Sakura Collection Asia Student Awards 2016

| Personal |

| 2faded - RVRB  |

The majority of the time coming up to this competition was what seemed to be so much longer than the day of the competition itself. I don't even know where all the time went during the competition. It was a full day, but it felt like 2 hours! Don't forget to play 2faded by RVRB while reading this. This song I would havee definitely pictured playing in the background when I play the documentary of this whole competition in my head.

It all started with an inspiration I found which was "Irezumi." Irezumi means japanese traditional tattoos. Then the process continued as I learned more about Irezumi and started sketching a few designs. The designs was later approved by my lecturer. After, my design was submitted with a few fabric swatches and my mood board. My mood board I had first started with my own drawing. Then, I used photo shop to add in the respective colors following the traditional Japanese colors. 

A few weeks later on the day of my birthday, my lecturer had posted up the 7 out of the 11 finalist moodboards that was chosen for the competition from my school. From there, I spotted my mood board. I was honestly shocked, and I did not expect to have gotten chosen. Its kind of like when you just work hard for everything you do, but in the end its just so normal for you to get failure and nothing in return. For me, I didn't expect to get anything back in return because I usually don't. That's why I was shocked. When I found out all my classmates were chosen as well, I was more settled as I know I am not alone in this whole thing.

The rest was definitely the dreaded part of this whole process. Buying the material, sending the coat for embroidery (which took 2 weeks), stitching the whole damn thing. This was also the first time that I had ever interpreted my own drawings into my garment. Which was surreal to see your creation on your other creation.

  It took everyday out of the 2 weeks I had to complete this garment. The next thing you know, it's photo shoot time! I found my model, Jean from a talent agency. Jean was so great, and I honestly could not have asked for a better model. Shout out to Jean for being so supportive! The pictures below are some of the photo shoot pictures that weren't chosen for the online voting. The chosen picture is the 3rd one.

At this point, I was basically done for one week. I could have just rested for a week, you know chill watch Netflix and visit more pet shops to see the doggies. But I really couldn't sleep knowing that as I looked at my garment, there was this huge part missing. I was so not satisfied. And so I sat at my table at 12 a.m. that night and started to sketch a few designs to add to this garment. I'm a bit mental, I can admit that.

And so I put myself through hell for a week. It was go time as I confirmed my design with my lecturer, drafted the whole garment, bought the fabric, zipper, fabric paint, fabric marker and everything needed to create a tight jumpsuit that I was going to add on the inside. After this whole thing, I was so glad to have done the jumpsuit. It was probably the best decision I had made, throughout this whole competition.

I spent the whole week in school working hard drafting, sewing then painting this jumpsuit. Thank goodness I had help from my lecturers Ronney, Aishah and Jojo Yap. Thanks bosses. You guys are real MVPs.

I created the jumpsuit using a stretch material, and then hand painted this whole thing with (very expesive) fabric paint. A fabric marker was used to outline the drawings, giving it that very tattoo like effect. I also used a tube paint, that is used to created a 3-D effect for the outline such like a irezumi would give a 3-D effect. The outcome, was beyond my expectations. 

And before you know it, it was the day of the competition. I had 3 hours of sleep the day before, as I was way too nervous. I had to do some last adjustments to complete the coat that night as well. The next day started when I met up with the rest of Raffles Clan on a very early Friday morning. Next, we met up with some of the organizers and had a short briefing and rehearsal. Next was hair and makeup. It took us about 5 hours to do hair and makeup (which was just enough thank God). I really don't know where did all the time went. It felt like I looked at my watch and we had 5 hours to go, and a minute later I looked at my watch and its 15 minutes till we have to go down.

I was so nervous you don't even know. I had the whole speech memorized in my head as I was reciting in my mind backstage. My whole family and friends were outside, which made things even more pressured. The time finally came as I squeezed Jean's hand one last time before she went strutting down the runway.

Only when I saw Jean walking down the runway did I realize that this was actually happening. That this whole thing leading up to "this", yeah "this" was happening right now. That "this" was going to be all over soon, and then just be a memory.

