, and dare we say that we did pretty well (considering the cautious spending behaviour all round?)?

So now it's the time to chill (if only just for a little while....) before we scoot off into the battlefield again. Here I am throwing together bed clothes fit for a dreamscape stroll, wandering through the lazy green meadows in a leisurely fashion.

Sleepwalking has never felt so gooood.
Left: Muji black and grey stripe leggings, Forever 21 green floral belt, cardigan and necklace, old oversized t-shirt from when I was 10?
Right: My mother's old peach top from the 80s with green polka dots, grey nightie, baby pink Su.Soku tights, Forever 21 green floral belt and polka dot hairband, Anni Albers hardware and ribbon DIY necklace.

I'd like to think that I lounge around my room in style all the time, but really it's just me in my pale blue jammie jams with clouds floating on it tonight.

Sweet dreams!

Let the sales begin!

2009-02-26T23:40:00.009+08:00

Apologies for the lack of posting for the past couple of days. Working in fashion retail is a constant slog, especially when sales is looming close. So amidst the fear of recession in the country, we are trying to encourage the people to spend, get the cash flow circulating around, so that we, the little people who strive everyday to make shopping an enjoyable experience, get to keep our jobs. It's all relative. Shopping is really not that obscene of a word, no?

The constant WWD news alerts that bombard my mailbox hardly ever brings good news anymore as I follow the fall of many giant retailers in the first world, but this doesn't mean that Malaysian retailers should lose hope just yet (despite FJ Benjamin and Melium both reporting major cutbacks since September last year).

As we were putting up the final touches for the first day of sales tomorrow, I can't help but think of the response from the public. What will we achieve this time round? Are we doing enough to counter the sluggish market? Lots of questions yet no concrete answers. Though waiting is not always the best strategy to adopt at such unsettling times, I'm going to try to remain positive for now and observe before I make my next move.

For now, I'm just hoping to clear alot of stock. May the best retailer stay afloat.

Robinsons is racing for consumers' cash

Metrojaya claims that their sale is a massive one

Isetan sends out shopping propaganda

TANGS pledges on an all-out sale

If Coco Chanel made a pie...

2009-02-24T22:23:00.006+08:00

I was very much inspired after reading fakekarl's post on a devillishly funny and cruel recipe for a PETA pie. It got me pondering the kind of pie Karl or Coco would make if they even bother stepping into the kitchen at all (who needs to when you have a personal chef like Karl does). Though come to think of it, I don't think neither Kaiser Karl nor Coco Chanel would relish in a piece of humble pie (seeing it's one of those foods that do not inspire skinny thoughts). They would rather starve and occupy themselves with other more worldly things like organising a chest full of costume jewellery and musing about deep concepts that mortal beings like us would never quite get a full grasp of..

Chanel No.5 wafting in the air...

But here I am running away with my daydream with a pie full of what I feel are all the best Chanel trappings - oozing pearly goodness out from its pasty quilted pore, stuffed in a gleaming logo pan, decorated with gold chain and served on a tweed suiting doily.

Anyone care for a piece of Chanel no. Pie?

Pac Man has gone glamourous

2009-02-22T23:58:00.005+08:00

munch! munch!

Pac Man has upgraded his taste buds to pearls! How witty and clever!
But honestly, of all the Pac Man jewellery I've seen, it doesn't get better than this. I absolutely love it! There's some Pac Man earrings up for grabs too but the necklace is far more original.
It gets me feeling all nostalgic over the time spent playing the game on my old TV console. I'm just kinda bum that I'm not the one who thought of it.

The links from etsy led me to Rachel Pfeffer from Boston who makes some other more conventional jewellery (apart from the Pac Man stuff you see here) and bags made out of recycled packaging / magazines / old records stuck together with alot of duct tape. Interesting idea but I'm just not sure how long a bag like that lasts. I'm just thinking of the gooey black gum bits that comes from old tape. Nevertheless, points for creativity even if I'm not entirely sold on its mode of execution.

a bag of marshmallows

superbag

yummy pink flouro duct tape

Hounding for Houndstooth from Preen and DKNY NYFW Fall 2009

2009-02-20T23:43:00.012+08:00

I suspect that the houndstooth will slowly creep its way into my wardrobe again after seeing the pics of Preen's show for Fall 2009 at NYFW. Thorton and Bregazzi blew up the classic motif and had it grace coats and dresses at the start of the show, making way for more complex motifs, panels and colour (which the complexities and ingenuity of it I will save for a later post). I'm still slowly working my way round the expansive NYFW coverage at the moment, but I did also spy some houndstooth in DKNY, mixed with tartans, stripes and animal prints. I absolutely adore the greeen and grey combo. B&W is a classic but slightly boring, no?

