M, MIFA and My Mind

I think the tallest person at MIFA (Malaysian International Fashion Awards) on Sunday night has got to be Ling, our home girl who makes good in international catwalk...

Personally, I was disappointed at some of the frocks I saw on some `celebrated people/females' in KL. My favourite was Soong Ai Ling in a discreet black knee length dress, three quarter sleeves, absolutely plunging neckline with a vintage (looked vintage, though I sat two tables away) brooch. Another low-profile but gorgeous dress of my favourite that evening was this one-shoulder knee-length dress, Saree-patterned, silk (I think, noticed from far also), green and gold...

The rest were either unmemorable or, predictable...tell you when I see you ok.

Me? I did not get the red carpet treatment of having paparazzi gone mad snapping at me but my steal-buy at Metrojaya ages ago got me plenty of compliment -- a black satin-like (M costume designer Dominique said it wasn't satin) corset with matching pencil skirt, toe-peeping stilettos, with my new hair, blunt cut and shoulder length...

sigh -- all these descriptions -- I ran out of films fast that evening...but here's one..of the gorgoeous people in M...



I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend on Sunday itself, I attended on half-official assignment, media rep for M. Half official because it turned out there wasn't any official media table for me to slot myself into. I ended up taking the seat of an editor of a known publication...not a bad table -- I was seated next to a table full of Tattler faces, radio DJ cum celebrity, top models (that's why they were not doing the walk that night), top hair stylists...who obviously had a lot of fun laughing and taking pictures of themselves.

Upon arriving at the still quiet lobby of Hall 5 in the convention centre, I went straight to the backstage to check out the magnificent team of the evening opening act cast, from M!. They were in Melinda Looi's very funky gear, in Dominique's very theatrical make-up -- gold lips, green drawn-on motives on forehead, stick-on gold and red tattoos. Slick hair with big tight curls of hair-pieces...everyone was transformed.

Our act finally started at round 9.15pm...the music blasted the hall with elegant bodies lined under the material placed on stage. Cindy looked regal on her high platform, though singing from a hand-held mic, her delivery didn't lack the magic of both her vocal prowess and Saidah's ingenious music. The audience quietened (finally) and watched the performance. Judi's choreography complimented the sponsored wardrobe so well I hope the collection is making a comeback...Sygo G's work on the high-tech turntable (apparently he only need to wave on top of the machine to create the eclectic sounds) was quite amazing.




The MCs took some time to start the introduction of the M excerpts, I would like to think that they are in awe with it so much that they took some seconds to recover :)

The preparation and hard work paid off, the cast and production went to the cocktail area for well-deserved drink and photo-snaps. I skipped my main course and joined them...lamb is not in my diet anyway.

Aside from the opening act excitement that got me that evening, I managed to greet many models I knew from my agency days...though I will need to spend more time in getting some singing models (they would be very useful in the cast of M too).

And so this year's fashion week has sailed through its second year, with the usual suspects and a new winner at MIFA emerged. I was less excited about it all than I would imagined less than a year ago...I'd say it has something to do with my 4-month eye-opening experience at the agency. I have been wondering about the world-wide phenomena of celebrity-worshiping, I think most of us have lost the real meaning of celebrating a person's existence.

I quote Cleo Glyde's article in Nov issue of Australian Vogue that echoes precisely my wonder:

"You used to have to discover penicillin, hit high C or reinvent drama to be world-famous. Now it's more about the bling. The explorers, inventors, composers and Nobel Prize-winners glorified as pillars of of societies past did deeds that echoed through the ages, their renown rippling beyond circle and time. This stuffy, rock-of-ages fame is being eroded by the quick-fix culture of a modern celebrity whose mantra is rich and famous, LA style."

That might be describing the land across seas and contingents but look around here in KL and open any glossy magazines and you'll understand what I mean.

We worship some people for the mere fact that they look good on cameras and TVs...??

I would close by saying the M team did a great job (with their talent, not looks) at MIFA and I wish some of the audience who were very engrossed with their own beauty saw that too.