I went up onto stage for a short Q&A, and then the winners was announced. I didn't get the top 3, but I am so happy to hear that the 1st and 3rd place winner, were students from my school as well. And they all deserved it as much as I did.

I look back at this competition and have zero regrets. I honestly could not have done anything more. I tried my very best and I am proud of my creation that came down the runway. Only when I saw Jean in my creation that I realized how real it is. Its easy as a designer to sketch clothes on a piece of paper, but when an idea you had in your mind is being created into legit pieces of clothing? It feels kind of surreal that this whole garment was all done by me. Its a proud feeling that I don't feel very often, but for once I do feel proud of what I had done. 

I also realized how many supportive friends and family I had around. For all my friends who came down all the way from Kuching to support me, to my parents who bought everything I needed for this competition, to my grandparents who voted for me. Its an overwhelming support I never knew I could receive so much from the people I surround myself with. I am so lucky to have so much love. Thank you so much to you guys man. I can cry happy tears just thinking of this. 

It was a day that is definitely a milestone in the life of Rachel Phan. It was my first official fashion show. This was the first I had ever worked with a model and a make-up artist. This was the first I had my garment ever going through with a real photo shoot. This had all settled as memories that I leave with little bits of sparkle in the back of my mind, I silently think of everyday.

I realized a lot of things going through this competition. I realized how grateful I should be for having crazy amount of support coming from my family and friends who spent time sending the link for the voting to their friends, to pass it on to their friends. 

But most of all, I realized how real it is pursuing fashion. You don't really get that hit wave of realization when you first get into something. Like you know, when you sign up for studying across the globe but it doesn't hit you until maybe the day before leaving home. Going through with this competition made me realize how real I am pursuing fashion. Even through all the assignments of creating many different garments and sewing all kinds of garments. Even through making my first button hole, or touching a sewing machine. Even when my friends keep telling me, "That's so great! You are finally pursuing your dream!".  It never really hit me that I'm on this insane ride, actually doing what I wanted to do for so long, finally pursuing my profession.

This is probably the first I had ever written about anything related to what I am currently pursuing. Hopefully there are more good stories to come. Cheers to working hard, going lengths, to pushing limits, finding our meaning and most of all, pursuing whatever our purpose is meant to be on this Earth. 

Love,

Rachel Khloe Phan

A Socks Frenzy

| Fashion |

| A sudden obsession with cool looking socks |

     This sudden obsession with socks is getting out of control. In the time span of just 1 week, I have gotten myself 8 pairs of socks. I just get so excited when I see all these printed socks hanging on the racks that I just can't resist leaving with at least  pair. And it doesn't help that there is sale on the socks rack in nearly every shop I go into. I really got influenced by the people in my school that is probably starting this trend. I always see people walking around school in such cool looking, printed socks that goes from their ankles all the way to their knees. I thought it was a really cool trend that I could (try) and rock. Most of these socks I've gotten does have a black and grey base, just because I think it would be much easier to match with whatever I am wearing. I'm not too ready to wear very colorful ones (yet). So if you love these socks and would like to try adding them to your outfits, then join me in this socks madness. Locations as to where I bought these awesome socks from are down below.  

      Be sure to see future blog posts to featuring these socks. 

Monki 

Monki

Topman

Monki 

Monki

H&M

H&M (Mens)

Love, 

Rachel Khloe Phan

Happy New Year!

|Fashion|

| 2015, the year of taking chances |

| Take Me Home- Jess Glynne |

    2015. Two zero one five. 20 to the 15. 2 zero 15. There can be so many ways I can say 2015 to you, but there is is no way I can express to you, though a blog post what an incredible 2015 I've had.

    Looking back at what has happened, I can say that there were times where I felt the smallest person in the world and there were times when I felt like nothing in the world could stop me from ever being this happy. There were times when I looked at everyone around me and felt completely alone and there were times when I felt the most belonged.
    I have compiled a few lessons I have learned in 2015. So these are my top 5 things I've learnt in 2015. Warning, this is going to be a really long blog post.

