Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews) - Reconciling Islam's strictness with rich materials and modern women's style is Melinda Looi's aim. A Malaysian-born Buddhist, the internationally known fashion designer dresses Muslim women respecting Islamic precepts with a modern twist.
"Fashion is universal," she told AsiaNews. "It has no boundaries even if you are not Muslim, you can still design, wear, experience, admire and appreciate Islamic fashion. Women can look beautiful and elegant by covering up. Modesty is not a contradiction to beauty, but modesty can reveal true beauty.
Mother of three, Melinda Looi recently took part in the latest edition of the Islamic Fashion Festival (IFF), a fashion event set up after 11 September 2001 to project another image of Islam that was not connected to terrorism.
The daughter of an established dressmaker, she grew up in a family already involved in the fashion industry. Although her dream was to go into graphic design, she eventually attended the LaSalle Fashion School in Kuala Lumpur. In 1995, she won a young designer award and got a scholarship to finish her course in Montreal (Canada), where she "found out that there is so much more to fashion; its different cultures and lifestyles. I love it. Fashion to me is art. Hence, my creations to me are 'art pieces'."
By marrying brocades, chiffons, batik and more to feminine styles, asymmetric designs and great imagination, the designer betrays her multicultural and multiethnic origins.
"I feel very privileged to have grown up in such a multicultural country as Malaysia [. . .]. You can just walk the streets of Kuala Lumpur and you will see a huge variety of cultural influences from Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures and religion . . . . The inspirations are endless."
Although Sunni Islam is the state religion, Malaysia is a multi-confessional nation. About 61 per cent of its population is Muslim, 19.8 per cent is Buddhist (mostly Chinese), 9.2 per cent is Christian and 6.3 is Hindu. Others follow Taoist or Confucian practices.
The country's constitution recognises freedom of worship but in some states Islamic fundamentalism is important.
Being a Buddhist in a Muslim country has not influence Melinda's work. "It was actually [. . .] Muslim clients and friends who inspired and motivated me to design Islamic wear for them. I feel very fortune to have such great support as it did allow me a total new understanding not only with regards to Muslim clothing but also of course to the cultural and religious aspects of it."
This became evident when she presented her collection for the first time at the IFF.
After its debut in 2006 in Abu Dhabi, the festival travelled around the world: Astana, Bandung, Dubai, Singapore, New York, London and Monaco. This year's edition was held on 23-24 February in Manila.
"The IFF is an international platform for Islamic fashion," she explained. It "allows participants despite religion and culture to have an exchange via Islamic fashion and thereby tear down often wrong prejudices with regards to Islamic dressing."
"The tagline 'Discover the Beauty of Modesty' brings it to the point, saying that a woman can be beautiful and elegant, yet cover up. [. . .] here designers come to create collections, which allow the Muslim women of today to dress according to Islamic dressing standards, yet be fashionable and fashion forward."
Over the years, the Malaysian fashion designer created three labels sold in Asia, Europe and the United States: the high-end Melinda Looi Couture, which includes bridal dresses; the Melinda Looi Prêt-à-Porter, which includes signature cocktail gowns, accessories and shoes; and her latest venture, Mell, launched in 2010 using organic (pesticide-free) cotton as material.
Going green for her is a duty. "Fashion and the fashion industry have contributed to the current situation". Hence, "fashion also has to be part of finding a solution. I try to do my share where I can on a daily basis and I actually did launch in 2010 Mell Basics, Malaysia's first certified organic cotton basics brand, but honestly there is still a long way to go, but we have to do it." (GM)
