On Tuesday night last week (i.e. a week and a half ago), after I'd accumulated yet more bruises during futsal (despite wearing shin guards), I received a text message from my aunt, asking if I was interested in going to the KL Stylo Fashion Festival the following night. Why not, I thought. The show for Wednesday would be Ben de Lisi's AW 2008 collection. I was hence set up on a 'blind date' with my aunt's friend's daughter, who, I was told, is a second year design student at Parsons in New York.
Oh drat, I think. What to wear to not look like a dag next to a design student from NY. I don't have much in my closet here - mainly work wear and a very limited amount of evening/weekend wear. My train of thought as I was packing to move to KL was that I'd be spending most of my time at work, so I didn't really need to many 'party' clothes. So I pulled together what I could, and ended up feeling rather overdressed next to my new friend.
Good thing we got along quite well and had things to talk about. Otherwise it would have been a pretty awkward and long night.
The show itself was ... interesting I guess is the word I'd use. Firstly it was pouring outside, which resulted in the roof of the makeshift show tent springing a leak right onto the runway. One of the models nearly slipped. That might have also been caused by the fact that (as Tara pointed out), the stilettos were one or 2 sizes too big on some of the models, and they looked really uncomfortable. Actually, the models looks pretty uncomfortable, period. Some walked with very little grace, most were protruding their hips far more than was natural (and reasonable), and they may have been told not to smile, but seriously, did they have to look like they wanted to pick a fight?? Seriously, the models were so distracting that we almost forgot to look at the clothes. Further, when we saw them at the dinner/after-party, they consumed nothing except cigarettes and beer. Gross.
I guess I should talk about the collection, seeing as it was a fashion show. I adored most of the gowns, but thought the separates and short dresses were a little too 'runway' and are just not the sort of thing I can ever imagine myself or anyone else wearing. At least, not in the combinations that they had. Towards, the end, Tara pointed out a few guys in the back row opposite the runway from us who stood out like sore thumbs [see the last photo in the sequence below]. They were dressed too casually, and they all had their phones out, snapping photos of the models. Their heads and cameras each model as she made her way down the runway and back. They looked so dodgy! All in all, I'm glad I had Tara for company. It made what might have been an ordinary night pretty fun.
The following day, I went home to Kuching for the weekend with grandma. Being Easter weekend, my brother was back as well, as he had a public holiday on Friday, but I had to take a day off on Friday, as Good Friday is not a public holiday in West Malaysia (but it is in East Malaysia). Strange, huh?
Friday night, we were invited to stay at a farm about 45 mins from the city. The house was built over 30 years ago and styled on an ethnic Sarawakian longhouse/village house and is owned by a former public figure who, for the most part, resides in the city. All sorts of natural material was used, but with a very modern twist. There were woven rugs and even woven walls made of bamboo, rattan, and belian wood, to name a few. The house is undergoing refurbishment and renovation, so a few walls of exposed brick have also been thrown in. Though there is electricity, there is no hot water, internet or television. It is such a beautiful place; a getaway on 40 acres of land. When it started pouring rain that night, it was such a refreshing feeling, so different from the hustle and bustle (not to mention the humidity and pollution) of the city [see second picture below]. I also loved (of all things) this shower: the pebble stones in place of a plsstic/rubber bath mat. There was even a toilet that is 'outdoors' i.e. not completely walled up, that sort of transitions into the garden! There were other guests of the owners there as well that night, and a merry time was had by all.
Saturday night was dinner with the paternal grandparents at the Sarawak Club, followed by a meet-up with friends from futsal at the usual haunt to watch the English Premier League matches that were showing that night.
On Sunday, I joined the guys for futsal on Sunday. Really didn't play well, but it was good to see some of the other guys again.
Tomorrow, I will be meeting up with a tutor from IH, Andrew, who is in town for a wedding. I am so behind on the local news that I didn't realise the KL marathon is on tomorrow. So getting into the city centre will be a nightmare. Public transport it is!
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