Work's too much of a breeze on friday as we've been popping open the champagne bottles early in the afternoon. Free flowing bubbly and wine at a company function with all our distinguished partners requires the perfect 'professional' outfit. Anyhoo, I did rise to the occasion and wore a palette of grey, white and navy with my new black and blue houndstooth skirt from Topshop. Lots of LBD, high high heels and leg from the rest of the office (making me feel slightly like an oddfish as usual but I'd prefer to be that way).

I don't know why the sudden love affair again with the houndstooth after those dreadful months of having to wear it every weekend when I was working at Mango Oxford Street 2 years ago. So out came the old dress for a little bit of mix up with the skirt and trouser.

Dress and black chunky belt by Mango, Skirt by Topshop, Trousers by Gap, Yellow belt from a boutique in Bangsar.

have you got an overdose of the houndstooth yet? I know I haven't had enough of it.

p/s No sighting of the sparkly street performer on friday night. In fact it was a little bit of a let down as it's one of those things that makes the walk in humid KL city a little bit more interesting and less unbearable.

The Wizard of Oz on the streets of Kuala Lumpur

2009-02-19T22:59:00.005+08:00

I might not be strolling down the yellow brick road on my daily walk up Jalan Bukit Bintang to catch the Monorail, nor am I wearing some sparkly red shoes on my feet, with Toto tottering behind my footsteps. That bit of empty space in front of Maybank has slowly become street performer central over the past year. This man whom I remembered as being covered in gold dust just yesterday has dipped himself in the colour of cold hard cash...

are you green with envy?

I don't know how he does it and how long it takes for him to get into his razzle dazzle. His sparkly suit just begs to be touched but I fear that the gold dust will just cover my hands. I wonder if he can custom sparkle some of my old tops?
With a little bit of photoshop manipulation, I had Mr Oz covered in all manner of shiny colours. Let's see if he turns up tomorrow at the same spot, hopefully in one of my choice picks.

disco dancing down the milky way...

When Marc Jacobs meets Alexander Wang...

2009-02-18T20:36:00.018+08:00

There I was, talking about the financial implications on our shoe business with the product developer when Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang started dictating the movement of my hands. Because I had their Fall 2009 NYFW collections ingrained in my head, it resulted into a fashion doodle of sorts during a long heated complain session on the phone.

But really, a real *ahem* fake fashion conversation with the maestros would go like this :

" Karl: Rei! Didn't notice you were here, hm?
Rei: I am always here. Lurking in the background. I am behind all you fashion boys and girls, making sure you're buying my clothes.
Yohji: That probably explains..
Rei: Enough! [bangs on gong]
Anna: I don't know Karl. It's New York Fashion week again. Such a boor.
Yohji: "Ooh hello I'm Jason Wu! Pretty party dresses! Pretty pretty pretty!"
Rei: [glares]
Yohji: [glares back]
Karl: I don't know why they bother, honestly.
Anna: Who?
Karl: The fashion week people. Don't they know that they're simply going to be outmoded by Paris?
Anna: It's all so commercial. "

I was only able to mouth an awe-struck 'WOW' as I clicked through images of Marc Jacobs' Fall 2009 RTW show at NY Fashion Week on Tuesday after lunch in the office. No intelligent commentary nor a thorough dissection of the components in an obsessive manner. I was just simply clicking through the 60 images on NYTimes in a frantic pace (they were the first to post pictures online, much more user friendly than style.com me thinks), dying to soak in the genius of Jacobs, seeing that it caused much sensation on the other side of the world, especially in tweets and blogs.

First impressions gripped me. I still have striking images looming in my brain : big hair, strong eye makeup on a sallow face, shoulders, waists, big bright coats (yay for a strong contrasting palette during dull dull Autumn Winter), acid floral tights and lots of muted gloss. If my favourite 80s cartoon Jem and the Holograms is anything to go by, I'd say Jerrica has decided to hang out with the cool kids in NYC, ditched her usual brand of music for something much more edgier, whilst continue to live that double life of hers, and possibly becoming friends with her rivals - The Misfits.

