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From Trash To Treasure

By S. INDRAMALAR

With some thought and creativity, trash can be turned into ‘trashion’.

MAY Oh has a huge appetite for rubbish, particularly pull tabs from discarded soda cans. She collects them in the thousands and spends hours every day driving to coffee shops around her neighbourhood (and sometimes quite a distance away) to buy the pull tabs – by the kilogrammes.

Make no mistake. Oh is not a pack rat or a magpie. Nor is she a scavenging hobo. She’s a 49-year-old mother of two with a penchant for craft and a talent for transforming “rubbish” into handbags.

The idea of making bags using pull tabs was purely accidental, she recounts.

“I was at my aunt’s house when I saw this container filled with pull tabs. It struck me that I could use them to make bags. So I experimented. The first few bags I made weren’t very good but through trial and error, the bags became better.

Unique bags: Though the demand for her pull-tab bags are substantial, May Oh has no intention of starting a business. Craft is her passion and she wants to keep it as her hobby, not her job

“My daughter carried one of the bags to college and many of her friends and even her lecturers were fascinated by it.

“I’ve been interested in craft since I was in Year Five or Six. At the time, I’d make bags and baskets out of raffia, which were popular at the time. Also, in those days, we could not ask our parents to buy any bag we liked. So, I made my own,” explains Oh who is from Seberang Prai, Penang.

Making the bags – coming up with new designs and improving on her technique – was all for fun. Oh never intended to sell her bags or start a business.

She made them simply because she enjoyed it and the bags were for herself, her daughter and close friends.

However, their uniqueness drew a lot of attention and she was invited to showcase her bags and conduct a workshop on making them at a recycling event in Petaling Jaya two years ago.

The process of making the pull-tab bags can be painstaking as there are many steps involved, says Oh who has been making them for close to three years.

Trendy: Oh uses pull tabs that are crocheted together with double-stranded wool to create sturdy bags.

First, she has to buy the pull tabs. She uses about 250 pieces for a handphone pouch and 2,000 pieces for a medium- to large-sized tote. Next comes the sorting (there are various kinds of tabs – square and round – and also, not every tab can be used), cleaning and drying.

“Sometimes from a 10kg bag, I can only use about 200 tabs. They have to be flattened piece by piece with a hammer and then washed with a light detergent. I have to make sure there is no trace of sugar on them before I dry them under the hot sun. Only then can I start crocheting them into a bag,” says Oh.

She uses double-stranded wool – a must if the bag is to last at least a couple of years. Next, she sews on the bag lining, handles and clasps.

It takes, on average, a week to complete one bag. If she has a deadline, Oh can make 10 bags in a week – working at breakneck pace, that is.

Because of the work and materials involved, the bags can cost quite a bit: RM70 for a pouch and RM130 to RM380 for the purses and totes.

“People assume that the bags will be cheap because they’re made from pull tabs. They ask why the bags cost so much when they’re not branded. They don’t realise that I have to buy all the materials which can come up to RM100 or more for one bag.”

Although the bags aren’t cheap and she only sells them at environmental events she partcipates in from time to time, Oh is not short on customers – one is Tunku Datin Paduka Khadijah (daughter of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj).

Oh has no intention of taking this pursuit further although she is contemplating writing a book about making bags from recyclable material.

“I don’t want to open a shop or start a business. It’s just my passion, my hobby. I do give lessons. I am not afraid of competition because with handicraft, everyone has their own style. Sometimes, my students have better ideas than me and I learn too,” she says.

Apart from pull tabs, Oh has also made bags from pre-paid phone cards, and has her eye on other recyclable material which she can re-use, such as CDs.

“I’m also thinking about recycling the pull-tab bags. For example, if a customer wants to turn a bag she bought from me a couple of years ago into something new, she can,” says Oh.

She has also picked up environment-friendly habits after embarking on her craft project.

