Chic Shop: The Stylisté (KL)

Most boutiques can lay claim to having a certain sense of style. Subscribing to one style helps the public relate to the wares on sale and  encourages fans to come back. So can you imagine the awesome-tastic organized chaos that would be four distinctive styles in a boutique? Ladies and gentleman, let me introduce you to The Stylisté, a new boutique in KL that is run by not one or two, but four acclaimed Malaysian stylists!

Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, along Jalan Bukit Bintang and just a stone's throw from Paviliion shopping complex, The Stylisté is the brainchild of Allien Gan, Calvin Cheong, Kenneth Wong and Yee Teng, four designers with very varied styles between the four of them. The boutique first opened its doors on the 1st of August, but the official launch will only be on the 16th of this month.

The small boutique located on the first floor of Patent House is divided into four corners, one for each designer. There is a strong culture of DIY amongst the four designers wares, and it's very interesting to see how their personal interest affects their designs.

A.L.L.I.E.N by Allien Gan is a label that celebrates edginess and androgyny through monotone lenses. The rack is intentionally made sparse so that each black, white or grey clothing is given a spotlight.

Allien Gan

There is a wide use of studs, pins, buttons and wires in Allien's modification and creation of outfits and accessories. The result is something that is rather foreign and implaceable, alien-like, like the namesake, if you will!

DIY safety pin wrist cuff: RM39

DIY studded top: RM 79

Calvin Cheong would describe his own line, AvantGOD, as, "very rock, edgy and vintage". There is a slight edge to the nostalgia contained within the clothes.

Calvin Cheong

His vintage accessories are collected over the years from his travels abroad.

The two necklaces in the front are priced RM49 and RM199 respectively.

Vintage sunglasses: (first two) RM269, (back) RM349
Vintage earrings (furthest back): range from RM29 to RM89

Vintage Earrings: range from RM29 - RM89
Wrist cuffs: RM89
Vintage sunglasses: RM 59

Vintage belts (l-r): RM89, RM139, RM79

Vintage bags and scarves

Not for sale piece with a gorgeous rosary neckline.

Scarve: RM39
Capelet: RM129
Sheer dress: RM59

Jacket: RM299; Dress: RM59

Lace top: RM99

Front row shoes: all RM109

Shoes (back to front): RM110, RM89, RM110

If colourful clothes with a feminine touch is more your style, Cloth&ier by Kenneth Wong will be right up your street. Expect a lot of prints and floaty dresses with a slight twist.

Ken Wong

RM179

Accessories from Cloth&ier: RM19.90 - RM29.90

Bags from Cloth&ier: RM89.90, RM99.90

Poetic by Yee Teng is as the name of the collection suggests, rather whimsical and sweet. There is a romantic vibe amongst her clothes and accessories, most of which she handmade herself.

Yee Teng

Bow and Diamond Earrings (left): RM49, Ribbon earrings (middle): RM29, White headband (right): RM49

Bow earrings, RM29; Bow cuff: RM79

Bow handbag (front): RM75; DIY patchwork bag (back): RM89

Center: Collaboration bag between Allien Gan and Yee Teng: RM109

The Stylisté also supports the Tooit-Tooit project run by the Cambodian street children organization called 'Kaliyan Mith'. It supports parents of former street children to increase their income by producing unique bags and accessories at home using recycled products.

Handmade bags from Cambodia (l-r): RM149, RM89, RM149

I had a quick chat with Calvin Cheong of AvantGOD about the new boutique as well as his aspirations and inspirations for his line:

How did the four of you decide to set up a store?

We wanted to try the market. Also, we don’t really have that much time to manage our own store. And so we found out from each other that all of us wanted to open a boutique. It came to a point where we said, "Why don’t we just share a place and rent a small place?" A friend at Diva productions informed us that they had just extended their office and he told us about the renovated space and offered to rent it to us.

How long have you known each other?

Years really. Only Allien is new to the industry.

How long have you been a stylist?

8 years. I started out as an assistant for about 6 years and then I came out to do things by my own, for about 2 years plus.

Do you have any favourite pieces from your line?

I don’t have just one piece as there are two ranges in my section, the  more exclusive and the below the line, more sellable line. This piece took one month to complete, using a basket weave. It’s a collaboration with a Thai designer. This is all one off. It’s a bit Gareth Pugh-like.

RM799


Do you also offer styling services in this shop?

Yeah. If we’re around. If not, give us a call and we can set up an appointment and we’ll help style you.

What brands do you normally wear?

Westwood. No particular brand but I like Westwood accessories for clothing, no particular look. As long as it looks good.

There is a wide mix of outsourced and handmate items at The Stylisté, yet the sourced items are branded with the designer's name. How would you respond to critics who deride this as dishonest and unfair?

The Styliste is a boutique where the 4 stylists define their own style and set the trend. We are not designers trying to come up with new designs every season. Rather, we pre-select the key pieces of the latest trend in our own interpretion - be it fresh from the runway or from the coolest fashion mag or the styles we pick-up from the streets.

So it is perfectly okay for our customers to know that not everything is handmade or exclusively-made or outsourced or even used products as long as we source 'em in style and match 'em with style and to retail 'em with super-stylin too!

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