So how did CFDA winner Alexander Wang come into the picture? A quick glimpse on StyleBubble led me to the white cagey dress which she pointed out would be a DIY favourite among the blogging community. It does make me wanna hack something together in a variety of ways (though it'll have to wait til the weekend rolls by!)

I had quick scroll through the rest of the collection and wasn't head over heels in love with the sea of black, even though it's really really slick and structured. The cutouts came out particularly strong, so did the tailoring, but I'm still slightly apprehensive about the 3/4 tights which reminds me of bicycle shorts. I could be wrong, do NY fashionistas bike alot?

Reusable bags fit for the fashionable Eco-warrior

2009-02-17T21:36:00.010+08:00

I remember the day when I stumbled upon reisenthel bags in a design / interior store in central London one lazy afternoon. My reaction was pretty immediate. I squealed with delight at the baskets filled with little colourful printed puffy pouches, and was even more excited when I found out that medium to large shopping bags were folded in a way that would fit into those pouches. How clever, how amazing! My then bf wasn't too impressed, especially at the £4.50 price tag. I thought it was a cheap price to pay for design intelligence. That was almost 3 years ago.

bag in a palm

Today I still carry the red flowery MiniMaxi in my bag. It's one of my essentials and has been weighed down by all manner of shopping and clothing in and around Europe, back to Malaysia, still as durable as ever (unsurprisingly, it's the same type of material that helps the brolly weather through rain or sun). As much as I love my reisenthel, I haven't had much luck finding one for family and friends when I was last in London. I can't remember where I got off the bus to find that gem of a store and Debenhams only has their shopping trolleys and baskets.

battered but not bruised

Hence I am in desperate need for more to quell my nylon folding obsession (I have seen a really bad Muji UK copy that folds like a bitch because they used a thick nylon material) and uncovered a Rootote catalogue at the Japanese section in Kinokuniya. The english online store is based in Australia and I kinda wondered why I've never seen them having lived there for years. Nevermind that, Roototes are like the Anyas of compact shoppers. They come in various colours, prints, patterns - photographed or illustrated. The only point of difference is that little zip pocket on the side which inspired the name of the brand.

let's paw through the contents in your bag, shall we?

With my ecobag hunting streak, I found Baggu on CoolHunting. It's based in the states and started by a mother and daughter team. Pretty cool project considering I'd like to collaborate with my mom on something spectacular like this sometime down the road. I think of Baggu as the American Apparel of reusable bags with the spectrum of colours on offer for a basic shape. Think Pantone wihtout the Pantone label...though I think Pantone could've turned this into a signature product range like their mugs. Baggu emits lots of cool vibes.

a colour a day keeps your eyes okay

Anyhoo, if synthetics are not your cup of chai, there's always this tongue in cheek representation of a plastic grocery bag and a brown sandwich paper bag, made in leather by Natalie Thakur.

carry your groceries in style. good food deserves good bags.

Polly van der Glas - Turning teeth and hair into jewellery

2009-02-15T16:32:00.005+08:00

I've been pondering about Polly van der Glas's alternative keepsakes for a good few days now. I couldn't quite decide if I liked it, grossed out or just plain intrigued by her choice of materials.

Polly speaks of the co-relation of the self and the body, the meaning of body parts to a person after it has been shed from the body. The transistion from body part into jewellery ultimately gives new meaning to the teeth or the lock of hair collected from her close relations. It goes beyond decorative purpose, inspiring questions of identity and origins from the wearer. I disagree with those who have brand this as part of a recycling movement. The concept behind it seemed much more sublime than just a creative, gimmicky use of teeth and hair in aid of saving the world.

Seeing that we have just past Valentine's day, I can't help but to think of it as an alternative romantic gesture, albeit somewhat unsettling and definitely NOT for the faint hearted. I also think of Polly van der Glas as a modern day tooth fairy with her works. However, Dr Frankenstein somehow keeps lurking in my mind - taking body parts out of its original space and context, anyone?

I get a bite out of you...

So if you happen to have a spare tooth lying around underneath your pillow, you might want to consider getting them done up as a necklace. And when you chop those long locks in a hair saloon, remember to save them up for a plaited earring or two.

By:AMT - Diamonds are a girl's best friend

2009-02-14T01:06:00.006+08:00

It's Valentine's day and I'm in bed alone typing up this post about BY:AMT as my semi-obligatory post on interesting V-day gift ideas, though I might be a little late.

