Chi Chi Von Tang. You See It, You Buy It
The view is from Nobu Kuala Lumpur on the 56th floor. The sun is slowly descending into the horizon as cocktails and canapés made their way through the room. The stylish VVIPs are mingling, brimming with anticipation. The guest list includes Marion Caunter, Joe Flizzow, Sona One, Danielle Graham, Tasha Shilla, Datuk Kelvin Tan, Kim Raymond, Keith Foo, Deborah Henry, Ferhat Nazri-Aziz, Debbie Goh, Shir Chong, Carey Ng and Thanuja Ananthan. Inside a private room, guests are surrounded by photographs of women from Burmese tribes – taken by National Geographic photographers Jens Uwe Parkitny and Noelia Madiedo. The show opens with a traditional tribal bamboo tattoo artist making an appearance accompanied by a woman dressed in facial and body tattoos that are often found in the Chin Women of Myanmar. Strength and inner beauty of the tribal women that mirrored the photographs are projected into the room by the powerful solo performance, before the unveiling of the latest collection from Singaporean fashion label Chi Chi Von Tang – The Burma Collection.
Lexie Rodriguez and Lisa Von Tang
So who is Chi Chi Von Tang?
Chi Chi Von Tang is a fashion name helmed by Lisa Von Tang that breathes inspiration from Asia and the Warrior Spirit. The collections mesh contemporary street wear with luxury materials and finishing; with a focus on Statement Jackets. Their bestseller, the CHI CHI Warrior Bomber has graced the backs of big names like Mick Jagger, Mr. Micket, Fabolour, Natalie Imbruglia and Eve. Chi Chi Von Tang is a brand that celebrates unique spirits, courage and colour; their boutique is nestled in Singapore’s leading shopping district of Orchard Road, Scotts Square.
Lisa Von Tang founded her brand in August 2015. She comes from a mixed heritage and is the granddaughter of the late Xiao Bai Liang (a.k.a Siow Peck Liong), who was a renowned Chinese watercolour painter – whose occupation served as an influence on Lisa’s dabbling with Asian art and design. She started designing fashion at the tender age of nine, before venturing out into the world of advertising with Ogilvy & Mather as a strategist. From there, she went on to found her very first business, a retailer selling contemporary labels named Gnossem. Eventually, she decided to make her ‘dream brand’ a reality, which would integrate her own distinctive style and values. Chi Chi Von Tang radiates an aesthetic that stems from her mixed heritage, as well as her admiration for real, beautiful and strong women who go their own way. “CHI CHI VON TANG is about humour, mystery, casual luxury, and an appreciation of Asia’s vast design heritage. I also secretly believe it’s for superheroes.”
The Burma Collection
The Burma Collection is the second collection of the Chi Chi Von Tang brand. It derives inspiration from the disappearing tribal women of Myanmar. National Geography photographer and friend, Jens Uwe Parkitny brought the designer to Loikaw to explore the tribal settlements along with another photographer, Noelia Madiedo. They were amazed by the pride and beauty of the tribal women who were not cloaked in lavish luxury, but crowned with the aura of regal queens. The Burma Collection represents an anthem for the style and spirit of the matriarchs who simply refuse to put away their traditional attire; for the women who are fearless and aren’t intimidated by their own ideas of beauty or by what the world has to say about it. They are the women of unique and diverse beauty, that are irreplaceable.
The collection was presented with a strong performance by some of KL’s supermodels such as Tinie and Tuti Noor. They expressed confident movement embodying tribal spirit and inner badassery. The Burma Collection displayed new versions of the brand’s signature pieces – including the warrior bomber, emperor robe and mandarin blazer that were produced in luxurious silks, cupros, highly textured lines and leather as well as new silhouettes created by this collection’s new statement jackets. Centro Hair Salon and Bobbi Brown helped to create edgy braids and nude, earth-toned makeup that complemented the designs.
The show ended with a soulful acoustic performance that created an emotional aura in the room. Guests were then ushered by host and Chi Chi Von Tang’s Head of Brand and Events Promotion, Lexie Rodriguez, to immerse themselves into the experiential retail zone where they could shop the exact looks they had just seen during the show, as well as meet Lisa Von Tang herself.
The designer quotes: “I am so appreciative of KL’s reception to our VIP “see-it-buy-it” tour, and Malaysia has definitely cemented itself as a destination we will continue to visit with future collections, as well as consider for a future retail presence. With “see-it-buy-it” you can get an instant sense of how the audience felt about the collection, as they have the option to shop post-show, which is such an amazing opportunity for me as a designer because I immediately see which pieces people gravitate towards, and the general level of interest. I am so thrilled with KL, and look forward to Chi Chi Von Tang coming back in November. There are so many incredibly stylish people here, with a strong sense of identity that get our ‘Warrior Spirit’ – and for that I am so glad!”
The Burma Collection is due to hit their flagship store in Singapore mid September, this is the first time that Chi Chi Von Tang hits Malaysia with their “See It, Buy It” tour.
Photos by All Is Amazing
