fashion – theHive.Asia

Miss Universe Malaysia 2024 Sandra Lim exudes ‘Princess Walinong Sari’ in national costume

TheHIVE.Asia — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 06:57:00 +0000

Sandra Lim, the reigning Miss Universe Malaysia 2024, officially revealed the ‘Princess Walinong Sari’ national costume and evening gown for the 73rd MISS UNIVERSE competition set to take place in Mexico City, Mexico, on 16 November 2024 (17 November 2024 MYT).

Unveiling the two numbers at a press conference held at the MYEG Tower Auditorium, Petaling Jaya yesterday, it was revealed that the national costume was designed by renowned Malaysian designer Ezuwan Ismail, whose work blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary fashion to create a breathtaking ensemble.

The design is inspired by the story of Princess Walinong Sari, a legendary figure from Pahang folklore known for her beauty and combat skills, symbolising courage, grace, and woman empowerment. In the legend, Princess Walinong Sari refused to settle down and marry simply for tradition, choosing instead to focus on honing her martial arts skills and protecting her kingdom.

“Through this costume, I want to show the world that a woman can be both fierce and graceful,” Sandra Lim said. “Princess Walinong Sari symbolises resilience and beauty, and I hope to bring those qualities to the Miss Universe stage, proudly representing the strength of Malaysian women while showcasing Malaysia’s diverse heritage.”

The costume is crafted using traditional, locally sourced Malaysian fabrics, with handwoven songket forming the foundation. Songket, known for its beautiful gold and silver threads, symbolises royalty and elegance. It also features sulam tebuk embroidery, an elaborate technique that adds delicate detailing, showcasing the craftsmanship and artistry of Malaysian heritage.

Key accessories of the costume include a headgear and a sword. The headgear is inspired by traditional warrior helmets and the sword represents the princess’s prowess in combat and her role as a defender of her people. These accessories pay homage to Malaysia’s cultural heritage and celebrating the courage of Malaysian women.

The creation of this national costume took several weeks to complete, involving a dedicated team of 10 skilled artisans who worked on various aspects. Weighing approximately 30 kg and measuring about 1.77 metres tall, the costume will feature a special on-stage reveal where Sandra unveils a hidden element that symbolises the transformation from princess to warrior.

Sandra will also don an elegant evening gown, also designed by Ezuwan Ismail, reflecting grace and sophistication, featuring luxurious fabrics and exquisite detailing.

As Sandra continues her journey to the global stage, this unveiling showcases her commitment to representing Malaysia while celebrating its rich cultural heritage and inspiring women.

Nadine Lustre sells preloved items online

TheHIVE.Asia — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 06:49:00 +0000

Nadine Lustre has recently launched an online store for fans to purchase her items.

The actress shared the good news on social media on 5 December, writing, “Hey, my new shop site is now live! You can purchase Luster at 50% off + all my preloved items here.”

“Big shoutout to team @shopboxo.io for setting up our store! Uploading more items soon~ nadinelustre.store.”

Among the pre-loved items seen in the online store include several bodycon dresses from brands like NASTY GAL, BCBGMAXAZARIA, LUXXEL, and LAC BLEU, a few cotton dresses from H&M and MISSGUIDED among others, as well as several overalls.

Her brand of perfume Luster is also sold at P1,500 instead of the original P3,000 price.

Meanwhile, payment can be made through GCash, GrabPay, and Maya.

You too can now look as fab as Nadine

(Photo Source: Nadine Lustre IG)

Lee Jung-Jae is Gucci’s new global ambassador

TheHIVE.Asia — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 05:10:00 +0000

“Squid Game” star Lee Jung-Jae is now the face of renowned fashion brand, Gucci.

According to Top Daily, on 11 November, the actor’s agency confirmed the good news, saying that Lee has been selected to be the global ambassador for the Gucci brand.

On the other hand, a Gucci official said that Lee is the perfect person to represent the brand.

“With a successful career found upon his great acting performance and sophisticated fashion style, Lee Jung-Jae is loved all over the world as an artiste representing Korea. His charisma is similar to Gucci’s philosophy of emphasising self-expression.”

Lee Jung-Jae is Gucci’s new global ambassador

On the other hand, the actor is set to appear next in the new movie, “Wiretap” as well as producing the upcoming flick, “Hunt”.

It is highly probably that he will return as Seong Gi-Hun, his most popular character to-date in the second season of “Squid Game”.

Aside from Lee, “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” star Shin Min-A was also announced as the Italian luxury house’s new ambassador.

With Leonardo DiCaprio

(Photo Source: Lee Jung-Jae Instagram)

Natasha Hudson saddened over Rizman Ruzaini’s response to dress issue

TheHIVE.Asia — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 22:02:00 +0000

Natasha Hudson expressed sadness over being criticised by the designers of her
controversial shoulder-baring white dress for the way she was styled to wear it
at a recent event that had since caused much backlash from netizens.