During my trip in Paris couple months ago, I stopped by this chic little shop en-route to Musee D'orsay call L'Appartment. It's one of those hybrid design / homes / fashion boutiques that stocks interesting clever items conceived by equally clever design minds. I lingered longer than expected in that little store and in the end swiped the card on a mini Lego Ipod speaker, some quirky bag charms, and a pink neon acrylic ring.

Said pink neon acrylic ring is from BY:AMT, which to be honest is a brand that I've not heard of until I saw the boxes filled with colourful plastic and fell in love with the idea of wearing a ring of a diamond ring silhouette. It's surrealist, very witty and brimming with fashion irony. For a moment, I felt like a little girl at a candy store. So many yummy colours to choose from but why oh why aren't the Euros as weak as the Pound?

This brings to mind the 'How cheap is your love' segment on Red Fm this morning. Why buy a real diamond ring when the thought of it is sealed in plastic forever (alternatively in silver and gold)? It might not necessarily be cheapskate alert, just that the novelty of wearing the ring transcends real diamonds aesthetically. Perhaps I am secretly hankering for the real thing but not really knowing how much YET. Until then I'm just going to flash my pink diamond with pride because that's as good as I'll get for now.

If diamond's not your best friend, maybe some man-made pearls will suffice?

The dawn of the It shoe

2009-02-12T00:23:00.006+08:00

...which also means the demise of the It bag most frequently spotted on the very toned arms of media darlings, so says the very influential Suzy Menkes on IHT.

It seems that between the long sufferings of bag fatigue and whilst the rest of the first world country is reeling from the horrible clutches of the credit crunch to even bother about needless frivolity, the It shoe has been steadily (but definitely not slowly) climbing to stratospheric heights with many of a influential designer making more of an effort to divert your gaze to some artfully crafted statement heels. Just how long will it reign in the wardrobes of newly frugal fashionistas remains a question mark as shoes that begged to be seen aren't always meant to be worn to death. Still, pain is a fairly small price to pay when an amazing pair of shoes breathes new life into a simple outfit and its sculpted features merits admiration equivalent of an art piece.

To quote a favourite term of mine by Maggie Alderson, shoe money's not the same and the same financial logic need not apply. All you need is lots of fashion sense (literally, for adventure). If you asked me, I have always thought of myself as more of a shoe fiene than a formidable bag lady. Instead of the jingle and jangle of chains on It bags, I'm eagerly anticipating the clickety clack of beautiful shoes.

From left to right (back): Miu Miu sequined platforms, Marc Jacobs Spartan, Longchamp bag
(front): Cube NY banana heel pumps, Nicholas Kirkwood booties, Balenciaga Le Dix Motorcycle bag, Marc by Marc Jacobs Faridah shoulder bag

Knit your way up to the road

2009-02-10T22:04:00.005+08:00

This person must either be an extremely gifted knitter or just very high.

I found this off some link in Cool Hunting and it doesn't say where this psychedelic vehicle comes from.
But, say doesn't this make you think of the Mystery Machine?

Thank you for smoking - Mantis recycled cigarette butt clothing

2009-02-10T21:07:00.004+08:00

You know that we've taken this eco-friendly stance too far in the fashion industry when innovative minds like Mantis starts recycling cigarette butts to be used in clothing. During my uni hey days when the subject of sustainability in fashion is naught but an unexplored terrain within the commercial masses of the industry, we got acquainted with interesting recycled fabrics where PET bottles / plastic were made into polyester and soy beans into silk, but nothing can ever prepare me for the thought of wearing ciggies on my body. It just makes me think of nasty, smokey smells and dirty alleyways.

What happens is that designer Alexandra Guerrero collects the stubs from the street, purifies it (how this is actually done I have not the slightest idea. If you read Spanish, you might be able to find out more from their blogsite.) and subsequently combines it with raw wool to be knitted into a variety of garments. The outcome of this interesting fashion experiment looks harmless enough if nobody had let on its secret ingredient.

I know this is entirely different to the YSL classic, but this brings new meaning to the Le Smoking. More vintage-inspired knits and a manifesto video on Mantis's site.

Now, as long as it doesn't smell like second hand smoke that lingers on your body long after you've left a smoke-filled club, I'm all for cleaning up the streets for a fashionable cause.

