AsiaLIFE

As Cambodia's economy strengthens, possibilities arise for more creative industries. Fashion is now becoming "in fashion". But are the people ready? Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen examines the development of a fashion industry in the Kingdom. Photos by James Grant.

The crowd is hunched over the edge of their seats, waiting to see what will appear on the end of the runway. A model approaches, swishing her hips and looking onwards with determination. She pauses at the end, remains for a pose and a pout, before twirling to stride confidently to the back.

Cameras are flashing, the lights are bright, and the music is blaring. The black-clad audience looks on, as one bold ensemble after the next passes within their view.

But this is just a photo shoot. The models are professionals, two young women who are part of the F Models agency. The dresses are all from a recent collection by local brand Sophy&Sina. The crowd includes members of the Cambodia Fashion Council, the very people who plan to make this scene more of a reality.

A few independent designers have organised runway shows over the past year, but the Cambodian Fashion Council hopes to host the biggest fashion event yet seen—the country’s first Fashion Week, expected to take place sometime later this year.

Compared to the thriving scenes in Thailand and Malaysia, fashion’s hold on Cambodia may seem decades behind. Still, the advent of fashion design degrees and the growth of a fashion-conscious youth with disposable income are signs that the local fashion industry is picking up momentum.

The Cambodia Fashion Council is set not just to ride the wave, but to help create it.

Focusing on Fashion
The council was formed from the initiative of Arnaud Darc, managing director of the Thalias restaurant group. Last year, he approached the owners of FMagazine, Cambodia’s premiere bilingual fashion magazine, with the proposal to launch the council. The fact that the man who successfully seized the niche for high-end dining identifies potential in fashion bodes well for the industry’s future.

As a forum, network and advocacy group, the council marks the first cooperation between businesses and individuals to push the fashion industry forward. Members currently include Waterlily, PushPull Cambodia and Sentosa Silk, among other local fashion and accessories brands.

According to the council’s president, Sophy Ke, plans include organising fashion and styling seminars, sending members to international trade fairs, and hosting competitions to identify promising designers. Another aim is to raise funds through events and grant scholarships for young talent to study fashion.

In many ways, it’s about building a fashion industry from almost nothing. “Like any other country, we have to start somewhere to be there,” says Sophy. “Now is just the beginning for something great.”

Perhaps no one has done more to help establish fashion in Cambodia than Sophy. As well as holding the title of editor-in-chief of FMagazine, the 24-year-old is one of a handful of Cambodian designers. Her connections have raised support for fashion within Cambodia’s elite class, and her experience abroad has helped to usher in more awareness of global trends.

The aforementioned Sophy&Sina, named also for her sister-in-law, offers four lavish levels of shoes, clothes and accessories. Alongside imported products, many of the pieces are Sophy’s designs. The FMagazine office is also located within the same building. Launched in 2009, the magazine features interviews with local celebrities, tips on beauty and fashion, and fashion shoots, using both English and Khmer text.

In April, FMagazine published its annual Khmer issue. With the headline “Made in Cambodia,” the lead story incorporates pieces from Phnom Penh-based brands such as Lim Keo, SCT (Sar Chantho), and KeoK’jay. It’s all part of a mission to build greater recognition for Cambodian and Cambodia-based fashion designers—of which the CFC is taking the helm.

“The goal is to support, strengthen and promote the industry in any way,” explains Sophy. “We are here also as a support group for the next generation who wish to be in this business.”

Young Promise
With the inauguration of fashion design degrees at select universities in Cambodia, some of this next generation are already in the making. The curriculum of a fashion degree at one of the nation’s most highly regarded—and expensive—universities includes fashion history, fashion sociology, fashion design, fashion photography and pattern-making courses. The degree has been offered for one year and costs around US$1,200 per semestre.

During one of these classes, a group of Cambodian first year students discuss what fashion means to them. All the students intend to be fashion designers after graduation.

Manina, 20, wants to challenge the connotation that fashion in Cambodia means merely a person who sews. “I am studying in the hope that one day I will change this sorrowful equation,” she says. “I study fashion because there aren’t enough brave Cambodian youngsters who go for it.”

The challenge of being one of Cambodia’s first homegrown fashion designers is part of what propels these students. Another student, Sotheavy, points out that although there are some Cambodian designers in the country, most of them have picked up the trade abroad. “We can become the first Cambodian designers that studied in Cambodia,” she says.

Chuang, 21, agrees. She finds it hard to name many Cambodian designers. “That’s why I want to be one,” she adds.

Telling your parents you want to study fashion design can be difficult anywhere in the world. This is especially the case in Cambodia where money is in short supply and the position of fashion designer barely exists. A second year student in fashion and business, Chuang finds that her friends are often influenced by their parents to become involved in the family business or undertake a more “practical” career path than in the arts. She’s lucky that her parents support her choice of degree, adding that they would support her in any career decision. Not so for many others.

“They think that it’s difficult to find a job,” says Sotheavy, about her parents’ reaction. “To get experience, we have to work for other people before running a business for ourselves. Like Valentino or Gucci, they worked for other people first. Here, there are no companies to support us.”

A Local Market?
Among design students, there’s the passion and the promise, but the business of fashion depends on a market, which may not yet be robust enough to sustain a fashion industry.

“I do believe that fashion has become more important to Cambodians, for those who can afford to think about fashion, in recent years,” Manina says. “Unfortunately, the majority of Cambodians have primordial things to think about rather than fashion.”

