Meet Bremen Wong, Malaysia’s only hat-maker.
A native of Sabah, Wong traded his suit and tie for a career in millinery
fashion after discovering the headpieces he created and sold at bazaars and
flea markets were a huge hit amongst his customers.
The 42-year-old
sat down with us to talk about his craft and what it takes to break into the
local fashion industry.
Would you say you fell into the millinery business by
accident?
Oh, definitely.
I was working as a textile business development manager in Carrefour and
moonlighting as a small time businessman at the pasar malam (flea market) before making a spontaneous career
change. But everything developed and progressed really organically since I made
the switch to millinery fashion.
How do you feel about becoming Malaysia’s sole
milliner?
To be honest,
there are loads of pros and cons when your career is one of its kind in
Malaysia. But I am a very optimistic
person; I try to see the glass half full. So every struggle that I had to
overcome since starting out has taught me to understand and appreciate my
talent all the more.
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| Miss Universe Malaysia, Vanessa Tevi clad in Wong's Bunga Mas design for the Miss Universe 2015 event in Las Vegas. Sourced from Wong's Instagram account |
Did you teach yourself the art of millinery?
You know, you
have to, when you are the only milliner in Malaysia (laughs). It was and still is a learning process for me. In the
early days, no one really understood my style, my hats were sometimes looked
upon as too avant garde , too dramatic or too bold. But that is how you get
better at it, through trial and error.
How did you receive your big break?
I collaborated
with Project Runway Malaysia’s alumnus Alexander Yeoh. I would say that was my
first big break into the local fashion scene. The opportunity opened many doors
for me.
Where do you get the inspiration for your hat designs
from?
I am a
self-professed kampung (village) boy.
Most of my inspirations come from nature, the sea and mountains back in Sabah.
I channel the energy around me and use those emotions to create my designs. In
a way, my designs are also fragmented stories of my life. Each hat I design
carries a little bit of my identity in them.
What is the highlight of your millinery career?
I had the
opportunity to represent Asia for the Who’s Next Premiere Classe exhibition in
Paris last year.
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Wong’s ‘Flowing Zen Hat’ displayed at the Premiere Classe Exhibition in Paris |
You once said that it is tough to expand the millinery market and demand in Malaysia. In your opinion, has your view
I do not think
Malaysians wear fancy hats as much as they do caps or simpler hats because of
the high price point of couture hats. If anything, Malaysians only wear avant
garde hats for special events or when attending fashion shows.
So, it is quite tough for me, as a milliner,
to expand the market and demand in Malaysia. But I believe that this will soon
change. The Malaysian fashion scene boasts an eclectic mix of cultures, with
art and fashion becoming more prominent these days. So, working hand in hand
with fashion, I believe millinery fashion will soon have a stronger presence in
Malaysia.
Do you have a project you are currently working on?
Well, I am
currently putting on the finishing touches to my solo runway show and exhibition
next year. I am also planning to incorporate my designs in home décor as well,
like lamp shades because hats make good lamp shades. (laughs )
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| “My hat designs are all white in |
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I will probably
move to London or Paris to further develop my millinery career.
For more
information on Wong’s couture designs, do not hesitate to click on the link to
his website:
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