Bernard Chandran
Encyclopedia
Dato Bernard Chandran is a Malaysian fashion designer. His talents have earned him many faithful clients among Malaysia's elite most notably the Royal families of Malaysia and Brunei
as well as two former Miss Universe
. Due to this, Chandran used to be known as Malaysia's "Prince Of Fashion", but is now being hailed as Malaysia's "King Of Fashion".
Bernard Chandran is also a Malaysian
television personality. He's known as the chief designer of the reality television
show Project Runway Malaysia
, since its debut on 8TV
on 3 August 2007.
He is also a brand ambassador for the Tiffani By Izen service apartments (to be completed in 2009), developed by Ireka Land Sdn Bhd.
Chandran was a guest judge on Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 6
, Episode 12. The top three models were given the chance to model for Chandran's fashion show during the London Fashion Week.
Bernard Chandran is of both Indian and Chinese parentage (commonly referred to as Chindian
in Malaysia). He grew up in an average Malaysian family. His father wanted him to become an accountant and he almost followed this advice, before briefly considering being a tobacconist, "It's a good career!".
At aged 16, he had already decided he wanted to be a fashion designer and it was just a case of convincing his father. He initially studied fashion in a local fashion college known as International Fashion Training Centre (IFTC) in Petaling Jaya
, Selangor
, Malaysia.
During his time at the college, he was known for his shyness backstage around the undressed models during his initial fashion shows at the local college. Given three months after graduation to prove himself, he arranged his debut solo show, taking the first steps on the road to becoming Malaysia's top designer. Bernard's father was won over and helped fund his son's further studies, with Bernard soon winning a place at the prestigious Paris Fashion School in Paris
, France
.
In 1991, he decided to join the 'Open European Contest for Look of the Year 2000'. Chandran won and broke the record of being the first non-European to win the coveted title. "The contest was gruelling," grinned Bernard. "I am so happy to be the first non-white winner as it proves that Asians are as good as anyone else". For his pains, Chandran received a camera, 19 000 francs, and more important publicity and contacts which opened doors.
Lolita Lempicka
offered him a job on the spot, which was flattering but he felt it was still too early. "I want to be completely well-versed in my craft before joining a top house because their expectations are high and by then you are not allowed room to make mistakes." quipped Chandran.
Chandran is only too aware how important this was in starting his career, "Everyone must go to a fashion school to understand the basics of fashion. Not only to learn design, but the history of fashion too".
, he returned to Malaysia to set up his maiden shop in KL Plaza in 1993. The first 'Bernard Chandran' couture house was a small rented shop with a handful of staff in the heart of Kuala Lumpur
. From there, he built up his client base amongst the who's who of Kuala Lumpur, ranging from the rich to royalty. He has now expanded his shop in KL Plaza to take up 4 shop lots and is nearly 300 square meters in area. He was voted Designer of the Year by the Malaysian International Fashion Awards in 2003.
Chandran has also started introducing Europe to his couture with a boutique at swanky Knightsbridge
, London
.
His creations are drawn from Chinese, Malay, Indian and other eastern cultures. He regularly does shows around the world, although he does tailor his overseas ranges to be more daring than his range for Malaysia. Bernard believes in the importance of creativity, confidence and vision. "I believe in myself. If my heart feels right then I will go with what it says"
"My inspiration comes from my customers...how they move, how they talk, their attitudes, their lifestyles. When I first meet a new customer, I make her understand that I am here to make you look good," Chandran's favourite designers are Valentino "For his femininity and finishing", and Galliano
"He has a great spirit".
Chandran himself has appeared on the covers of numerous Malaysian magazines, such as Malaysia Tatler, Shape Malaysia, Female, Men's Health and Parenthood.
His wife, Datin Mary Lourdes Chandran has shared spotlight with him on few covers too.
notably wore a striking azure blue dress by the designer with exaggerated pointing hips to perform at the 2008 MTV European Music Awards. She also chose to wear two (one on stage in a duet with Kanye West and one for the red carpet) of his distinctive pieces to the 51st Grammy awards, where she went on to win her first Grammy.
Lady Gaga
has also been spotted in designs from Chandran's Collections. She even wore a Chandran piece for her interview with Jay Leno
English electropop musician, Little Boots
wore a Chandran dress for her interview with Metro.co.uk.
Rihanna
wore a hat from Chandran's Autumn Winter 09 Collection for her famous topless, bondage-style shoot with Vogue Italia
.
Musical goddess, Tori Amos
chose to wear a stunning red gown from Chandran for the cover of her 2009 holiday album, "Midwinter Graces
". The dress is from Bernard Chandran’s Autumn Winter 09 collection. Chandran had also designed all the 15 gowns for her current concert.
collections.
Chandran comes up with a special collection every year called the Petang Raya Collection (An Evening Of Celebration) to cater to the local Malaysian market for the festive season of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Datuk Chandran is intensely proud of his Indian ancestry and heritage. His home has many portraits of him and his family regaled in extravagant historical Indian garbs.
