The chic, the slick and the hippy chick

Why did Daniel Cho feel the need to prove himself before his runway show by presenting a tedious video of his past collections and awards?

The expectant crowd on Day 3 of the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week grew restless, waiting for what was really important — today's clothes.

As it was, Cho, a purveyor of what he himself describes as “simple luxury'' did not need to ingratiate himself with the audience.

Eager crowd

The first look to hit the runway, a series of male models wearing little more than briefs and beach towels, elicited a whoop from the eager crowd.

A simple look, perhaps, but not exactly luxurious. As soon as Cho sent out his models in neatly tailored, lightweight pants and skirts, however, the quality (and simple luxury) of his design shone through.

In a simple palette of cream, black and brown, and in stiffened, shiny linen, models looked ready for to take a trip to the urban safari.

Diffusion line

The bustling crowd that came to see Melinda Looi show her spring-summer 2007 ready to wear collection (her urban diffusion line, MELL showed the day before, and she also has a couture atelier) widely credited the designer with raising the profile of fashion in Malaysia.

Looi (say Louis) trained in Canada, working in costume design before returning triumphant to her home country to reinvigorate the local style scene.

With her permed, frizzed and dreadlocked hair and bright attitude, she exudes fun and quirkiness. “I am someone who likes a dirty look,'' she says to describe her image.

Mossy greens

“I love nature — especially forests. All the mushrooms, wild berries, freshness.'' Her back-to-nature outlook showed in her collection, which relied upon mossy greens, blackberry satins and velvets and taupe cottons.

The earth mother look, with models in dreadlocks and fabric hair scarves, from which shoulder-length chandelier earrings hung, didn't quite work: long patchwork skirts and denim cutoffs were at the wrong end of easy going.

When Looi stayed flirty and not too serious, it did work — jade green silk cropped pants with flower appliqués, a pleated silk skirt and flowers printed onto dark denim shorts were the right end of the earthy look.