“It has definitely enriched my life. Not only am I able to work at home, doing what I really enjoy, I have learnt that rubbish – or what people regard as rubbish – can be used as a resource. And I get to teach my children about it, too,” says Oh, who has adopted other eco-friendly practices at home, such as using garbage enzymes to clean.

Ode To Audrey

Still remember Audrey Hepburn, the sweet, demure and elegant actress whose face became synonymous with dainty elegance.  Years after  her demise, her looks still command respect and admiration from the fashion designers and stylists of today as the following article shows.

 

By S.S. YOGA

Eric Choong’s latest collection draws on the charm and elegance of his favourite Hollywood actress.

IN LIFE, there will be people who inspire us, whom we admire and look up to. And then, there are those who made their mark in this world before our time and still continue to command the same respect, thanks to their enduring legacy. One such individual is Audrey Hepburn.

The iconic actress leaves behind a body of work that has stood the test of time. Her movies are legendary as were her performances in film and theatre.

  

Not only was she a distinguished actress, her personal sense of style also made her a fashion icon. She enjoyed a lasting friendship with famous designer Hubert de Givenchy who dressed her for many of her roles.

Thus, it is no surprise that well-known local designer Eric Choong specifically looked to her for inspiration for his spring/summer 2010 collection.

“I adore Audrey Hepburn tremendously, as is evident in this collection, which is inspired by the legendary actress and great humanitarian.

"Growing up, I watched all her 28 movies and like millions, fell captive to her effortless grace, aristocratic bearing, elegance and wit.

"To this day, she is the unsurpassed fashion and style icon of all time in my books,” says Choong.

To him, nobody wore the “little black dress” like Hepburn. He notes that although it was French fashion designer Coco Chanel who took it to the mainstream in 1926, it was Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffany’s that immortalised the style.

  Social butterfly: Bubble dress wrapped in a bow from Eric Choong’s Spring/Summer 2010 Tribute To Audrey Hepburn Collection

Choong says he tried to capture that spirit and provide a modern take in his version of the “little black dress” in Duchesse satin with a belted waist reminiscent of Hepburn’s in Roman Holiday, Funny Face and Sabrina. The evening gowns are inspired by Hepburn’s wardrobe in War And Peace, My Fair Lady, Sabrina and Love In The Afternoon.

An important silhouette in the blush pink, champagne and black silk chiffon collection, says Choong, is the structured A-line shape that is voluminous yet fluid and lightweight. Each piece is embroidered with French lace and encrusted with Swarovski crystals.

“As an occasion wear designer, I love using Swarovski elements because they add that edge of high-voltage glamour. Subtlety may work sometimes, but there is nothing like a touch of crystal to transform a dress into pure opulence!”

And since Choong is noted for his wedding gowns, it’s no wonder that his mermaid style wedding gown of ivory Italian avant-garde lace and silk Duchesse satin is a standout. This was inspired by the Ascott dress worn by Hepburn in her role as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.

“I have let my imagination run free in designing this intimate and personal collection. I reworked every gown numerous times to capture the quintessence of Hepburn. The styles engineered in this collection give every woman the chance to express her innate sense of adventure, passion and confidence. Once the pieces were ready, almost instantly their names came to me ... Ann, Sabrina, Natasha, Holly, Eliza, Ariane, Gabrielle, Reggie and so on, all derived from Hepburn’s title roles in film and theatre.”

Surely, looking like Audrey Hepburn isn’t a bad thing, right?

Dresses And Shoes Made From Chocolate

There seems to be no limit to the imagination and creativity of the human mind when it comes to fashion - that is fashion attire.

Ever dream of wearing couture dresses made from chocolate?  It is no longer a fantasy now.

The chocolate fashion show at the Chinese version of Salon du Chocolat featured models wearing chocolate breastplates...

Picture: AP

A confectioner has created every woman's ultimate fantasy – designer shoes and handbags made from chocolate.