The
actress, who spoke to the media about the issue recently, stated that she felt
that the statement made by the fashion duo Rizman Ruzaini was unfair and
personal, though stated that it could have been made because they didn’t know
who bought it at first.

“But it’s possible that they made the statement
because I am not an A-list artiste who has repeatedly worked with them. But
whatever it is, they should be respectful of customers and clients who bought
their product. The dress was bought on a discounted price, not sponsored by
them,” she said.

Rizman Ruzaini previously slammed the actress for the way she wore
their dress

Natasha expressed her belief that the designers would have sold their dresses
for profit without questioning the intention of buyers if not for the
controversy.

“It’s not like I never knew them. I’ve worn clothes from their
brand before. It’s not like they couldn’t ask me about the exact situation
before giving their criticism. I think that the comment they made about the
dress not suitable for a hijab-wearing individual was incorrect. If you google
it, there have been dresses that they made for A-listers that had shown their
body shape or showed their neck when they wore it with turban. What do they
think of that?”

However, at the same time, the actress admitted that she
made a mistake in the decision on how to wear the said dress, stating that she
never thought that it would invite backlash and controversy.

“I can
honestly say that it was not a planned publicity to sell products,” she added.

Ziana Zain among celebs who had worn Rizman Ruzaini Couture

(Photo Source: NST, Rizman Ruzaini Instagram)

Rizman Ruzaini on dress controversy: We didn’t know it was Natasha Hudson!

TheHIVE.Asia — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 00:23:00 +0000

Fashion designer duo Rizman Ruzaini recently expressed frustration over the way Natasha Hudson was styled when she attended a recent product launch which had since sparked backlash from netizens

Rizman Nordin, whose collection was worn by the actress at the event, stated that Natasha’s image consultant should have been aware of the public opinion and sensitivity, especially since the actress herself is a hijab-wearing celebrity.

“As a designer, I was shocked and disappointed. What had happened could affect the image and the reputation of my brand. Rizman Ruzaini the brand has been here for 15 years,” said Rizman, who started the business with fellow designer Ruzaini Wan Jamil.

Rizman Ruzaini has worked with many hijab-wearing celebrities including Mira Filzah

The duo also stated that the white shoulder-bearing dress was bought by someone online three months ago at an auctioned price, and was part of a bridal collection that the brand made three years ago.

“To be honest, I was angry too after finding out it was her [Natasha] who wore the dress knowing that she wears the hijab. The dress was not made for [hijab-wearing individual] and was previously modelled by Fasha Sandha,” said Rizman.

The designer, who has worked with many celebrities including Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza, Ziana Zain, and Mira Filzah, stated that he is fully aware of the needs when it comes to making clothes for a hijab-wearing individual.

Natasha claimed that she was wearing a beige-coloured inner layer inside the dress

In her previous statement, Natasha denied that she was exposing her shoulder in the dress, saying that there was an inner layer that is beige in colour.

“I’m not bothered about what others would say. What I wore for the event was provided by the image consultant and the company behind the product launch. The theme for the event was glamour,” she said, according to the New Straits Times.

The iconic hairstyles of popular celebs and characters

TheHIVE.Asia — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 22:43:00 +0000

Sometimes a person, be him/her real or fictional, wears something so iconic that he or she will forever be associated with that certain style. Our focus today is specifically hairstyles. Every decade, there will always be a haircut that will stand out among the rest.

It’s sometimes popularised by fashion-forward celebs, and sometimes it just became popular because it’s something their characters have spotted for so long that it’s basically became their signature look. Without further ado, check them out below!

Farrah Fawcett

The way Farrah Fawcett styled her hair in “Charlie’s Angels” inspired many women to copy her long, feathery locks. Her big, thick mane definitely deserved the term ‘crowning glory’.

Justin Bieber

For a couple of years, pop star Justin Bieber really rocked this look in his early teen years. Fans, who would never say never (see what we did there?) to this swooped hairdo, lovingly call this the Bieber Flip.

Rachel (Jennifer Aniston)

Jennifer Aniston’s “Friends” character Rachel had a few fashionable hairstyles but the most iconic is “The Rachel”. Everyone, from fans to fellow celebs, wanted this look – only to later learn just how high maintenance it is (Photo source: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images).

Princess Diana

The well-loved Princess Diana inspired many not only with her kindness but also her iconic short hair. After cutting it short during a 1990’s “Vogue” photoshoot, the late royalty had kept with the style since (Photo source: Hello Magazine).

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley wasn’t just The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, he was also the king of hairstyles. This slick, jet black quiff will forever be as iconic as his songs. By the way, he had to dye his hair black since his original hair colour was sandy blond (Photo source: Mirror UK/Getty Images).

The Beatles

When people say “The Beatles”, they’re often referring to either their songs or their just as influential mop-top. Bieber’s famous combover most likely took a hint from the hairstyle popularised by the 1960s band (Photo source: Central Press).

