future fashion now ss13 | part 1.

 With the whole world moving at the speed of light, having to wait a whole season to get your paws on that gooooorgeous Tory Burch bag isn't only fashion torture, but it's impractical, inefficient, and is probably one of the greatest drawbacks of the industry, although no one ever says so. That's why Future Fashion Now might just be the next greatest thing ever - it empowers consumers to order custom-made looks straight off the runway in real time. Debuting at Singapore's Audi Fashion Festival in May 2012, FFN hopes to lift up emerging designers and bring fashionistas closer to their clothes - thus bridging the gap between customer and designer. FFN made an appearance at Paris Fashion Week this year, and on Wednesday night, they did the whole thing all over again for their supporters on their home turf - all 11 designers packed into three absolutely electric shows:

Show 1: Khoon Hooi (Kuala Lumpur), Esther Perbandt (Berlin), Ong Shunmugam (Singapore) and Elohim by Sabrina Goh (Singapore).

Show 2: Saena (Berlin), Saturday (Singapore), Juma (New York), Jonathan Liang (Paris).

Show 3: Dzojchen (Singapore), Mae Pang (Singapore), Evenodd (Singapore). 

 With beautiful models, fast-paced turnovers, deafening beats and the brightest lights, every single audience member remained thoroughly intrigued for the duration of all three shows. I'd be typing until tomorrow morning if I were to tell you exactly what I thought of every aspect of the event, so I'll split my FFN roundup into three parts - one for each show. 

Khoon Hooi 
 {view the whole collection here}
A vibrant celebration of youthfulness, color and luxury, Khoon Hooi's SS13 ensembles were saturated with texture, femininity and delectable candy-colored embellishments. It struck the perfect balance between demureness and sensuality and effortlessly flattered the female form. By mixing summery prints such as lace and retro florals and layering them with the likes of neutral chiffon and mesh, the collection satisfied a wide array of style preferences and trends. While hemlines were short and mesh overlays were provocative, the neutral backdrop upon which the glitzy sequins resided provided a classy complexion for the more risque aspects of Hooi's imagination to take flight. I especially enjoyed his innovative take on the much overdue peplum trend; by "lacing" the fabric in the same way you lace a shoe (see this lacing on the blue minidress above), he injected a classic, long-term trend with a refreshing update. He manipulated silhouettes with the unique use of ornamental organza flowers, usually in a muted, matte gold color. These twirly floral additions were placed at the waist, hips and occasionally the shoulders, and succeeded as the perfect summery touch for a very modern collection. Each of the zips were decorated with a thick bunch of black tassels, serving as a subtle defining feature of Hooi's work - tres cute, if you ask me! Streamlined mustard pantsuits, T-strap dresses and brocade motifs created by coral-colored sequins were definite standouts, and although the sex appeal was another bonus, the low cut dresses and barely-there backs could've easily resulted in a nip-slip or two. Or four. Nevertheless, from sequin-smothered shift dresses to luxuriously shapeless maxis, Hooi's creations ticked all the boxes of what a successful Spring/Summer collection should be.

Esther Perbandt 
 {view the whole collection here}
(apologies for the lack of runway pictures, Camilla and I were undergoing some technical difficulties with the camera during Esther Perbandt's show!)

With an evident penchant for fabric deconstruction and subsequent re-construction, Perbandt's belief in the power of fabric is evident through the lack of stand-out embellishments and kaleidoscopic color in her collection. Simple pleated shorts, alluring sheer blouses and unfinished pantsuits gave the feminine form a fresh new identity, punctuated by the recurring use of metallic chain-belts. These elegant belts ultimately determined the silhouette of any given ensemble, and were used to a variety of powerful effects. Hung loosely as a drop waist in one instance, and fastened firmly at the waist in another, they wove through the whole collection and suggested an industrial feel. Speaking of weaves, the sophisticated shift dress in stone-cold blue (the only evidence of color in this collection) sported a classic weave and a contrasting modern neckline, adding a refreshing new dimension to the presentation. Ultra-sheer swathes of black chiffon were sent down the runway, and appeared to have been massacred by the likes of a three year old with scissors and were covered with oddly placed zips. The same million-dollar aesthetic was brought down to earth in the form of an equally "zippy" grey cardigan, a slouchy grey tank emblazoned with a modern motif, and neutral harem pants, which, dare I say, looked comfy enough to be pajamas! With such strong androgynous tailoring and a beautifully silent aesthetic, the skillful manipulation of mere fabric without any fussy frills attached was more than enough to do justice to this designer's work.

Elohim by Sabrina Goh 
 {view the whole collection here}

Mint greens, electric blues and blazing reds, Goh's works of art exploded onto the runway and left behind a fluorescent, psychedelic trail which set the mood for the rest of the evening. Modern, sterile, and oh-so geometric, this collection played with only a few colors but did so to a marvelous extent. Each model was sent down the runway donning a pair of mirrored space-age glasses, which only emphasized the clean-cut power of what they were wearing. The show opened with a seamless, fluid asymmetrical side-slit dress in a shocking blue (pictured in black on the far left of the runway photos), which showed no evidence of hemline stitching, or for that matter, any form of stitching. This was followed by modern shift dresses (pictured on the far left of the lookbook photos) and preppy frocks updated for the 21st (or 22nd...) century. Sleeveless and full-skirted a la 1950s, but sensually thigh-skimming and adorned with peplum overlays (pictured on the far right of the runway photos) in less-than-demure colors. Goh subsequently began to showcase her explorations into volume and shape, and played with stripy boyfriend tees which were reincarnated later into office-ready tailored separates. Standouts from this collection would have to be the puzzle side-slit dress (pictured on the far right of the lookbook photos), an ingenious marriage between a soft gray skirt and an architectural blue shift, and the puzzle top (pictured in the center of the runway photos), a cut-and-paste confection of prints in a desirable slouchy cut. 

Ong Shunmugam 

{view the whole collection here}

Ong Shunmugam is on the "quest to craft beautiful clothes" and put "sartorial construction before fast fashion," and after sitting through a five minute runway presentation of their absolutely delectable Spring/Summer 2013 collection, I am completely and utterly taken with this brand. Created for the "thoughtful dresser," Ong Shunmugam ateliers across Asia look only as far as their oriental front lawns for inspiration, and combine sophisticated prints through the use of gentle geometric shapes to create multifaceted ensembles with a clear oriental heritage. Almost all the looks employed the same simple collar (I don't really know if it's Chinese or Japanese or whatever, but I know that it's Asian!), which served to elongate the neck and conceal the chest/cleavage in the manner of a conservative, classy woman. With a million dollar color palette, this pared-down collection sported everything from elegant olive pantsuits to caped floor length dresses, and plenty of lace-adorned shift dresses in between. I particularly enjoyed the shift dresses, which each displayed up to four different prints and a medley of colors. As the show progressed, the collection began to pull away from strict Asian influences, and explore general floral motifs. Powerful capes were the perfect way to end the show - and the translucency of the chiffon floral capes looked beautiful against the runway lights. Ong Shunmugam provided a dramatic sequence of pieces, but they weren't silly and theatrical. They were inspired by fantasy, yet were utterly in-tune with reality.  

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Which collection did you guys like the best and why?