1. Working hard does not always guarantee success.
I've spent days staying up until 5 a.m., having only 3 hours of sleep, working my butt off to add more embellishments, to add more detailing, this and that. But in the end, I did not do so well as I thought I would. Working hard is something I have always strove to do, and that is really great don't get me wrong. And what I've learned is that, you should never ever stop working hard just because of one thing you did that you put your heart and soul in, but did not achieve. Life is like that, life sucks that way. But it doesn't mean that you should stop working hard. It means you have to work harder for what you want and one day, I am sure that all your hard work will pay off.

2. Don't ever assume.
I've met people at the start of 2015, thinking that they were totally different people than what I know of them now. If I could go back to start of 2015 me, I would tell myself that there is always more than what you actually see. That everyone has a much bigger story to themselves than when you first met them. I figured this out one day when I was having a really bad day, and had all these thoughts about school, friends, and even boys were clouding my mind. And I distinctively remember standing in a public area with tons of people walking around me and wondered if they were going though same thing I was. And the truth is that they were, but with a different plot and different names and different places. I've learned that now. And now I walk along the streets or even looking outside the window of my car and look at the the faces of people differently. I will always now wonder what their story is, and how I would want to know every single word. This also gives me a sense of comfort that we are all humans, and it is completely normal to feel this way.

3. Don't be afraid of taking fucking chances.
Go and ask that guy out, go and be the one to ask your friends if they wanna go catch this really weird convention, go and accept the risk of taking on a big assignment, go and eat that last slice of chicken, go and try that thing you always said you wouldn't do. DO IT BECAUSE YOU DESERVE TO KNOW HOW IT FEELS LIKE. You deserve to know the experience. YOU DESERVE TO LIVE. I don't know how much 2015 has thought me to take chances. I was definitely scared of trying new things that was out of my comfort zone, but I could not be more wrong. I can honestly say that 2015 has made me a much stronger, wiser, happier person because I took chances. Yes, we are all bound to fall sometimes but at least we knew how it felt? No regrets!

4. Growing up is not easy.
2015 was also the year I started college. I can still remember writing on my blog the day before, writing about how nervous I was about starting college. What I would say to freshman self is, to hold on really tight, be strong, don't cry, and smile because its a really long and bumpy ride. Moving from high school, where most of everyday is basically planned out for you, to college where everyday is basically up to you is frightening. You are being forced to pulled away from what you know, to something you know completely nothing about. You slowly kind of lose touch of some people you use to talk to or see everyday. You are pushed with so much responsibility you can't even handle. And you kind of just want to go back to when you were watching raindrops roll down your car window. But this is life, reality and in the end, you get up because you have to grow up. And slowly but surely, you get use to it. I can even see it in myself, how much I've grown. And for once, I'm quite proud of myself.

               

5. Its okay to not be okay.
I think 2015 was the year I finally learned to accept who I really am. I am still growing up am still finding myself and who I am. Somethings may  change and somethings may stay the same. But I am proud to say that 2015 was the year I was being myself. I am not going to lie, all the years before this I would be a different person around different people at times. And I was very unsteady about who I was. In 2015, I can honestly say I did not try to act a different person around anyone. I'm really glad I did so, because I finally felt so much happier surrounding myself with people who accepted me. When you realize that its okay to be you, I promise you will be so much happier. Its okay to cry and be emotional, its okay to like some crappy music someone else hates, its okay to like a mainstream band, its okay to get angry sometimes, its okay to like what you like because you are allowed to. Just accept the fact that you are that way, and you can't change yourself. So why lie to yourself and change who you are for the sake of other people?

    2015 was an incredible year because I learned the most this year. I experienced the most this year, I became who I really was this year. I made many mistakes and learned from people that I never knew could teach me and realized that there is really more to life than just to live. This time last year, I was hoping for a good year. Instead I got an incredible one. I did not get everything I wanted, but I got other things that I didn't even know I needed and experienced things that I never saw coming. Feel free to comment down below what are the 5 things you have learnt in 2015. I would love to read them.

     I hope you all had a great 2015. I have high hopes for you 2016. Happy New Year everyone.

Love,
Rachel Khloe Phan