EVERY OTHER TOP TYCOON OR PILLAR OF SOCIETY OR BUSINESS BARON HAVE SUITS BEARING THE LABEL 'ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA' IN THEIR WARDROBE SINCE THIS LEADING ITALIAN LABEL IS THE GARMENT OF CHOICE FOR MEN WHO HAVE NOT ONLY ARRIVED BUT BEEN ROUND THE BLOCK SEVERAL TIMES.
Models in Zegna
Alessandro Raniolo, Managing Director of Ermenegildo Zegna for SE Asia, India and Australia, His Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor and Dato Farah Khan, president of Melium Group
Sharing a joke over the scissors. I was too far away to eavesdrop
A snip by Sultan Selangor and the new Zegna boutique was declared opened!
This sliver of ribbon from the ceremony was given to an elated Kee Hua Chee by HRH the Sultan of Selangor! What a marvellous memento!
Entertainment was provided by Shafinaz Selamat the famous opera singer
Shafinaz singing the ever popular 'Nessun Dorma'
His Royal Highness was entertained
Raja Nazrin,Crown Prince of Perak chatting with HRH Sultan Selangor
Both in a jovial mood
These two royals are distantly related and close friends
Sultan Selangor, Tan Sri Syed Yusuff Tun Syed Nasir and Dato Farah Khan
HRH Sultan Selangor, Tan Sri Syed Yusuff and Dato Farah Khan
Tengku Meriam Sultan Ahmad Shah, HRH Sultan Selangor, YTM Raja MudaPerak and Allessandro Raniolo
Deborah Henry, Miss Malaysia Universe 2010, Andrea Fonseka Miss Malaysia Universe 2004, Tengku Zatashah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and hubby Aubrey Rahim Mennesson
Henry Golding, Dato Farah Khan and Shafinaz Selamat
Tan Sri Syed Yusuff Tun Syed Nasir, Shawna Yap and Yap Teak Sing
Sultan Selangor and Shawna Yap
Sultan Selangor and Shawna Yap and Yap Teak Sing
2 sisters? No, pretty Puteri Suraiya Afzan with mum Yang Amat Mulia Tengku Puteri Seri lela Manja Pahang Tengku Dato Hajjah Nong Fatimah Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah
I just love their Kelly bags!
Tycoons Datuk Azman Yahya and Dato Salim Fateh Din
Saiful Isa, Syed Mohd Feisal and Rosle Jaamat
Sally Duane, Shaan and Michael Duane
Dato Seri Mohamad Ozier and Tan Sri Dato Sri Dr Jason Goh
Tan Sri Datuk Seri Othman Marican and wife Puan Sri Datin Seri Sylvia
Dato Seri Mohamad Ozier, HH Crown Prince of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah and YAM Tengku Puteri Seri Lela Wangsa Pahang Tengku Meriam Sultan Ahmad Shah
Dato Farah Khan, HE Folco Luca Gabrielli the Italian ambassador and wife Madam Nilou
Men always look more handsome in Zegna
Mr and Mrs Thong Kok Khee
Miss Malaysia Universe finalists with Alessandro Raniolo, MD of Zegna and M.Krishnan, CEO of Melium Group
Miss Malaysia Universe 2004 Andrea Fonseka and Kee Hua Chee
Aubrey and Tengku Zatashah greeting the Crown Prince of Perak
Dato Azman Yahya greeting the Sultan of Selangor
What a figure! Allisya Dato Azman and Syafique Dato Azman. Her husband was away so baby brother accompanied her
Brother Syafique was on hand to look after his sister's assets
Sally Duane and friend in Farah Khan Couture
Kee Hua Chee holding his ribbon souvenir given to him by Sultan Selangor
Iskandar moiz, Puteri Suraiya Afzan, Karim Khan, Dato Farah Khan, Yasir Moiz and Tengku Nong Fatimah
Model and Yasir Moiz
Lexie Rodriguez
Fatiha Sharif, Joseph Teoh and Elizabeth Lee
MODELS WEARING AND NOT WEARING ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA!
Winners of Ford Supermodel Malaysia contest; Gabrielle Boudville, winner for 2011/12 Dayang Nur Atika, Zees and Karen Lugrun
These are Miss Malaysia Universe 2011 winners; left, Boon Lu Yanne, 2nd runner-up, Suchitra Kumar, finalist, Kimberley Leggett Miss Malaysia Universe 2011/12 and Juanita Ramayah, 3rd runner-up.
Kee Hua Chee holding the Ermenegildo Zegna's ribbon given to him by His Royal Highness Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor after the Sultan cut the ribbon. What a fantastic memento of the evening!
