Spring-Summer's tribal trend is right up this designer's alley


20 January 2015 – Her awards and accolade list runs long. And her current clientele includes the region’s A-list celebrities, socialites and royals.

Now, Malaysian designer Melinda Looi is set to thrill an even wider audience as her Spring-Summer 2015 RTW collection makes its debut on! Shopthemag.com – the world’s only retailer dedicated to showcasing Asia’s top fashion names. 

The designer’s predilections are clear when you study past collections. Ornamentation, beadwork, acrylic work, embroidery – these are what you will find with almost every Melinda Looi collection. And understandably so when you learn about her background. 

The child prodigy of a salt-of-the-earth seamstress, Looi has always been encouraged to experiment. She paints, cuts, sews and attacks fabric like a woman possessed. This love for experimentation is what gives birth to the artisanal!aesthetic of her collections. One has come to expect a minimum level of craftsmanship and handiwork with every Melinda Looi piece.

Perhaps this is why the SS15 collection is looking right at home against the backdrop of a global tribal trend. Exotic materials such

as feathers sit alongside hand-fashioned sequin rosettes and beaded floral features, while gold-treated leather and a signature painterly print give the collection a luxe aboriginal appeal.

This collection was conceived in collaboration with Brazilian artist André Mendes, whose vibrantly-hued works have made Looi a fan over the years, and subsequently, a friend. The prints in the SS15 collection are based on two of his paintings – making the term “wearing art” a literal reality.

For more information about this designer and for high-res images, please contact Samantha Tan (samantha@shopthemag.com) or Ng Yu Lin (yulin@shopthemag.com). Tel: 6498-6353.