Wednesday, April 27, 2016

[Fashion] Glitz and Glamour at Starhill Gallery Fashion Week SS16 Launch

On 6 April 2016, Starhill Gallery known for its high end fashion enticed it's exclusive guests with a glamorous launch of it's fashion week that started on 6 April till 9 April 2016.

Guests were treated to G.H Mumm Champagne and Absolut Hibiskus cocktails just because they deserve the best and nothing less. Among the fashionistas present were Diana Danielle, Marsha Milan Londoh, Sazzy Falak, Linora Low, Hunny Madu and Carey Ng.

I arrived early and parked at the convenient and safe Ladies Parking at the Indulge level and found my seat while I waited for my date for the night to arrive in her chauffeur driven car amidst the KL traffic! With the new exit to MEX highway in Seri Kembangan (ok so you kinda know where I live now..no stalking please :P) it takes me maximum 30 mins to reach the Golden Triangle, like door to door. Blessed be!

As soon as she arrived we went into a photo frenzy with selfies and OOTD shots. Yeah people nowdays aren't coy about it anymore..it's very normal. Really. it's not just something kawaii little Japanese girls do anymore. We got our pics printed out at the Wowgram booth once we uploaded it to instagram with the hashtag #shfwss16

Apparently there were handcrafted canapés prepared exclusively for the event by Shook! restaurant’s Executive Chef Richard Sawyer. It must have been damn good as I missed it! I also missed the exquisite chocolate sampling by Armani Dolci, and the complimentary nail service which included a hand massage, manicure and nail art design by BMIC Nail Spa Salon. However I did get to try the complimentary ice-cream by Inside Scoop.

My beautiful date Anne, my OOTD, waiting for the show, starstruck by JC Chee of Ola Bola fame

Any who, the party was hosted by one Emcee, Will Quah who was extraordinarily entertaining. I don't know how much they paid this guy but he was worth every penny. He had the posh crowd bawling over with laughter with his amazingly quick wit and cheeky humour.

Oh, Will Quah you funny man!

The show started with a very sultry dance performance by 3 ladies dressed in red with fire in their eyes and sure strong movements bringing in the Spring Summer heat.

Elnino heat yo!

Then it was time to enjoy the show! The fashion parade showcased Starhill Gallery's exclusive designer labels Debenhams, iKartini, Kenzo, Khoon Hooi, Alexander Mc Queen (I always tend to call Lightning McQueen Alexander McQueen and my son would give me a puzzled look), Mita Tam Style Studio, M Misoni and Valentino. 

Each brand had something different to offer from ready to wear daily looks, red carpet looks to updated retro fashion offerings.

Valentino - soft hues and material that created spirituality, sensuality that was subdued, sophisticated  and calm
Valentino

Kenzo - an unexpected mix of elements with bold graphics and a revived retro feel
Kenzo

McQueen by Alexander - versatile pieces in three main colours

McQueen by Alexander

M Missoni - clearly a circus theme. I don't mean that as a joke. Playful and upbeat prints were the name of the game to add fun to Spring / Summer.
M Missoni

Khoon Hooi - Inspired by a life painting of a meadow on black canvas, an abstract take on freedom and light for his collection. Definitely not for the faint hearted,
Khoon Hooi

iKartini - traditional yet contemporary Malaysian traditional fashion
iKartini

Mita Tam Style Studio - light patterns and colourful floral dresses for both casual and formal style
Mita Tam Style Studio

Debenhams - a taste of British style. Cool, comfortable in tones of green and yellow
Debenhams

This year, Starhill Gallery raised the bar even higher by featuring Monique Collignon Couture Light 2016 : The Concious Collection. Collignon, has dressed the like of Guiliana Rancic, Carly Steel, Celinde Schoenmake, Becky Baeling-Lythgo and Carice van Houten. The collection is made entirely of recycled plastic bottles by Waste2Wear. I ignorantly expected to see something that still looked like bottles, but the garments showcased didn't look like they were related to plastic bottles in anyway!

An art installment in Nice, France - Not the Monique Collignon collection

The collection showcased on the runway is also on temporary exhibit at Starhill Gallery. I popped by after the show to checkout the garments up close. Nope. Doesn't look like plastic bottles to me! I was looking at one particular dress, when the sales assistant came and told me that it costs just RM65,000. Hmm...I then politely declined as I don't know what event I will be attending that's worth to wear a RM65,000 dress to....

Monique Collignon Couture Light 2016 : The Concious Collection





Monique Collignon Couture Light 2016 : The Concious Collection

Among the weeks line up to note was the Malaysian Designer's show on 8th April 2016 where the likes of Justin Yap, FIZIWOO, and AHNDE showcased their collection. 

