A TALE RETOLD

Maariamaia makes wearable arts - one that weaves the old and new together, seamless

- LORRAINE CHAI

AS THE WORLD moves rapidly towards modernisation and globalisation, we witness a countertrend spurting, especially in fashion. While they welcome the modernity, fashion designers are also constantly turning to their culture, embracing the long-forgotten silhouette and craftsmanship and fortunate to say that the Malaysian talents are thriving and forging this practice among their international peers, finding every possible way to navigate and incorporate our roots in this ever-changing world. A name that is very hard to miss is Maariamaia – a label that offers both ready-to-wear and made-to-order pieces, specialising in making modernised Qipao.

Without a doubt, the vivid and nostalgic colour palatte captivates me, but what leaves me aghast is the amount of effort devoted in the process of fabrication, the beads and bobs, the embroideries, beguiling. May Tan, the mind behind the label, has a knack in turning a classic and traditional Qipao silhouette into contemporary and refined pieces that stand the test of time.

Please enlighten us on the pronunciation since it’s quite a mouthful and why do you pick this as the brand’s name.

It is pronounced Maa- ri - ma -ya. Everyone always wonder about the origin and meaning, but the story is not as mysterious as the name itself. It’s my name May reinterpreted in various languages. Maia has strong connotations to spring, the Roman earth goddess, rebirth, strength, power – all of which I aspire or identify with in design. I also wanted a memorable name that rolled off the tongue, so Maarimaia it is.

Tell us a bit about your background. I read that you were in retail marketing before you started your own label. Did that piece of experience affect your decision on how you run your label?