ANDY Sulaiman may have earned a business degree from a San Francisco university in the US, but his professional experience led him down a different path — one that brought out the best in him: fashion design.
It comes as no surprise that the self-taught designer walked away with the award for Best Costume Design at the 2019 Malaysian Film Festival for horror-thriller Dukun.
"I got into fashion by accident, but my interest in the creative field has always been there," says the designer.
Andy made his fashion design debut in 2004, when he was tasked with creating men's wear for Tom Abang Saufi Homme.
He has recently "graduated" to designing under his own label, Andy Sulaiman, with his latest collection available at the Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, Kuala Lumpur.
COLOURS AND PRINTS
There are numerous design elements to choose from, including bomber jackets, trousers, bermudas, T-shirts and shirts, as seen at the recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Kuala Lumpur 2021.
Shirts and T-shirts come in a variety of colours and patterns, including an eye-catching zigzag print that can be combined with jeans, slacks or shorts for a fun and fashionable look.
Most of the pieces in the collection are interesting in terms of design. In one example, a linen front and cotton back T-shirt is available for a bit of fun. To show a little skin, there's a sweater-style top with two buttons undone on one shoulder.
Then there is Andy's signature loose-fitting shirt, which is detailed with a soft, oversized, floppy bow. This season's version comes in black linen.
"I adore the pussy bow shirt since it can be worn with jeans for a casual, smart look, or with tailored pants for an elegant evening out. Every collection will have this style, but I'll change it in terms of colour and material," explains the designer, who has clothed celebrities such as Farid Kamil, Keith Foo and Zulkifli Ariffin.
BUY AND KEEP
Andy, 54, says that he is very concerned about the environment and wants to keep it that way.
Which is why he only uses natural fabrics like linen and cotton, and makes sure that his creations are high-quality so that they last long and help cut down on the amount of waste that is made.
"Everything I create will have that feeling of quality because I like the idea of people buying something and keeping it. It's not just a purchase that only makes sense for a season, trend or for quick kicks.
"It goes way beyond that – the feeling when you know you will take care of that garment like you would an heirloom, and you know you would wear it again and again."
Andy's ethical effort goes well with his namesake brand's tagline, "Thoughtfully made, artfully crafted".
Where does Andy get ideas for his designs from?
"In terms of ideas, I don't think in the same way as a traditional designer would. I think about what can sell and what people can wear every day – clothes that match our design tastes and the weather."