Vice President of YTL Land & Development Berhad, Hotels & Properties, Joseph Yeoh said "Starhill Gallery epitomises fashion and our portfolio of the best fashion brands is constantly growing. Now in its sixth year of organising the Starhill Gallery Fashion Week, it gives us pleasure by creating a platform for aspiring talents in the fashion industry to be a part of the local and international fashion scenes. We aim to make Kuala Lumpur a fashion hub and to be amongst the top destinations in Asia. We are proud to be able to offer such a variety of choice and deliver an exclusive experience which Starhill Gallery Fashion Week offers.”

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This glamorous fashion event was in partnership with Armani Dolci, Armani Fiori, BMIC Nail Spa Salon, Buro 24/7, Inside Scoop, JW Mariott Kuala Lumpur, Kloth Lifestyle Sdn. Bhd, Mercedes Benz, Pernod Ricard Malaysia, Sephora Malaysia and YTL Info Screen.

Starhill Gallery is Malaysia’s luxury shopping destination with exclusive boutiques, international designer collections and fashionable society events.



Thursday, April 14, 2016

Ning Baizura joins Sweatspa™ to spread message of Health & Beauty through Sweating

With all this El-Nino heat wave going on and schools closing left and right, the last thing on my mind is 'how to sweat' so it really caught me by surprise when this piece of news came up on my desk - "Sweatspa™, reveals actress and singer Ning Baizura as their spokesperson and ambassador"!

Sabrina Tang, Founder of Sweatspa™ welcomes Ning Baizura as their spokesperson and ambassador

Sweatspa™ is a wellness centre utilising medical grade Sunlighten™ Full Spectrum Infrared Therapy to detoxify the body. Through appointing Ning Baizura as their spokesperson, the centre aims to help people gain health and beauty through sweating.

Ning, who is pretty famous in Malaysia for her award winning music, appearance in movies and whom some people think looks like me :p endorsed the centre by saying "Sweatspa™ is the place for me to relax and rejuvenate before I start my day,” she added, “I love Sweatspa™ because I get to sweat out toxins effortlessly. After each session, I feel so revitalized. I could not stop talking about it. So when Sweatspa™ asked me to represent the brand, I was more than delighted to accept the offer because I was already a firm believer of this therapy having seen the difference in my skin, quality of sleep, stamina, and overall health.”

Kak Ning sitting pretty in the Sweatspa™ cabin. To recreate this look make sure you use waterproof makeup ok!!

Yes, I hear  you say that you can very well hit the gym for that same effect but lazy bums ..show of hands please!

So is Sweatspa™ like a sauna? Well, apparently it is totally more than that! Each cabin utilises medical grade Sunlighten™ Full Spectrum Infrared Therapy with emphasis on safety and comfort, to detoxify, relax and rejuvenate the body.

You have probably heard of Infrared Therapy before but Sunlighten™ Full Spectrum Infrared Therapy is in another league by itself. At Sweatspa™ the infrared rays can be controlled for specific treatment.


Infrared Red Ray - Types & Functions

Near Infrared Rays : wound healing and increased immune functions

Mid Infrared Rays :  increasing circulation and promoting muscle relaxation

Far Infrared Rays :  primarily for detoxification


When a customer visits Sweatspa™ they we will be given a body scan; and after each session, a Body Composition Analysis (Inbody) system will read the changes. This way, the customers can track their progress.

Ah if only the weather had the same effect on us as this cabin!

At the moment, the centres open at 10am. If unlike Ning you are unable to wait till 10am to rejuvenate and start your day, you may be happy to know that the Sunlighten™ cabins are available for sale for you to use in the comforts of your own home with two lines available – the Signature series and the mPulse Series. If not, you can still pop by on appointment any time between 10am till 8pm or 9pm depending on the outlet.

Here are some interesting points I got from their website:
In every single session within 30 minutes, you are burning 500 – 600 calories, so you may lose from 0.5kg to 2kg
- It helps ease period cramps
- Suitable for breastfeeding moms! 
- Children above 10 are allowed to use the sauna (at home) under strict rules

It is interesting how my initial thoughts of this treatment has changed upon learning more about it and hey! I think I might try it someday.

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Website : http://sweatspa.com/

Branches:
Bangsar Shopping Center
Telephone : 603 2011 6088

Atria Shopping Gallery
Telephone : 603 77318248 / 6012 5306 088

Gamuda Walk
Telephone : 603 5525 8788 / 6012 8388 322

Plaza Gurney
Telephone : 604 229 1088 / 6012 475 2088