Chloé to Open At Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

After decades of waiting so patiently and after hundreds of trips made between continents to get the dainty hands on the must wear and flaunt pieces, French fashion house Chloé is finally making its official presence here through a freestand boutique at the soon-to-open Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur is the third destination for Chloé after making a triumphant debut among fashion devotees at Siam Paragon in Bangkok and Changi Airport in Singapore. The KL boutique will be operated by luxury goods and lifestyle retailer, The Valiram Group and it will carry a complete selection of ready-to-wear and accessories to cater the demands of KL's fashion-conscious crowd.

The story of Chloé began in 1952 when it was founded by an Egyptian-born Parisienne Gaby Aghion. A dark beauty with Bohemian spirit, Aghion strictly rejects the formality of the 50's sense of fashion that are too stiff.

Instead, she created soft, body-conscious clothes from fine fabrics and called them "prêt-a-porter de luxe" or "luxury ready-to-wear". Back then, Aghion's creations were considered as unique and beautifully crafted compared to the rest of the Parisian couture.

In 1956, Aghion and her business partner Jacques Lenoir presented their first collection to the public for the first time at Café de Flore during breakfast. They chose to name the collection as Chloé, a name that represents their warm and feminine appeal and indeed, the name goes perfectly in sync with the new mood of Paris - youthful and modern in design, plus a slight audacious spirit.

As the label grew popular, both Aghion and Lenoir initiated what would become the brand's hallmark - hiring young and talented designers to design for the house. From fashion maestro of the century Karl Lagerfeld who joined the house in 1966 to Martine Sitbon in 1980's, the tradition continues with the appointment of Stella McCartney, daughter of The Beatles' Sir Paul McCartney and followed by Phoebe Philo who introduced the world to the madness of Paddington and Silverado - two It bags that generated long waiting list.

Last October, Swedish designer Paulo Melim Andersson was chosen to take over the chair of Chloé's chief designer and like his predecessors, Paulo is continuing the Chloé design legacy.

A St. Martins Central alumni, his previous experience in fashion designing includes a stint with Belgian designer Martin Margiela and as Design Director for Italian label Marni for almost eight years. Andersson's debut collection for Fall/Winter 2007-08 was staged at Jardin Les Tuilleries, Paris and received tremendous reviews from fashion editors.

For Fall/Winter 2007-08, Andersson tries to recreate the magic of his predecessors by serving a wholesome delicacies of feminine silhouettes and clean shapes. From depressed double face deerskin jacket to depressed wool voile reversible dress in sombre Pistachio, the Swedish designer knows how to mix the moods very well.

Add gray wool toile top with ribbon trim and anthracite cashmere jersey skirt with deerscape embroidery, potato skin-washed sleeveless tee shirt with hand cut appliqué, lipstick waffle stitched embroidered pencil skirt and lipstick wool and silk bustier dress embellished with PVC flower appliqué to the collection just to name a few, you could have a complete collection of wardrobe for the rest of Fall season. No theatrical effect applies.

My pick for Chloé's Fall/Winter 2007-08 will be depressed Pistachio wool toile dress with bonded fabric palm appliqué and cashmere ribbon belt.

I love it because the appliqué seemed to be smooth as if it was printed on the fabric, instead of being hand-sewn.

Furthermore, the dress suits both day and night occasions and perfect for someone who works by day but at the same time wanting to party at night without having to go through a change.

For accessories, booties, ankle and knee-height, are the main attraction in Andersson's collection. Must tote handbags or the future It bags for the Fall/Winter 2007-08 season are Elvire handbag uniquely made with elephant leather, medium sized Audra zipped handbag in green patent leather, Bay bag also crafted using the exotic and dyed elephant leather, and last but not least, another Bay shoulder bag in Moka leather.

If you are a devoted Paddington fan, you'll be surprised that this season it doesn't come in either leather or python, but ... you guess it, elephant!

For shoes, the heels never cease walking. Andersson is seducing her female clients with the tempting high heeled shoes with single strap in red Bois natural leather. And those sexy pair of shoes, along with Andersson's new interpretation of Paddington, are on my list of personal picks.

Chloé's complete Fall/Winter 2007-08 Ready-to-Wear line and accessories will be available at Chloé boutique at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur by the third quarter of this year. At the mean time, Chloé's accessories and shoes collection are available at Shuz, Suria KLCC.

*Photos courtesy of Chloé

Chloé @ Shuz - First Floor, Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang, 50800 Kuala Lumpur.