HH the Crown Prince of Perak YTM Raja Muda Perak Raja Nazrin Sultan Azlan Shah with Kee Hua Chee
I am a huge fan of Ermenegildo Zegna as it is the classiest stuff I have though I only wear it for formal occasions when I am not allowed to wear colourful shirt and pants painted with my faces. I have visited their factory outside Milan and can truly vouch everything is made and/or hand finished in Italy and not in sweatshops in China. More importantly, the artisans are all Italians born and bred in Italy and white. This is because there are pockets where Chinese tailors, cutters, pattern makers and craftsmen are flown in from mainland China to work in Italy so the labels can truthfully and legally carry the precious tag 'Made in Italy'!
If more than 50% of a suit or dress's components are from outside Italy, then the brand is not allowed to stitch the coveted 'Made in Italy' label that carries so much prestige and value! I would rather die a thousand deaths than buy a designer shirt in Paris, London or Milan with the tag 'Made in Nigeria', 'Made in India' or 'Made in China'. Of course I am a snob but at least I am not a hypocrite.
However, I am more than happy to buy garments from these nations if the labels read 'Golden Lotus' or 'Flying Foxes' or whatever provided there is no fakery and I get what I pay for. Even I do not always sleep in Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton or Versace pyjamas and I do possess bits and pieces from the night market, high class and rich as I am.
And so when Zegna moved to its brand new premises I cancelled a session with a lover so I could attend.
Ermenegildo Zegna has been a longtime tenant at Suria KLCC since Petronas Twin Towers opened in 1997 and now it was time to move…a few steps away to the next corner. Just as well as its legion of fans are so used to going to KLCC to stock up.
“Suria KLCC has opened its new luxury annexe and our immediate neighbours are Chanel, Cartier and Giorgio Armani so we are pleased to be located in a prime position in this exclusive enclave,” explains Dato Farah Khan, president of Melium which holds the coveted franchise. Hermes, another top label, was apparently given a lousy location as they complained bitterly to me and it declared it would rather close shop in KLCC than make do with what they insist was a second-class location. Hermes, I am sure, would be happy to occupy Giorgio Armani's location but Armani is opening its luxe cafe so it was given that nice venue to set up shop. As such, Hermes now has just 1 store Pavilion. Good for them!
True to Ermenegildo Zegna’s style, the new boutique, slightly bigger than the previous one, was an exercise in understated elegance and style. Like Zegna’s garments, the opening was done in good taste, with pricey canapés and finger food from Mandarin Oriental’s Grill proffered to distinguished guests while Moet & Chandon flowed from a bottomless source. Zegna dresses most of Malaysia’s business elite and royalty, and many turned up to show their support.
The guest of honour was His Royal Highness Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor, a known Zegna wearer. True to form, His Royal Highness arrived with minimal protocol and proceeded to cut the ribbon with Dato Farah Khan and Alessandro Raniolo, MD of Ermenegildo Zegna.
After the Sultan of Selangor cut the ribbon, he smiled at me and beckoned me to come to him and he actually gave me the ribbon! What a lovely honour and a fantastic souvenir! The ribbon, emblazoned with Zegna's name and logo, is now safely locked inside my bomb-proof bank vault!
The other guest of honour was His Highness the Crown Prince of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah Sultan Azlan Shah who arrived and left alone to the surprise of many. As I was standing akimbo by the entrance, Raja Nazrin grinned, “The way you stand you look like the proprietor of this shop,” and added “I am here alone” when I asked the whereabouts of his entourage. He strode off and even looked back to nod at me ten metres away to prove he was indeed a people’s prince without any pretensions.
Gosh, if I were a Crown Prince, I would have an entourage of at least 30 people everywhere I go! My servants would sprinkle rose petals on the floor so I could step on them as I walk and Amouage perfume would be sprinkled in the air ahead of me so my delicate nostrils would not be assailed by the foul body odours of peasants clamouring to admire me in my crown jewels and ermine robe and sceptre.
Songbird of the operatic species Shafinaz Selamat warbled several Italian opera numbers including ‘Nessun Dorma’ which was rapturously received. Pretty boy Henry Golding was emcee and 10 handsome hunks in Ermenegildo Zegna Sartorial, Upper Casual Collection and Zegna Sport mingled with the crowd, allowing guests to see the impeccably cut apparel up close on a breathing torso.
The Sultan of Selangor stayed for private dinner at The Grill at Mandarin Oriental hosted by Dato Farah Khan. The dinner was superb and we were served bite-sized portions of beef, chicken, lamb, vegetables and delightful, calorie-inducing desserts.
Of course Ermenegildo Zegna would have much better sales if their name can be pronounced easily as it is such a tongue-twister! Spelling 'Ermenegildo' is another chore. If a super genius like me have to slow down and focus on typing the alphabets carefully, I am sure the rest of the world will be struggling painfully to spell it correctly!
I bet if you ask some loaded cina apek the name of his suit he will probably falter and say 'Hugo Boss' instead of 'Ermenegildo Zegna'! But that is OK too as Dato Farah Khan owns that brand's franchise as well!
THE END
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