Victoria Beckham

Since her Spice Girls day, Victoria Beckham has always been the ‘Posh’ one. Arguably her biggest trendsetting moment was when she introduced the world to the angled bob, which is now synonymous with the fashion forward star (Photo source: Allure/Getty Images).

Amy Winehouse

It wasn’t just her voice that was unique, so was her fashion sense. Pair thick winged eyeliners with black beehive hair and you’ll get her signature look (Photo source: The Straits Times/Shaw Organisation).

Bob Marley

Jamaican musician Bob Marley was well known for his dreadlocks as much as his reggae beats. There’s a spiritual reason behind his famous hair, which he grew out after converting to Rastafarianism (Photo source: Mike Prior/Redferns).

Clark Kent

Clark Kent a.k.a. Superman is often associated with slick, black hair but his most iconic ‘do was definitely the kiss curl or spit curl, where a lock of hair can be found casually hanging down and curling onto his forehead.

Grace Jones

Jamaican actress Grace Jones (you might remember her as Bond girl May Day) sported a cool high top fade that channelled her androgynous appeal. She made the hairstyle – generally favoured more by males – iconic among females.

Vanilla Ice

Want an icy cool hairstyle? Vanilla Ice got you covered. The 1990s rapper is as well known for his pompadour hair as his “Ice Ice Baby” song (Photo source: AP Photo).

Global brands that are forced to close down stores thanks to the pandemic

TheHIVE.Asia — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:00:00 +0000

The pandemic’s arrival was the beginning of the end for most businesses. While mom-and-pop stores might be the thing that most people would think of when it comes to struggling or foreclosed businesses during this trying time, major retail chains are facing the same issue.

Let’s have a moment of silence for the following brands that are closing down, or have closed down, their physical stores (in certain countries) and will have to focus their effort on promoting only online instead.

La Senza

(Photo source: www.bargainmoose.ca | retail-insight-network.com)

It hasn’t been that long since Victoria’s Secret parent company L Brands sold La Senza but earlier this year, there were already reports that the lingerie brand was in financial trouble. On the verge of bankruptcy even before the pandemic hit, the brand has been closing its stores in Canada one by one.

Victoria’s Secret

(Photo source: Victoria’s Secret | Queensland Times)

Victoria’s Secret isn’t faring any better. In May, it was reported that 250 of its stores in the US and Canada were to be permanently shuttered. A month later, its flagship store in Hong Kong was also abruptly closed down. No word yet on whether any of its other Asian branches will suffer the same fate.

Zara

(Photo source: https://www.pymnts.com/)

By 2021, the owner of fashion brand Zara, Inditex (which also owns other brands like Pull & Bear and Bershka), will be closing up to 1200 of its physical stores worldwide. The Spanish company stated that it would be focusing on pushing its online business instead.

H&M

(Photo source: Business Today)

Inditex’s major rival H&M is also on rocky grounds. Similarly, the Swedish clothing-retail company is planning on bolstering its online business by refocusing their effort for it and closing down as many as 170 stores across the globe.

Esprit

(Photo source: https://insideretail.asia)

Another apparel brand hit hard by the pandemic is Esprit. Despite its long run of success in Asia, it’s been facing tough times as revenues started dropping last year. Following the loss during the pandemic, 56 stores in Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong were closed down. Its remaining Asian branches are only the ones in Mainland China.

Muji

(Photo source: The Jakarta Post | Shutterstock/File)

Just last month, Japanese retailer Muji had to file for bankruptcy in the US. This does not mean that it’s completely gone out of business there, however, as it will be reinforcing its online store instead. Fortunately for the Singapore and Malaysia markets, the US bankruptcy will not affect the physical stores in these countries.

Gap

(Photo source: today.com | Getty Images)

About a year before the pandemic hit, this US fashion brand (which also operates other brands like Banana Republic and Old Navy) already had plans to gradually close down most of its stores over a period of two years. The pandemic no doubt accelerated that, having caused it to lose nearly USD1 bllion.

Guess

(Photo source: ashley-yeen.com)

Another American clothing brand Guess will also be closing a substantial number of its physical stores. It was reported in June that a total of 100 stores in North American as well as China will be gradually closed within a period of 18 months.

Aldo

(Photo source: https://bellevuecollection.com)

Back in May, footwear retailer Aldo seeks creditor protection in the US, Canada and Europe to save its business. There are no update yet on the number of stores that will be closed down due to this, but at the moment, its Asian outlets do not seem to be affected.

Oasis

(Photo source: Linda Nylind | The Guardian)

Back in April, it was reported that Oasis and Warehouse Limited was unable to save its business, and all its stores under the brands Oasis and Warehouse were to be closed permanently. It had been operating 90 standalone branches in the UK and its products had also been available in 400 department stores. In June, its online businesses were bought by online fashion retailer Boohoo.

(Photo source: USA Today | Getty Images)