Story by
Mayang Ismail
Star Metro,
The Star,
17
May 2003
 |
Prom night, say
most parents, is an American fad but just like any other American product,
the trend is fast gaining interest among local students. University students
have their prom nights, so do students from colleges and private
institutions. But how about 12-year-olds, who a year on, will step into
secondary school?
“Oh, they have
prom nights too, only at a different level,” said Kris Wong, one half of
fashion house That Special Occasion located at Desa Sri Hartamas. Kris said
these pre-teenagers were mostly from international schools.
Kris, and his
partner Anna Lee Rajakumar, is one among many fashion designers in the
Klang
Valley
that
caters to the growing need among students residing in
Malaysia
. Prom nights are like weddings. They are seasonal, celebrated twice
yearly, in June and July or November and December. These are the busiest
months for the two and while a majority of their customers come from around
the
Klang
Valley
there are others from as far as Seremban and Johor, too.
Most of those
who come to That Special Occasion are youngsters with money to boot and are
not satisfied with off-the-rack pieces. “Money is a small thing to them as
their parents are just as enthusiastic to see their youngsters looking good
on the night,” said Kris. Most of the clothes at the outlet are
made-to-measure, the preferred designs being large flowy gowns worn with tube
tops.
“I think it is
a very American thing. It’s something they gathered from watching American
movies and what goes on in Hollywood,” said Kris. While the younger girls
prefer the more girlish designs, those in colleges prefer something mature
and sophisticated. “They want to reveal more skin,” laughed Kris.
Kris and Anna
take about three weeks for made-to-measure costumes. There would be at least
one fitting before they are ready for collection. Besides the made-to-measure
designs, there are several ready-to-wear pieces for last minute buyers. After
a selection is made, the clothes are then altered to fit to size, which
normally takes about two to three days to complete. These are done at no
extra charge.
The preferred
material is usually shantung silk but there are no real preferences for
colour. “We only oblige specific colours when there is a theme to a party,”
said Kris, who admitted having catered for a Midsummer Night’s Dream and the
Secret Garden theme parties. The shop caters for the fairer sex only although
there are the odd requests from men sometimes.
Anna also
designs and hand makes her floral corsages, that decorate the gowns. These are
made from chiffon in the shapes of ribbons, flowers and butterflies.
“Our young
customers normally walk in with a budget and they leave the decision and
recommendation to us. We try our best to give them the best deal possible,”
said Anna. All the clothes tailored at That Special Occasion are fully lined.
The workmanship depends on the fabric used. Interested customers can come
with their preferred designs, as well as material, and Kris and Anna will
charge them on tailoring accordingly, depending on how difficult it is to
handle the material.
While the
younger girls come with their friends as they want something that is similar
to one another, the older girls prefer individualism.
The outlet has
associations with other establishments that provide accessories such as shoes
and handbags, make-up and hair styling services to complement the outfit.
Kris provides
a rough guideline on the price range for some of the items featured in the
shop. Cocktail wear starts at RM 300, evening wear at RM 400 and bridal gowns
at RM 950. |
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