Kopitiam vibes
Blending elements from the kopitiam and the style of three generations in her family, Lee Chia creates an experiential collection that’s quirky and unique, writes Kasmiah Mustapha
TO us, a kopitiam is a place to enjoy a cup of coffee with toast and halfboiled eggs. But to Lee Chia, it is an inspiration for her debut fashion collection. Lee says it is not easy to translate the kopitiam into a fashion line but she wants to let people feel the vibe of the place that is part of the country’s history.
“I am very intrigued with kopitiam’s interior including the cups, wooden tables and chairs as I see their harmony. I used the hibiscus design for the cup and developed the motif for the designs.”
To make sure the collection also depicts fashion of the past, Lee infused the style of her family.
During her research, Lee looked into the history of the kopitiam and how immigrants from China came to Nanyang which means south sea or Southeast Asia. This inspired her to look into her family history.
“It was interesting to find out about my great-grandmother’s journey to bring her family to Malaya on a boat and life after they settled down.
“I was also fascinated with the way societies collided and cultures intertwined, especially through their fashion.”
What I want to sell is experience.
Lee Chia
fashion pop-up exhibition that showcased 60 top fashion graduates.
Last September, Lee took part in the New York Textile Month, displaying her collection alongside Eileen Fisher’s Circular by Design exhibition.
She lives in New York and works as a freelance knitwear designer at Rachel Comey, an independent fashion designer.
Lee says it was not her plan to become a fashion designer until she took a summer fashion designing course in New York. It was during the course that she realised she liked to make crafts with her hands Based her mother’s style, this knitted floral dress follows the pattern of coffee cups in the kopitiam. Raffia strings embellishments are looped into the dress to highlight the pattern.
such as knitting, sewing and embroidery.
“I just love exploring materials. I want to start from the beginning which is designing the fabric itself. I want to see how I can transform textile into clothes. There is a lot of possibility with knitwear. It is about understanding the materials and then transforming them into a fashion line.
“I have built my career in knitwear design. What I want to sell is experience and that is why my collection is special. It is not only about the textile but also how we can preserve the craft.”