The designer presents her first standalone, self-funded runway show.
Is romance dead? Not by a long shot, if you ask Priscilla Shunmugam of Ong Shunmugam. The designer recently presented her Cruise 2018 collection under a row of rattan ceiling fans to an intimate crowd of friends and media at the cosy Violet Oon Satay Bar & Grill.
Titled 'Love Letters', her latest collection was inspired by her exploration of the written word. Gone are the signature cheongsams, which have been overhauled in favour of sleek separates, plunging necklines and monochromatic offerings that showcase romantic scrawls across the fabric.
"Love is one of those things that you can try as hard as you want but you're never really able to define and explain; usually the best things in life can't be explained. When I write to someone that I love, I want to do it without using the four-letter word, choosing to express my fears, my hopes, my dreams, in a way that is raw and authentic and at the same time also universal," Priscilla shares.
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While working on the collection, the designer wore her heart on her sleeve, and it shows. "When that happened, the words flowed very naturally and I knew instinctively that I was going to be able to make this work in the most authentic way possible." Across her social media platforms and on her clothing, phrases like 'When I look at you looking at me, I feel exactly how you feel' and 'I'll always let you in, sayang. You can search me anywhere and everywhere. I want you to solve my mystery.' (Priscilla's favourite, by the way) is all sorts of romantic.
