By DANIAL FUAD

Dato’ Sri Bernard Chandran has been in the fashion industry for 30 years, a timespan so significant for such presence — a child would grow into adulthood in the same length of time. He starts his journey into fashion with a two-year study at International Fashion Training Centre, where he holds his first fashion show. “I dropped out of Accounting to enrol into fashion school and when I was there, my Accounting school called up asking me to do a fashion show,” tells Bernard. What follows is his voyage to Paris in the 1990s to further delve himself into fashion.

Self discovery in Paris

A four-year sojourn in the European continent has opened his eyes to the importance of preservation through fashion. Bernard chimes in, “When I learnt about fashion history, I discovered how the Europeans really cared about their fashion up to the point of preservation. That was the moment when I realised that I need to contribute to my country by documenting its fashion.” Although it is liberating to be in Western countries, he quickly realises the importance of developing his own nation and with it, starts to open his first workshop in 1994, located in Kuala Lumpur.

“During my study days, I had friends who thought that Kuala Lumpur was a nice city, but everyone dressed the same, so I took that personally and planned to do a full collection of Baju Raya,” the designer continues. That has fuelled his passion to create traditional wear that makes use of patterns and vibrant colours in his designs. His full Raya collection begins in 2006, 12 years after he returns to Malaysia entitled Petang Raya.

Birth of Petang Raya

“I introduced twists in classical wear by incorporating contemporary looks in them, such as mixing French lace into the baju kurung,” Bernard adds. The designer comes up with fashion lines guided by the thought that celebrities and high-ranking officials would be proud to wear something traditional; not only in festive seasons but also during events and award ceremonies. This collection has been going strong year by year to this day, making this its 18th year of existence.

To celebrate his third decade in the industry, Bernard held a fashion show on top of an exhibition of his work over the years. He comments, “We have selected about 150 from our collection of 2,000 pieces and had put them on display here in Fahrenheit 88, titled Unmatched.” Various periods of his work were put on display last July 5–7, 2024, on the vast third floor of the mall, where he started to plant his roots in the local fashion industry 30 years ago.

The Past and The Future

Different sections showcases Bernard’s various styles and designs over the years, highlighting his mastery in each creation from his studio. Unmatched display of the past is seen in the exhibition and fashion show as well as the spirit of looking forward to the future. The presentation includes multiple line-ups: Lover’s Shirt with floral frills and laces, Koyak which focuses on torn traditional wear designs, and The Jeans, a line-up of infused denim and baju kebaya.

Unmatched displays the capabilities of Bernard in evolving the fashion landscape with his modern take on traditional wear, such as using double the amount of fabric used in sarees and baju kurung. Previously, he has hosted other exhibitions in Fahrenheit 88 which are not exclusively fashion-themed, and they would showcase promising visual arts. This exhibition and fashion show is a testament to the strength Bernard has in enduring three decades of being in the industry and the love he has for the country. Notable attendees at the event spanned various fields, including writer Karina Robles Bahrin, gymnast Farah Ann, director Amanda Nell Eu, and artists across disciplines like Kenji Chai, Shaq Koyok, Zee Avi, and Leaism. Further details on Bernard’s work can be found on his Instagram as well as Facebook.

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