“ATOPOS” – the ESMOD Kuala Lumpur Graduation Fashion Show 2023

The glitzy and glamorous highlight of the year, ESMOD Kuala Lumpur Graduation Fashion Show returned with the newest batch of soon-to-be graduates conquering the runway with their fashion masterpieces. Celebrating their graduation with a bang, the fashion show that took place on September 30, 2023 in Pavilion Bukit Jalil, witnessed the collections of 13 up-and-coming fashion designers who presented 65 pieces of exquisite creations.

This time around, the stage saw the FD2009 batch of Fashion Design & Pattern Making students exhibit incredible designs surrounding the theme “Atopos” – a Greek phrase composed of ‘topos’ (place) plus the ‘alpha’ prefix. Atopos is a self-confident person who does not seek external validation of their uniqueness. This term best describes all 13 students with their distinctive styles. The show was a celebration of their hard work, creativity and tireless efforts for the past three years.

During the Jury Week, the designers’ collections were appraised by a panel of judges made up of several notable names in the industry, namely fashion designers Jonathan Cheng, Creative Director of UnitedWood; Andy Sulaiman, Creative Director of Andy Sulaiman Menswear; Khoon Hooi, Creative Director of Khoon Hooi Couture; and Max Mak, a celebrity and media fashion stylist.

The fashion show was followed by the award presentation ceremony – conferring the three main awards to the deserving winners. The “Best Pattern Making Award” went to Joanne Chai Yi Ying for her collection titled “take my body” inspired by the unique beauty of orchids – drawing its distinctiveness and elegance to women, beautiful yet empowering.

The “Best Fashion Design Award” was presented to Shawn Ee Chun Seong for his collection titled “Symphonic Cacophony” – a fusion of chaos and creativity, drawing inspiration from neurodivergent minds. It urges one to find their own rhythm and dance to the melody of their authenticity in the symphony of life’s dissonance.

Finally, the prestigious “Golden Needle Award” – a pure gold needle made into a necklace, was awarded to the most exemplary student to honour their achievement throughout their study at ESMOD Kuala Lumpur. This year, the exclusive award was presented to Nurin Izzati binti Supry.

Upon graduation, these young designers will go out to take the fashion world by storm and this fashion show serves as a prelude to their talents and creativity. ESMOD KL aims to continue providing a platform for the students to proudly exhibit their hard work and knowledge earned over the years through stunning fashion shows. The show was a spectacular success thanks to its sponsors – Sony Malaysia, Tegas Broadcast, Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Crunchie Co., Le Classic Academy, Xtina Image Studio and 103 Coffee.