Inner Message by JungYun Yoon

2009-02-09T22:32:00.006+08:00

I'm on a ring streak today. As much as I like the bright colours of Disaya's fragile and caution rings (delicate and dangerous fingers anyone? or am I the only one who find that association quite apt and very much humorous for fingers?), it is a very literal way of adorning your digits.
Here's another spin on wearing words on your fingers which I think is just about the cleverest idea ever conceived for a ring, and with a really romantic reason behind it too. It makes that Tiffany ring in the little blue box pale with comparison me thinks. To echo the words of my last post - Why wear it on your finger, when you can have it imprinted onto your skin for a lasting impression?

Behold 'Inner Message' by Korean designer JungYun Yoon. Her site yields some interesting non-fashion related lighting concepts especially 'light for light', but this ring just tops it all for me. Ingenius way to make a marriage proposal, don'tcha think?

Now if I could get my hands on one, I might probably opt for something less romantic scripted on the inside, like my name or cheesy motivational labels like 'be true' or 'only human'. After all, those little inner messages are there to remind you of those little things that hold true to who you are and what you want in your life.

But for now, if you crave for some scripted fingers and have no intention of getting a permanent tattoo or pop into the shops in search of one, there's always DIY fun.

Don't wear your heart on your sleeve

2009-02-09T21:58:00.008+08:00

Wear it on your finger.
Tattoos are just way too painful.

£39 a pop on Kabiri by Disaya.
Enamel on silver plated ring.

This is not a blogshop!

2009-02-08T17:59:00.003+08:00

Before I can eat my own words perhaps months and years down the road, this blog is in no way a blogshop that is spawning like mushrooms out there in the world wide web. When I first posted my new blog address onto msn, a friend immediately remarked on it and god forbid that I was joining the bandwagon.

I don't really have a dislike for blogshops. Pardon me for my ignorance, but I didn't know that many actually existed until possibly less than a year ago, and I still do find it amusing that people buy their wares off someone else's blog. It's apparently one of those big trends that fell under my radar when it comes to fashion related blogs based in Malaysia. So it seems everyone wants to make a quick buck from the rag trade. Kudos to enterpreneurial spirit, but whatever happened to the spirit of independent fashion blogging and sharing?

You know what they say about web-commerce and the risks of buying before seeing the actual product, especially to be said for clothes and shoes. Even if you bought something off the shelf in a shop, who's to say that something won't go wrong with your purchases? If the same applied to online shopping, wouldn't the probability of buying something not-quite-right be two-fold? It's the same with buying things off a catalogue. More often than not, buyers that do line buying get it wrong and subsequently have to deal with horrible horrible consequences on their inventory (that's why in retail we have the glorified SALES period where we wipe off a clean slate of our buying sins, AMEN).

I'm not against online shopping per se, it's just that I've yet to venture into that realm due to many many reasons (one which involves using my parents' credit card since my card has yet to arrive in the post), and I'm hoping to explore the joys of shopping with a reputable online store very very soon. For the mean time, I'll keep browsing my growing list of online retailers for those happy, unique finds not found in local shops, and hope that someday I'll be wearing (and selling) them proudly, casting away those online retailing fears that I once had.

Let there be Light

2009-02-07T22:54:00.008+08:00

Random fashion magazine surfing led me to this editorial on V Magazine (no, not the magazine published by Astro...though I always wondered how they got away with the name, despite the obvious similiarities.). Shot by known photographer Nick Knight of SHOWstudio fame, I clicked on the page half expecting something really fresh, girly and romantic for spring, seeing that they've decided to choose a fresh faced picture of Lily Donaldson to front the features section. But I was so so wrong and instead I get lots of diffused colours and semi-monotone cut-outs mounted on some cleverly torn, painted corrugated board in a Rothko fashion sans the vibrant colours. The clothes didn't really stand out for me though there was that amazing pair of Balenciaga booties that got my heart racing for a while. I like how the black piping gives the illusion of framing the sides of the foot, thus elongating it. Maybe it's just on Lily's legs that saw to that effect. And then there's the hair, all sexy and voluminous, bouncing all over the place, thanks to Pantene apparently.

I really like the stylistic manipulations of the photos which gave the whole editorial its ethereal scrapbook quality. There's lots of light, as the title indicates and after a long spell of wintery days, there's nothing more refreshing than the first flush of spring.

Looking at all those images, I am compelled with a some photoshop play of my own with the different colours, brushes and filters, though I must say, putting together random items in a Topshop fitting room after work is far from being a photo shoot.