Frances Cooley, a cake maker, launched the range after discovering a vintage chocolate shoe mould in Belgium.
She has developed a collection of individual shoes – including zebra stripes and polka dot versions – which she makes by hand in her own kitchen.
Now Mrs Cooley, 47, who runs Clifton Cakes in Bristol, can barely keep up with demand despite the £21 price tag.
She said: ''People are wowed about them because it's the perfect gift for a woman – chocolate and stiletto shoes put together.
''They've been selling like hot cakes. This past year sales have been incredible.
''They've been sold alongside pink champagne at some stores as well, and I could see someone drinking the champagne right out of the shoe.''
Mrs Cooley started her company ten years ago after leaving her career as a graphic designer to pursue her passion for sweets.
The mother-of-two still heads the successful business from home, supplying to more than 25 local boutiques and delicatessens.
To create the mouthwatering footwear she hand-pipes a design into the mould and fills it with tempered Belgian chocolate which shrinks slightly as it cools.
She then pours out the excess and leaves the coated mould to set before finishing each shoe by hand with handcrafted frills and rosettes.
Now her unique designs have become so popular that they have garnered attention from high-end retailers in London – including luxury department store Liberty.
She added: ''A friend, who is a French chef, had a meeting at Liberty in London and he suggested that I accompany him in case they might be interested in selling my cakes.
''They were immediately interested in the shoes and started talking about packages and designs.
''About six months ago I got my first order from them, and as well as selling my products, Liberty has also used my chocolate shoes for promoting events.''
The shoes sell for between £8.50 for a small 8cm pair to £21 for a large 17cm single shoe.
Their success inspired Frances to create a matching range of handbags which cost £9.50 for a small 8cm model and £25 for a 17cm version.

Passion For Fashion

Passion For Fashion

CREATIVE FORCES: (From left) Chow, Wong, Nur Jihan and Najib Salman

IF you thought the contestants of Project Runway had it rough, spare a thought for the crushing deadlines faced bythe students of International Fashion Training Centre (IFTC) who only had one month to come up with theirindividual collections.

Students had to come up with designs for the Asian Contemporary, Ready-To-Wear and Hari Raya categories.

The seniors also tackled evening and bridal wear while graduating students had quite a bit on their plate with theirtask of creating designer couture concept collections.

Graduating student Nur Jihan was all smiles and residual energy after the show. "It's such a relief to finally have theshow and get it over with. At the end there's such a profound sense of accomplishment, it was definitely worth allthe stress."

Her offerings included an eye-catching interpretation of Hari Raya fashion. "My collection was inspired by the  colours usually on display during Hari Raya, but I wanted to take itup a notch. To really express the occasion with colour," she said.

Her high fashion collection was inspired by vintage glamour, intended to emphasise a woman's curves. Her next step? "Paris, for my degree course," she revealed with a smile.

For 27-year-old Najib Salman, fashion design was a calling.

"Previously, I worked in an advertising agency for  several years but somehow I knew my creative talents were meant for the fashion industry. So, I decided to risk it and changedcareers," said the UiTM graduate who is currently in his fourth semester at IFTC.

His Hari Raya creations were borne from his own years of wearing traditional garbs whichwere suitable but made for an uncomfortable experience each time.

"You have to wear the same outfit the entire day when you go out visiting families and friends, and the common materials used for baju melayu are usually thick and heavy, which don't work well with our weather. I wanted an outfit which was loose, breathable and comfy," he explained, still dressed in his re-imagining of the modern baju melayu - a yellow and grey checkered Kaftan-inspired top with matching palazzo pants which he modelled himself.

Bridal wear always has an ethereal feel to it, an impact craved by most brides on their big day. Senior student Jackson Chow wanted to create something for the modern bride, maintaining that ethereal feel without too much of the fluff usually attached.

"The piano was my muse for the bridal collection. I'm really happy about how the show turned out. There were one or two near disasters backstage but everything worked out in the end," said Chow with a relieved chuckle. He credits the guidance of his teacher Mr Loy at IFTC and Wong for his successful showing.