Men Of The Malaysian Moment

Meet five Malaysians who’ve made their mark across the fields of art, fashion, community and culture, all in the hopes of building a better nation.

- Anis Taufik 

THE CREATOR Bernard Chandran is Malaysia’s very own King of Fashion, a veteran fashion creator who played an integral role in casting the international spotlight on Boleh-lah Land. A witness to the evolution of Malaysia’s fashion industry, he shares his principles of design and creation.

Before I left Malaysia, I was not exposed. When I went to Paris, I realised that your traditions and culture are really about you and a reflection of who you are.

you are paying your own bills and no one else, at the end of the day. Who cares about other people’s opinions. Even if you stay in a small apartment, what matters the most is for you to be intellectual and educated. To go further, it’s important for you to be enlightened too. You must be able to understand and see things differently.

if people don’t like my clothes – or don’t even give a damn about clothes – I’m fine. As a designer, I understand that fashion is not priority for everyone. People have other priorities and interests in life, be it books or sports, and they put their money where they want to spend it. I only ask that they don’t judge.