Sunday, October 5, 2014

KEE HUA CHEE CHATS WITH PAT LIEW, FOUNDER AND OWNER OF BRITISHINDIA ABOUT THE FASHION LABEL'S ATTEMPT IN PROMOTING MALAYSIA AS A FASHION DESTINATION WITH ITS STUNNING AND AMAZING WINDOW DISPLAYS THAT DEPICT THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF MALAYSIA

KEE@FSWMAG.COM


KEE HUA CHEE; "How is BritishIndia trying to promote tourism as it sells its clothes and not a tourist destination?"

PAT LIEW, CEO OF BRITISHINDIA; "It is true  BritishIndia’s core business is fashion and selling clothes. However a customer is buying into a whole cultural experience that inspired those clothes. A heritage that still leaves its imprint throughout modern Malaysia today.

"As the founder of BritishIndia I knew many consumers in both the West and Asia held a nostalgic idealism about the days of the British colonial era. 

"Thus a new fashion label to capture that nostalgia was born – BritishIndia. With this insight and branding, the company created fashion designs based on revival and reinterpretation of garments worn in those long gone days and applied modern fabrics and manufacturing techniques. 

"Displays and marketing materials were designed to spark associations with a romanticised ideal of a privileged lifestyle in a less hurried era while connoting tropical informality and warmth.

"The shopping experience offered by this Malaysian owned fashion brand relates back to these unique associations and representations of Malaysia. It has enabled BritishIndia to take its place alongside luxury brands like Tiffany and Ralph Lauren in shopping malls across Asia.

"BritishIndia, as a genuine homegrown international fashion icon, can now lay claim as a worthy fashion tourism destination in the same way that tourists flock to Jim Thompson in Bangkok, Hermes in Paris or Harrods in London to experience the mystique of the brand and the experience it offers.

"As such, BritishIndia is well placed to promote tourism in Malaysia. Its uniqueness and position in the fashion tourism psyche enables it to promote the wider cultural, social and physical attractions of Malaysia which are on offer.

"Malaysia is known as a shopping paradise and shopping is ranked as the top participation activity for tourists giving rise to the shopping phenomenon of fashion tourism. Tourists are increasingly choosing shopping as a way to experience local culture through an engagement with local products and clothes are obviously positioned to cater to this choice.

"BritishIndia now recognises that through its prime locations maximising visual awareness and identity it can present and transmit images and messages of Malaysia which can be viewed and taken away by the many tourists who visit. 

"BritishIndia is proud to present this broader visual experience of Malaysia to the public to encourage and develop emotional connections with all the diverse elements that go to make up what call Malaysia."

KEE HUA CHEE; "Will BritishIndia overseas stores have the same Malaysian themed window displays? In Malaysia tourists can see windows but they are already in Malaysia."

PAT LIEW OF BRITISHINDIA; "We would love to bring the windows to places outside Malaysia. Perhaps in the future.

"This year, in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia and its Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign, we have chosen our two most popular and prominent stores for maximum impact with tourists –KLCC Suria and Pavillion. 

"These windows which take days of planning and preparation, employing powerful visual vocabulary are most viable at such high profile site locations. As a result shoppers frequently pause to feast their eyes or for photos.
It is true that the tourists looking at our windows are already in Malaysia. 

"However these days of smartphones and social media, with images being instantly beamed around the world, there is no guarantee they will be the only people seeing our spectacular window displays.

"The important thing is the emotional connection to Malaysia created through these windows and the evocation of lasting images and memories which will be taken back home by the visitor.

"And that visitor need not just be a foreign visitor. There are many Malaysians who have seen much of their own country and its diversity. 

"We would like to think our themed displays can inspire greater awareness and desire in Malaysians to experience other parts of Malaysia. As a result domestic tourism would be stimulated.

"Above all else we envisage that the spectacle of our windows and the reinforcement of our branding will serve as an enduring testament of Malaysian sophistication in portraying our culture and arts alongside other international luxury brands.

KEE HUA CHEE; "What are the advantages or incentives of shopping with BritishIndia?"

PAT LIEW OF BRITISHINDIA; "I mentioned in answering an earlier question about the experience the consumer buys into when shopping at BritishIndia. For the tourist, BritishIndia hopes to continue and strengthen its well placed position to promote Malaysia and fashion tourism.

"It is important we are able to maximise our exposure to foreigners and locals alike who may want to experience the nostalgic memories of the British colonial and a bygone era enhanced by colonial décor of easternised western designs while exploring the  premium tropical lifestyle brand on offer – quality apparel suited for the tropics.

"BritishIndia has developed a high quality product with a sophisticated, elegant and timeless appeal to discerning Malaysians and tourists alike. It represents a contemporary , international Malaysia, respectful and confident with its past, today’s adaptation, and the aspirations and challenges of the future.

"That is why BritishIndia continues to seek out high exposure prime locations so that it can fulfill its commitment to Malaysian history and development on the international stage. 

"We make the emotional connection with as many foreigners and locals as possible with our nostalgic take on a cultural ambience, premium tropical ware and powerful window displays.
This is the experience BritishIndia offers. That is why we have enthusiastically collaborated with and in support of Tourism Malaysia and its Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign."

THE DAZZLING WINDOW DISPLAYS AT BRITISHINDIA SURIA KLCC

GO NOW AND ADMIRE AND TAKE PHOTOS!
















BELOW ARE THE WINDOW DISPLAYS AT BRITISHINDIA PAVILION

























1 comment:

Unknown said...

What's more important than clothes is what face & body your wearing & who it interacts with