Lace top by Topshop, Skirt from Forever 21, Belt from Bangkok, Tights by Su.soku, Shoes from Oasis

Grey top by Topshop, Navy dress by Topshop, Watch by Swatch, Belt from Bangkok, Tights by Su.soku, Shoes from Oasis

The problem with mobile phones are....

2009-02-05T23:27:00.002+08:00

Inspiration strikes when you're all the way up there in the air.
I drew this onboard the flight back from Amsterdam to KL after a really long holiday in London. (which is now covered in snow and I'm slightly miffed that the snow storm decides to hit a month after I've left. *harrumph*)

I wanted to polish it up in a proper illustrative or even 3D fashion but I also like the speed, the immediacy and the urgency of trying to capture my thoughts at that time with black ballpoint. Here it is, simply scanned from the page of my sketchbook, unplugged but laden with heavy reflections, mainly the ones where I start off in a cynical self depreciating mode, which ultimately ends with me feeling quite pleased with my own dry wit.

In the mean time, I'll be working on an Illustrator and photoshop version of this. I think it might just yield a different mood out of me.

Hisssss

2009-02-03T23:31:00.005+08:00

I'm never a big fan of reptiles, especially the slithery, hissing, supposedly-not slimy, snake. I get extremely squeamish at the sight of them, doesn't matter if it's a real snake trapped behind the glass cases in the zoo or just an image of it, see the goosebumps flaring up on my skin instantly. Neither am I a big fan of stuffed, illustrated nor animated serpents. Cartoon snakes are still snakes. There's still this sinister element to it that I don't like, despite certain mythology, cultural and religious references on the merits of the creepers. Ugh. Though if I am entirely honest with myself, I don't think it will stop me from buying a bag made from python skin, or give snake soup a go. When it's made for consumption, fashion or otherwise, it might just be enough to make me change my mind.

I don't know how I'd feel wearing a snake on my arm but this Roberto Cavalli crystal bracelet featured on Net-a-porter is just so beautiful that I might just be charmed. The turquoise stones and crystals framed by gold were possibly the last thing that I would associate with a snake but this makes me think of the clarity of the sky and the calm of the sea...
If only reptiles come with a less hefty price tag.

(Bracelet images from Net-a-Porter with the exception being my pale looking hand)

The 7 types of Bag Lady

2009-02-03T00:22:00.004+08:00

I've had this tucked away in my visual diary for a while, and it was one of those rare occasions that I felt oddly inspired to draw which doesn't come easily anymore with work. Taking cue from Tom Fishburne of Brand Camp who does some really witty marketing cartoons - especially the ones involving multiple personalities from the industry, I've done mine based on the generic types of handbags labeled with their respective owners.

I draw the bags almost without thinking too much of a particular design, but more on the obvious characteristics and details which you would expect from a bag of a particular category. However, I've had the most fun trying to mimic the Chanel and Longchamp bags, my favourite being the infamous Anya ecobag slogan. There always seems to be a sense of notoriety to these bags that I just love and hate.

Which brings to mind : Which bag lady are you?

So What?

2009-01-29T23:16:00.005+08:00

I had this person in my head that doesn't really care too much about appearances and she skips her way in and around town in her mary janes with a certain air of je ne sais quoi to her. Better said than done. How many of us out there actually walk out into the world without giving our appearances a little bit of thought? Somedays when my mind isn't all anti-establishment, I'd like to attribute it to good taste, but really, you're probably sold on an idea the minute the world says hello to you.

Illustration by me. Tools of choice: Watercolour and pencil

Third time lucky!

2009-01-27T23:29:00.002+08:00

So, this is my third blog project in 6 years.

The first two didn't really die a premature death, it's just that I stopped updating them consistently one fine day. You see, they captured 2 different chapters in my young adulthood. And there comes a day where you just want to keep your mouth shut on things bordering too close to real life. Afterall, I really don't want to look back on it and read a bunch of ranting posts, some written in a cryptic way. If anything, I'd like to be remembered as someone who has a passion for life and has at least an interesting hobby, like making things...crafty geeky looking things.

The manifesto to Crafty Geeky Things is relatively simple. It is an extension of my love for all things artsy, crafty, fashionable and stylish since I grew up steeped in the arts, read fashion in uni and made a career out of buying shoes and handbags. I talk about these things to the fault of sounding really geeky most days, and might have put someone to sleep if I tried hard enough.

But really, I am not that much of a bore...hopefully not to you.