 Extracted
from article by Sunita Chabra and Rachael Philip.
Nuance, New
Sunday Times,
19
January 2003 . |
The colour,
the collar, the cloth or the cut – just one or more of these is enough to
inject Chinese cultural elements into your choice of festive outfit.
The Oriental
nuances in some of the creations this year are so subtle that they will
appeal to all races, not just the Chinese. To help you celebrate our unique
multi-ethnicity this Lunar New Year, we did a little boutique-hopping and
found that nothing beats tradition when it comes to dressing elegantly.
True to its
name, That Special Occasion produces made-to-order wedding,
cocktail and evening wear designs. Store owners Anna Lee Rajakumar and Kris
Wong, both in their early 30s, gave up jobs in the advertising and corporate
world two and a half years ago to follow their hearts.
They abide by
a quote taken from Victorian artist, poet and philosopher John Ruskin : “When love and skill work together, expect a
masterpiece”.
In every
cheongsam and cocktail gown, That Special Occasion promises
exclusivity.
“Every piece
is one-off. Even if there is a replication, we will use different fabrics to
bring out our clients’ individuality,” Wong says from his boutique which is
in Desa Sri Hartamas.
Although it
carries off-the-rack designs, most clients step into the boutique for
made-to-order pieces. According to Wong, That Special Occasion has a sufficiently broad clientele base to keep the boutique busy all year
round.
“From May to
June and November to December we get students coming in to order gowns for
their proms. From September onwards, our clients are those who want something
special for their annual company dinner. Brides-to-be also drop in about this
time as the Chinese like to hold their wedding at year’s end,” he adds. |
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