Dream Weavers

In an era of instant gratification, is there anything more luxurious than having outfits painstakingly constructed to your exact specifications? Eight of Asia’s top bespoke designers— and their muses—prove that some things are worth the wait

Bernard Chandran with Mary Lourdes-Chandran

If Dato’ Sri Bernard Chandran, Malaysia’s “King of Fashion,” were to put a message on a billboard about fashion, it would read, “Get used to it.” “Fashion trends come and go, but styling is how you adapt to the changes and make it your own,” says the designer, who has dressed royalty, top socialites and celebrities such as Lady Gaga and the Sultanah of Brunei.

It was Chandran who first fused Parisian haute couture elements with traditional Malaysian wear, such as the baju kurung, the Chinese cheongsam and the Indian sari. “I wanted to champion the idea that traditional wear can be couture,” he says. You can always expect the unexpected with his creations, as Chandran is passionate about pushing boundaries. “I’m always eager to experiment and I will advise my client to do the same. I can be designing a sari but I’ll experiment with Chantilly lace or vintage fabric, a different zip or a unique technique of stitching or embellishing.” The designer’s ultimate muse is his wife, former supermodel Datin Sri Mary Lourdes Chandran, with whom he has five children. “She is confident in her skin—she knows what to flaunt and what to hide,” he says. For her part, Lourdes-Chandran trusts her husband completely. She admits that while she has sometimes felt uncertain about a new style he is incorporating into his creations for her, he has always made the right call. “I’ve learnt that all I need to do is take time to digest what he has created for me—even if the look isn’t my usual style,” she says. “As he says, fashion is all about learning how to get used to change.”