Denim and neck scarves dominated the runway, echoing cowboy style and Americana flair (All photos: Low Yen Yeing/ The Edge Malaysia)
On April 23, local fashion brand UnitedWood presented its “This is Love” collection at the RuMa Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Attended by a smattering of local celebrities and the brand’s closest friends, the intimate event showcased a contemporary and rugged take on romantic fashion. Denim and neck scarves dominated the runway, echoing cowboy style and Americana flair. Business casual silhouettes and elements like ties and thick shoulder pads balanced out the sense of wildness with wearability.
To link back to the overall theme, fabric roses adorned most of the models, either around the neck or attached to clothing and shoes, offering guests a glimpse of founders Voon Lai and Jonathan Cheng’s perspectives on love.
The show was the epitome of the quintessential UnitedWood girl — someone who covets elegance mixed with edgy femininity, and enjoys expressing herself through her style.
Errand day essentials
Let’s face it — days spent completing the week’s menial tasks can be, for lack of a better description, boring. It is these times when most of us could care less about getting ready just to head to the grocery store or drive the little ones to extracurricular activities. But if you are what you eat, surely you are also what you wear, and little do we understand the power of putting on a good outfit. Infuse your everyday normalcy with an extra dose of passion with these outfits:
Popularised in the 1990s, denim-on-denim is making its way back onto the catwalk and into our wardrobe. If you are ready to pull the trigger on buying into the movement, or if you have been a devoted jean fabric fan since Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake did their rendition at the 2001 American Music Awards, UnitedWood’s white matching skirt and jacket are a fun and daring way to partake in the denim trend. Upon closer inspection, the clothes sport delicate red topstitching for just the smallest hint of colour.
If you prefer slightly dressier attire but still fancy some casual cheek, a V-neck cropped blazer in grey-blue tweed and matching flared shorts allows you to tread the fine line between semi-formal and relaxed. The set was styled with a stain-finished rose choker, bringing a romantic touch to the polished look.
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Professional panache
When it comes to buying clothes, versatility is one of the best things to keep an eye out for. Office wear that can easily transition from boardroom to after-hours has always been highly sought after for this reason. That said, much of what you will find in regular department stores are on the plain side. While it is always good to have some unfussy pieces in your closet, elevated basics that work well whether mixed or matched help your ensemble appear more interesting without earning an unwanted visit to human resources.
UnitedWood’s cool khaki pinstripe jacket and wide-legged pants set is the perfect way to bring an edgy touch into your professional outfit rotation. The top features a cropped silhouette with a single row of double-breasted buttons, covered in the same striped fabric for a cohesive look. A triangular neck scarf with gunmetal grey eyelet detailing along the edge creates the illusion of a turtleneck, offering chic and a little extra warmth. The folded sleeve cuffs mimic those on dress shirts. Meanwhile, the high-waisted trousers boast not just two, but four pockets to keep all your tiny knick-knacks close. And oh, did we mention the perfectly lined-up stripes on the waistband and legs? Simply to die for.
For something more traditional but still modern, consider the collection’s white button-up that comes with a classic pointed collar and exaggerated cuffs. The back reveals a belt attachment that allows the wearer to cinch in the waist for a more pronounced figure. The show saw the shirt paired with a black midi skirt with zippers running down the length. Fret not, as only one side of the piece is functional, allowing you to thoughtfully adjust the height of the slit.
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Formal flair
Call them stifling or neat, uniforms of all kinds have their purposes and advantages — one being that they eliminate time-wasting decisions on what to wear in the morning. If you often find yourself at a loss when getting ready to head out for date night or a girls’ get-together, adhering to the formula of a good black dress is fail-safe.
Here, two looks from the collection will surely work for all the (semi-)formal events on your calendar:
Perfect for a fancy candle-lit dinner or attending a function with your beau, the black maxi column dress comes in shimmery satin for a bit of dimension as you move. On theme with the rest of the showcase, a large rosette with thin silver trims sits on the collarbone. Rather than an ordinary strapless neckline, layers of overlapping ruffles drape along the décolleté, evoking the flowy and feminine look of petals.
If you prefer the “L” in LBD to mean “little” instead of “long”, then opt for the sleeveless mini version that is made from a matte fabric and sees the same chrome-edged bloom attached at the hip above a low thigh slit. Harking back to the designers’ background in art and architecture, the panels of the frock give it a structured form that complements the figure even without an ultra-pinched waist, ensuring comfort and style.
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This article first appeared on May 6, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