Chandran is firm about not spoiling his kids. That means no branded clothes or flippant purchases, so they would learn the value of money.
He starts his mornings by offering puja (prayers), together with the family. It’s a daily discipline that he wants his children to embrace, so they will grow up with a strong set of values and a sense of duty. Chandran wants his children to be grounded in faith.
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
as well as two former Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
. Due to this, Chandran used to be known as Malaysia's "Prince Of Fashion", but is now being hailed as Malaysia's "King Of Fashion".
Bernard Chandran is also a Malaysian
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
television personality. He's known as the chief designer of the reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show Project Runway Malaysia
Project Runway Malaysia
Project Runway Malaysia is a Malaysian reality television series on 8TV that focuses on fashion design. Its contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are usually restricted in their time, materials, and theme. Their designs are judged and one or more designers are...
, since its debut on 8TV
8TV (Malaysia)
8TV is a private Malaysian Chinese television station, previously known as MetroVision Channel 8. Metrovision closed on 1 November 1999. 8TV was officially launched on Thursday, 8 January 2004 as 8TV after being acquired by Media Prima Berhad....
on 3 August 2007.
He is also a brand ambassador for the Tiffani By Izen service apartments (to be completed in 2009), developed by Ireka Land Sdn Bhd.
Chandran was a guest judge on Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 6
Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 6
Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 6 was the sixth cycle of Britain's Next Top Model, and the sixth cycle to air on Living. It premiered on 5 July 2010. This cycle featured a completely revamped judging panel. Host Lisa Snowdon was replaced by supermodel Elle Macpherson...
, Episode 12. The top three models were given the chance to model for Chandran's fashion show during the London Fashion Week.
Early years
Bernard Chandran was born to Mr. P Ramachandran and Mrs Chow Yook Lin.Bernard Chandran is of both Indian and Chinese parentage (commonly referred to as Chindian
Chindian
"Chindian" is a compound word used to refer to an Indian restaurant within the village of Chinnor, Oxfordshire. It is formed simply, yet ingeniously, by putting the "ch" from "Chinnor" in front of the word "Indian"....
in Malaysia). He grew up in an average Malaysian family. His father wanted him to become an accountant and he almost followed this advice, before briefly considering being a tobacconist, "It's a good career!".
At aged 16, he had already decided he wanted to be a fashion designer and it was just a case of convincing his father. He initially studied fashion in a local fashion college known as International Fashion Training Centre (IFTC) in Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya
Petaling Jaya is a Malaysian city originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur comprising mostly residential and some industrial areas. It is located in the Petaling district of Selangor with an area of approximately 97.2 km². On 20 June 2006, Petaling Jaya was granted a...
, Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
, Malaysia.
During his time at the college, he was known for his shyness backstage around the undressed models during his initial fashion shows at the local college. Given three months after graduation to prove himself, he arranged his debut solo show, taking the first steps on the road to becoming Malaysia's top designer. Bernard's father was won over and helped fund his son's further studies, with Bernard soon winning a place at the prestigious Paris Fashion School in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In 1991, he decided to join the 'Open European Contest for Look of the Year 2000'. Chandran won and broke the record of being the first non-European to win the coveted title. "The contest was gruelling," grinned Bernard. "I am so happy to be the first non-white winner as it proves that Asians are as good as anyone else". For his pains, Chandran received a camera, 19 000 francs, and more important publicity and contacts which opened doors.
Lolita Lempicka
Lolita Lempicka
Lolita Lempicka is the pseudonym of Josiane Maryse Pividal , a French fashion designer. The pseudonym is meant to be an homage to the novelist Vladimir Nabokov and the Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka, combining the nickname of the title character of the former's Lolita with the surname of the...
offered him a job on the spot, which was flattering but he felt it was still too early. "I want to be completely well-versed in my craft before joining a top house because their expectations are high and by then you are not allowed room to make mistakes." quipped Chandran.
Chandran is only too aware how important this was in starting his career, "Everyone must go to a fashion school to understand the basics of fashion. Not only to learn design, but the history of fashion too".
In the Industry
After honing his skills overseas in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, he returned to Malaysia to set up his maiden shop in KL Plaza in 1993. The first 'Bernard Chandran' couture house was a small rented shop with a handful of staff in the heart of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. From there, he built up his client base amongst the who's who of Kuala Lumpur, ranging from the rich to royalty. He has now expanded his shop in KL Plaza to take up 4 shop lots and is nearly 300 square meters in area. He was voted Designer of the Year by the Malaysian International Fashion Awards in 2003.
