A fan of David LaChapelle’s surrealistic style and Helmut Newton’s provocative pieces, Bibo Aswan is set enough (and ambitious enough) to aspire to reach the ranks of the two, among other notable names. Driven by all things visual, his fashion works vary from casual and commercial all the way to edgy and experimental. And to think that a TV show started his whole interest with the camera; the age where the tube is a bad influence is long gone.
2002: The Rise of Malaysian Fashion
Malaysian fashion designers like Dato’ Jimmy Choo, Dato’ Bernard Chandran and Zang Toi have long been making their mark in the international arena. However, the fashion industry within Malaysia was growing at a slow pace. It was not until the launch and creation of MIFA (Malaysian International Fashion Alliance) in 2002 that local fashion designers gained higher prominence at home. MIFA and STYLO International, established five years later, have since become major platforms for Malaysian fashion talents to gain international recognition. Today, the Malaysian fashion industry continues to grow from strength to strength, producing a new generation of local talents not just in the form of designers, but also models, stylists and photographers.