Cindy Ann Peterson Exclusive: Zang Toi at 30 Years in Fashion Realm, Master of Luxury and Elegance
New York City, New York
At the thirty year mark of any significant undertaking, one is always apt to become a bit nostalgic. Like Janus; it is where one has been, and where one is yet to go. An emotional entrepôt; between what was, and what is yet to be. And so it was with Zang Toi’s 30th Anniversary collection. Aptly named Spring 2020: Home Sweet Home, the show was a tribute to Toi’s childhood in Malaysia, where he spent his formative years constantly drawing and sketching and, in the process, defining his oeuvre. It is there, in a small village in Kelantan, where this show found its calling.
This collection was executed in two parts. The first part (looks 1–15) was conceived through Toi’s interpretation of traditional Malaysian textiles such as batik, sarong, and songket malayu; a traditional textile from Malaysia woven in silk or cotton supplemented by gold or silver threads. Hence, its association with the cloth of the royal court. Those with a trained eye for the richness and complexity of the woven songket will recognize that it is a cloth with an extra weft weave of gold threads or supplementary weaves. The exquisite black and white motifs are recognized not only for their aesthetic value, but also for their philosophical significance unique to the Malay archipelagic society. It is also an implicit expression of a formal presence.
The second part (looks 16–29) is a paean to the Royal Highness Tengku Anis. Therefore, the 30th Anniversary collection also included numerous looks in shades of pastel; a favorite of the Royal Highness who also happens to be a good friend of Toi.
After the Malaysian National Anthem, the show kicked-off under the musical accompaniment of Saloma’s Bunga Tanjung, with a classic black and white batik print silk gazar cloud strapless back-wrapped mini dress with a majestic train. The modern twist on the batik color is formal in look and similar to the use of black and white in western formal wear. Batik is usually in tones of earth and nature. This stark and clearly defined approach to batik is not to have intense colors interfere with the design.
In look 3, one sees the interplay of Yin and Yang in which two halves complete the whole; a play on night (Yin) and day (Yang). It is also known as a particolored variation, akin to medieval times where the sides of the garments are contrasted in an interplay of black and white. This is where the color is split down the middle, with the intricate design of black detail on white and white detail on black, suggesting a festive or playful mood. Indeed, fitting for Toi’s 30th anniversary celebration.
The Malaysian influences continued with modern wrapped particolored sarongs and elegant column and caftan creations with hand embroidered florals used in many sarongs around the world. The Malaysian culture is known for their love of floral design, but not the use of animals. The beauty of the flowers and the royal scroll is reflected in many looks of the early section of the show, with print, embroidery and detailed appliqué.
While this show was an homage to his home country of Malaysia, one could clearly see a part of his soul resides in his adopted home of America. In looks 15–20, Toi opens the door to the world of day dresses that Claire McCardell made de rigueur for women in the 1940’s -1950's. McCardell was credited with creating a washable, ready to wear dress that was capable of fitting any body size. Toi has seized upon this modern shirtwaist and has embellished it with an air of elegance and sophistication by adding a horsehair or pleated organza border gently hitting the mid-calf in moiré, thereby creating an everyday luxury. Surely, Claire must have looked down from above and smiled.
Looks 16 through 28, inspired by Her Royal Highness Tengku Anis, take us through a sorbet of pastels, adorned with elegance, refinement, and beauty. A color becomes a pastel when white has been added to the color. The lightness of the pastels has a pearl-like luminescence of a delicate gentle nature, reflecting a charm, beauty, lightness and romance. While pastels don’t generally dominate his shows, his affinity for orchids makes the palette a routine part of his shows. This year, however, he significantly expanded the use of the various hues of grey, blue, pink, lilac, yellow, green and ivory; each of which intimates a unique meaning:
- Grey — an intermediate color between black and white, the color of a cloud covered sky
- Blue — is that of a clear sky, a primary color — meaning: peace, serenity, ethereal, spiritual and infinity
- Pink — the combination of red and white — meaning: love, romance, charm, feminine, tenderness and sweetness
- Lilac — the combination of red-purple and white — meaning: confidence, purity, innocence, first love, light-hearted, romantic, imperial, balances the mind and calming
- Yellow — most often associated with the deity in many religions (Hinduism and Ancient Egypt) meaning: happiness, optimism, of enlightenment, creativity, sunshine and spring
- Green — meaning: nature, freshness, growth, rebirth and a symbol of fertility in Muslim countries
The show closed out with a men’s ivory dinner jacket with perfect peak lapel with hand-beaded crystal crown lapel pin, ivory silk dupioni tuxedo shirt and tie and ivory silk dupioni trouser.
Supermodel Carol Alt provided the grand finale in a portrait of a princess ballgown with silver hand-beaded royal songket.
This show, of course, could not end without a celebration of Toi’s milestone. After the final model walk through, Carol Alt and Zang Toi entered the room to receive a celebratory cake from none other than Laurie Schechter, “The World’s 1st Vogue Style Editor” — the editor who featured Toi in American Vogue Magazine’s very first article on him and Richard Renda, Trademark owner of Totally Cool ® — who is also known as “Front & Center of The International Press Corps.”
Thirty years is a significant achievement in any profession, more so in the fashion industry considering its merciless nature and the mercurial nature of the personalities. There is enough intrigue to make the Borgias blush. Toi has succeeded in an industry where many with far greater means and social advantages have failed. Yet, his secrets are not Kremlin codes. It is simply hard work, dogged persistence, and “don’t get a big head”. For someone that came to the US with nothing but three hundred dollars in his pocket, it is both a time-tested strategy and a piece of sage advice.
“It has been my honor to provide the landscape of sound for Zang Toi’s show for many years now. We have taken our journeys in music all over the world. I love his designs and his attention to details. The pastel colors for his Malaysian collection are breathtaking. Bravo Zang, 30 years of perfection,” extols Kevin Edwards!
Runway Music by Kevin Edwards:
- Negaraku (Malaysian National Anthem) played at top of show (everyone stood)
- Bunga Tanjung — Puan Sri Saloma ( Malaysian music royalty)
- Malaysian Melody — Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra
- Getaran Jiwa — Tashkent Orchestra (instrumental version of P. Ramlee’s song. Male music royalty and husband of Saloma)
Front of House: LA Presse PR
Media Director: Patrick Michael
Back Stage PR: Harris Theophanous
Director: Judith Rice & Associates
Venue Manager: Lauren Carbonneau
Make-Up: Beauty By Rudy for Urbati New York
Hair Styling: Roy Naccour for Redkin
Hair Styling: Eiji for Toka Salon and Academy
Nails: Marcello Costa Beauty Team
Runway Music: Kevin Edwards
In House Photographer: Eka Halim — EPHPhoto
Backstage Videographer: Sarah M. Kazidi
Videographer: Essay Video
Article By Cindy Ann Peterson Exclusive: Zang Toi at 30 Years in Fashion Realm, Master of Luxury and Elegance — Washington DC Fashion and Style Editor
Cindy Ann Peterson twitter @CivilityInStyle
