Dude & The Duchess

Sat, 17/05/08 - 16:59PM Filed in Fashion by tongueinchic | Comments: 1

Tags: bangsar,designer,dude & the duchess

By: eleanor

Here’s the truth about Malaysians; we avoid Malaysian-made products like a woman scorned. We splurge on expensive international magazines, fight for foreign faces to parade in local advertisements, buy anything sold by an European dude with a Jamaican accent… Heck, most of the women I know are dyed blonde and tickled pink by the fact that they are unable to differentiate the Malaysian flag from the American flag.

Now meet Richard Tsen, the design mastermind behind Dude & The Duchess. Richard is an established local designer who made his name in the Singapore fashion industry, and a truly impeccable personality to spend an hour with. When asked about the brand, a collaboration with Benjamin Yong and Benedict Read of the Delicious Group, he exhaled slowly… and proceeded to indulge me in the whirlwind concept that is Dude & The Duchess.

Why the name “Dude & The Duchess”?
Richard laughed and explained that he wanted “dude”, the common pet name that every male bestows upon his fellow peers, to exist with substance. Therefore, he took the title and gave it a personality, the same personality that he builds D&D’s collections for. While there is no actual ‘duchess’ involved, the three dudes do a remarkable job on their own. Richard is aptly dubbed “the fashion dude”, Ben Yong is “the interior dude”, and Ben Read is as he always is; “the graphic dude”. Together, they achieve a perfect marriage of professional talents.

What is the concept behind the label?

This was when Richard got up, walked into a hidden space, and appeared with a press kit. “Everything you need to know is in here.” Okay, I said to myself as I scanned through the A4 pieces of needed information, there go the rest of my questions. He noticed my silent anxiety in being unable to proceed further, and decided to save me from my misery. “Did you notice that all our dummies are partially naked?” I looked around, and noted the bottomless mannequins adequately spread around the space. “Every wardrobe has the fundamentals; a black knee-length skirt, a basic pair of pants, those ratty jeans we just can’t seem to leave behind… We at D&D will NEVER produce bottoms because we’re here to provide the public with the conversation starters to go with those basics.”

That being said, D&D actually derives from basics. Unlike many local designers out there, Richard opts for the minimalist approach to style, preferring innovative classics to unorthodox deconstructions or (and I say this with a shudder) embellishments galore. Keeping comfort and functionality in sync, the brand offers a great range of shirts, jackets and blouses; strong key garments for your otherwise bland office wear.

What makes D&D stand out is their eye for details. The details do not stop at the ideal choices of materials and immaculate workmanship; Richard keeps wearers intrigued by adding little twists and quirks such as collars that are easily detachable, and sleeves that transform into capes.

The best part about owning a D&D design is that it will not hurt your credit card… much. The collection prices range from RM129 to RM399, and trust me when I say that as a shopper, you will be ripping them off with such low prices for great quality designer garments!

But whatever… He had me at “capes”, hence my credit card is at risk.

Will there be an online store? (See, I was thinking of you fashionistas!)
Just as the rest of us rely on the Internet on a daily basis, Richard understands the importance of an online store. So yes, dear psychotic shoppers, a website is in the works. For now, however, I strongly advice you to get off your lazy ass and visit the shop for a peek at true Malaysian talent, or wait for it to erupt in Singapore if it breaks your “Don’t buy Malaysian (unless it’s sold overseas)” promise to God.

Either way, Dude & The Duchess is, in this arrogant designer’s opinion, well worth the shopping experience.

Dude & The Duchess
UGF-19, Upper Ground Floor (beside Novo)
Bangsar Village 2,
No. 2, Jalan Telawi 1,
59100 Kuala Lumpur

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