Sunday November 22, 2009

Transition time

By REENA GURBAKSH

A homegrown brand celebrates its first decade in the fashion business by taking stock of its achievements and paving a new path forward.

A fully sequined top and Aladdin silk pants from the Time + Transition collection.

TIME flies when you’re having fun, and that’s certainly been the case for Tino Soon and Allan Chan, the creative force behind local brand salabianca, which celebrates its 10th anniversary tomorrow.

A decade ago, the fashion mavens launched their first store in Suria KLCC amidst much fanfare, and their label – named after the venue of the first ever fashion show in Italy – was designed to be the modern, self-assured woman’s one-stop shop for special occasion wear.

From the Ciao! Italia collection in 2006.

Well, the duo has certainly achieved what it set out to do: salabianca’s offerings have been feminine, conspicuous and have pushed the boundaries of dressy, embellished style. Soon said at the outset that there was a lot more to partywear than the little black dress, and the label’s fashion director has stuck to his guns by filling his store with clothes in gemstone colours adorned with sequins and baubles. The sparkle and shine also spills over into a range of shoes, bags and trinkets.

“The LBD is usually the choice of those who don’t know what to wear or how to dress for different occasions. Then there are women who want to be different and dress according to their moods ... that’s how our story started,’’ he quips.

The label has grown to become a sizeable institution in the local fashion industry as evidenced by its eight stores across the country, as well as three in Manila. The duo also has a men’s line called Philosophy Men and Graffitee, which sells T-shirts with clever slogans.

Allan Chan (left) and Tino Soon. – File photo

According to Soon, being “different’’ doesn’t just mean offering women style options, but it’s also about “creating fashion excitement’’ in an industry that tends to dictate what should go into our wardrobes every season.

“Nobody wants to look like everybody else and its passe to think you have to wear certain colours or certain looks each season. Fashion is about looking wonderful,’’ he says.

For salabianca, that added excitement has come in the form of yearly “country promotions’’; its collections have been photographed in various locales across the globe, including Indonesia, Japan, Italy, India, China and Australia.

“We shot in Beijing last year and it was the year of the Olympics, so that made it fun,’’ Soon says. “In 2006, we did the Ciao! Italia promotion and the World Cup was on and Italy won, so we changed our window display in our stores to reflect that.’’

Metal ring satin vest dressed with green trousers and accessories.

Apart from these yearly promotions, the label comes up with three capsule collections every six months, so customers have new things to look forward to all the time.

Looking through its campaigns over the last decade, its difficult not to notice that supermodel Amber Chia appears in many of them, but with her chameleon-like versatility, it’s not immediately obvious. According to Soon, she modelled for the label before she hit the big time and continues to do so because they enjoy a good working relationship.

“It’s been nine years ... (cosmetic brand) Lancome used Isabella Rossellini for years and its nice to have a celebrity associated with the brand,’’ he says.

Now that the “embellishment establishment’’ – as it’s tagline goes – is celebrating a significant birthday, Soon and Chan have decided to carry on doing what they know best, but to also tweak the label so that it remains current and contemporary.

As it moves into its second decade, salabianca’s celebratory Time + Transitions collection is clean, edgy and energetic, but lest you think it has abandoned its famous bling, Soon reassures that its range now encapsulates “minimalism with chic embellishments’’.

“There are many customers who want the same thing but the new collection has to have a different mood for a different set of people. Thirty per cent of our range will remain the same and reflect the classic, timeless look, but we mustn’t be afraid to change and the time is right to do so,’’ he says.

Purple silk chiffon top with fitted pants

What he has done for much of the new collection is to incorporate the brand’s signature style – great cuts as well as intricate beadwork and embroidery – into an overall look that is significantly less formal.

“The feel is lighter and quirkier but boosted with our brand of ornamentation,’’ he says.

As any fashionista will vouch, practicality, versatility and individuality are the cornerstones of modern-day dressing, so the clothes she buys must offer style without the fuss and be able to stand out, yet blend into her wardrobe without much effort.

“Women are braver now. They’re not afraid to stand out and they are more daring in what they choose to wear. The focus is on how she can capitalise on what’s available to create an identity for herself,’’ Soon says.

“Before she makes a purchase, she’s asking herself how many ways and occasions she’ll be able to use that outfit.’’

Salabianca set out to offer solutions for the woman in search of that something special all those years ago, and it will continue to do so – except this time, the answers come in simpler, more versatile packages.

“Time + Transition will be the beginning of a new relationship. I wouldn’t go so far as to say we are reinventing ourselves. Rather, we’re bridging the gap between the bejewelled chiffon silk dress and the voluminous evening ensemble,” Soon tells.

What that means is more functional styles and timeless silhouettes. Fabrics are softer and significantly less fussy, and there is a nice mix of jerseys and knits to allow for sensuous draping.

Clever cuts reminisce the origami feel of the 1980s but you can be assured the overall vibe is one that perfectly captures the form and function of the Blackberry-toting, Twitter-era gal!

> For store locations, see salabianca.com.my. The new range will be in stores this week.