For those with purchasing power and an interest in fashion, buying local products isn’t often seen as a priority. Chuang believes that Cambodians need to change their preferences. She cites the veneration of Singaporean and Thai products among Phnom Penh’s fashion conscious youth.

“We don’t encourage our own brands. People think that imported stuff is better than our own. We have to support local designers,” she says. “Since our own designers cannot make money, how can they grow?”

Although the Internet and Korean music videos on local channels expose more youth to international style trends, several students want to push fashion with a Cambodian flavour. Sonita aims to design clothing that is grounded in customary dress. She explains her desired approach to “take a look at our traditional clothes and make up something new, creating our idea in Cambodia, and not just following another country.”

Sylvain Lim, known as Cambodia’s first fashion designer, also notes the lack of pride in local fashion. With 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, including working for the fashion houses of Givenchy and Dior in Paris, he has earned respect for his artistry around the world.

Upon his return to Cambodia in 2000, he continued to produce designs under the label Keo. Now, his son, Lim Keo, has taken over, creating sophisticated prêt a porter that could be seen on the streets of Paris, just as well as Phnom Penh.

“You can wear the Lim Keo line all over,” says Sylvain. “For us, it’s dangerous because sometimes people buy something but say they bought it in a different country. For the big, big wedding dresses, our customers are Cambodian. One day I was at a wedding, and a girl came by and said, ‘Oh it’s wonderful, the dress. It came from a French uncle.’ The ‘French Uncle’, that was me. They say I’m French.”

Career Opportunities
In some respects, foreigners have been at the forefront of fashion in Cambodia. Street 240’s boutiques feature the designs of several Western shop owners. Yet beyond providing income for the Cambodian staff, these expat-owned businesses also give their teams the chance for rare experience in fashion.

Dara, 27, has worked at Jasmine Boutique for the past two years. Known for chic formal and resort collections in sumptuous fabrics, Jasmine is the creation of Australian and New Zealander co-owners, who are also the head designers.

Dara believes his position with Jasmine has allowed him to build a better life. “Jasmine has helped me,” he says. “I have money for my studies, and I can be responsible for my family.”

Next year, he aims to study in Thailand to further hone his skills. He has calculated that studying in Thailand will be more economical than one of the schools currently offering a fashion degree in Phnom Penh.

Dara is the first one in his family to pursue a career in fashion. “My father was not happy with me because he wanted me to study architecture or another skill,” he says. “Now that I can finish my studies at university and have money to study in Thailand, he is not like he was before.”

When asked about the future of Cambodia’s fashion industry, Dara is optimistic. He mentions that a few of his friends are going to study fashion in Japan, Vietnam and Thailand, implying that they will be part of the future flock of local designers. In ten years from now, he hopes to run his own fashion design group.

Business of Fashion
A few NGOs and social enterprises use fashion to provide jobs, encourage artistic expression or draw attention to an issue. Yet The idea of a fashion industry to provoke economic development on a greater scale has been relatively unexplored.

“For us to create fashion helps not only to showcase great talents from Cambodia but also gives international brands the inside scoop on the Cambodia market,” says Sophy. “This will help Cambodia’s economy and also create employment.”

Last year, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development addressed how fashion can be profitable for developing nations. Held in Geneva, the two-day conference focused on the promotion of ecofashion, while also touching upon the fashion industry’s benefits as a whole. According to one spokesperson, besides generating employment the fashion industry can promote small businesses, an element of equitable economic progress.

Original Cambodian fashion has the opportunity to become an export commodity, or at least a sound internal investment. “The Cambodian fashion industry is now in the spotlight,” explains Sophy. “Buyers and investors are looking very closely at what has already been achieved, what is happening and what is still to do.”

As of recently, the government has acknowledged the fashion industry’s potential. The Ministry of Commerce Trade and Promotion Board announced its support for the Cambodian Fashion Council, although the amount of governmental involvement in both the council and Fashion Week has yet to be determined.

Part of the council’s mission to open up the local fashion industry involves establishing a voice for Cambodia at regional fashion-related events. In April, the council sent several members to the Bangkok International Fashion Fair, with the sponsorship of the Royal Thai Embassy. Selected representatives will also attend this month’s Asia Fashion Summit in Singapore.

Building a fashion industry will necessitate long-term investment. Creating a market for Cambodian goods both locally and internationally, as well as promoting opportunities for fashion designers, are ambitious undertakings.

“We will take it step by step in creating awareness about us and about Cambodia,” acknowledges Sophy. “Our target is in five years time to be on top of our game and be on par with our neighbours.”

Designer Dreams
Plans for Cambodia’s first Fashion Week are prompting more attention to local fashion— and raising excitement. About the prospect of a Fashion Week, Dara says: “It’s my dream. I think it can show fashion in Cambodia, then the whole world can know about Cambodia.”

Like Dara, several fashion students also see Fashion Week as an opportunity to showcase Cambodia. “We will have an advertisement to the world that this is what Cambodia makes,” says Sonita. “Then the world will be attracted and come here.”

What will come down the catwalk for Cambodia’s young designers? We will have to wait and see.

Location: Sophy&Sina, Models: Chung Anong Boramy and Nov Sonita (F Models Agency), Hair: Ryan Taylor at The Dollhouse, Make-up: Oak Blue Chilli, Styling: Amanda Bloom, Clothing: Sophy&Sina, Shoes: Sophy&Sina and Pedro. With special thanks to The Cambodia Fashion Council and The 178 Crew.