Chandran has also started introducing Europe to his couture with a boutique at swanky Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
His creations are drawn from Chinese, Malay, Indian and other eastern cultures. He regularly does shows around the world, although he does tailor his overseas ranges to be more daring than his range for Malaysia. Bernard believes in the importance of creativity, confidence and vision. "I believe in myself. If my heart feels right then I will go with what it says"
"My inspiration comes from my customers...how they move, how they talk, their attitudes, their lifestyles. When I first meet a new customer, I make her understand that I am here to make you look good," Chandran's favourite designers are Valentino "For his femininity and finishing", and Galliano
John Galliano
John Charles Galliano CBE, RDI is a Gibraltan-born British fashion designer who was best known as head designer of French haute couture houses Givenchy and Christian Dior , and his own self titled fashion house.-Family:He was born in Gibraltar to a Gibraltarian father, Juan Galliano, and a...
"He has a great spirit".
Chandran himself has appeared on the covers of numerous Malaysian magazines, such as Malaysia Tatler, Shape Malaysia, Female, Men's Health and Parenthood.
His wife, Datin Mary Lourdes Chandran has shared spotlight with him on few covers too.
Celebrities in Bernard Chandran
EstelleEstelle (singer)
Estelle Fanta Swaray commonly known as Estelle, and formerly as Est'elle, is an English R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer.-Early Life:Estelle was born 18 January 1980 in Hammersmith, London, England...
notably wore a striking azure blue dress by the designer with exaggerated pointing hips to perform at the 2008 MTV European Music Awards. She also chose to wear two (one on stage in a duet with Kanye West and one for the red carpet) of his distinctive pieces to the 51st Grammy awards, where she went on to win her first Grammy.
Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
has also been spotted in designs from Chandran's Collections. She even wore a Chandran piece for her interview with Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
English electropop musician, Little Boots
Little Boots
Victoria Christina Hesketh, also known by her stage name/pseudonym Little Boots, is an English electropop singer-songwriter. Her stage name comes from a nickname given to her by a friend, a reference to her unusually small feet...
wore a Chandran dress for her interview with Metro.co.uk.
Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
wore a hat from Chandran's Autumn Winter 09 Collection for her famous topless, bondage-style shoot with Vogue Italia
Vogue Italia
Vogue Italia is the Italian edition of Vogue magazine. Owned by Condé Nast International, it is the least commercial of all editions of Vogue magazine and has been called the top fashion magazine in the world....
.
Musical goddess, Tori Amos
Tori Amos
Tori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
chose to wear a stunning red gown from Chandran for the cover of her 2009 holiday album, "Midwinter Graces
Midwinter Graces
Midwinter Graces is the 11th solo studio album by singer-songwriter Tori Amos. Released on November 10, 2009 , through Universal Republic Records, it is the first seasonal album by Amos, and is also notable for marking her return to a more classical, stripped-down, baroque sound with various...
". The dress is from Bernard Chandran’s Autumn Winter 09 collection. Chandran had also designed all the 15 gowns for her current concert.
Collections
Chandran's Ready-to-wearReady-to-wear
Ready-to-wear or prêt-à-porter is the term for factory-made clothing, sold in finished condition, in standardized sizes, as distinct from made to measure or bespoke clothing tailored to a particular person's frame. Off-the-peg is sometimes used for items which are not clothing.Ready-to-wear has...
collections.
- Autumn / Winter 2011-12
- Spring / Summer 2010
- Autumn / Winter 2010
- Spring / Summer 2010
- Autumn / Winter 2009
- Spring / Summer 2009
- Autumn / Winter 2008
- Spring / Summer 2008
- Autumn / Winter 2007
- Spring / Summer 2007
- Autumn / Winter 2006 - 2007
Chandran comes up with a special collection every year called the Petang Raya Collection (An Evening Of Celebration) to cater to the local Malaysian market for the festive season of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
- Petang Raya 2010 / 2011
- Petang Raya 2009 / 2010
- Petang Raya 2008 / 2009
- Petang Raya 2007 / 2008
- Petang Raya 2006 / 2007
Family
He is happily married to one of his former models, Datin Mary Lourdes Chandran (A Malaysian of ethnic Indian origin). She is a former International model and was one of the most successful Malaysian models in the 1980s. Together they have five children.Datuk Chandran is intensely proud of his Indian ancestry and heritage. His home has many portraits of him and his family regaled in extravagant historical Indian garbs.
Chandran is firm about not spoiling his kids. That means no branded clothes or flippant purchases, so they would learn the value of money.
He starts his mornings by offering puja (prayers), together with the family. It’s a daily discipline that he wants his children to embrace, so they will grow up with a strong set of values and a sense of duty. Chandran wants his children to be grounded in faith.
Awards
- He became the first Malaysian to win the 'Open European Contest for Look of the Year 2000' in 1991.
- He was voted Designer of the Year by the Malaysian International Fashion Awards in 2003.
- He received his honorific, Datuk, in 2006 when he was awarded the Seri Indera Mahkota Pahang (SIMP) by the Sultan Ahmad Shah Sultan Abu Bakar, the SultanSultanSultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of PahangPahangPahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...
, Malaysia.
- Chandran was awarded Malaysian International Fashion Alliance's [MIFA] Special Achievement Award 2009.