Exclusive: Carven Ong on his preparation for his first Met Gala
The designer gave us a behind-the-scenes look at his design and delved into his next projects.
Having been in the industry for over 30 years, fashion designer Carven Ong is undoubtedly one of the “OGs” in the Malaysian fashion scene, but a quick search online will lead you to an array of stories chronicling his international claim to fame — his work on the 2018 Hollywood hit Crazy Rich Asians. His spectacular bridal design for Araminta Lee’s wedding scene was truly an iconic moment.
Fast forward five years (and multiple invitations) later, he’s gearing up for his first Met Gala, dressing a longtime client for the event. Ahead of his exciting trip, we sat down with the soft-spoken designer to get a behind-the-scenes look at his awe-inspiring design, his thoughts on this year’s theme, his next project and more.
Tell us more about who you’re dressing.
I’m dressing a longtime client of mine — engineering scientist Miria Kaname Feng who’s also a regular in the fashion scene. She watched Crazy Rich Asians on a flight and when she saw the wedding look, she immediately wanted to find out who the designer behind the dress was.
I don’t know how she managed to get my email address, but after getting in touch, she flew to Malaysia and commissioned me to design her wedding looks. She has been attending the Met Gala regularly for the past few years and asked me to dress her for the past two years. However, due to the pandemic, I felt I wasn’t ready then.
The theme this year is “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”. Tell us more about your design.
Karl Lagerfeld is a legend in the industry. When you think about his aesthetic, many would think of his glasses, his suits and maybe his cat, Choupette. I wanted to pay homage to all these details while adding something different into the mix. I’m inspired by Karl Lagerfeld’s designs when he started his career and not specifically when he was in a fashion house. So I collected his sketches, digitally printed them and used them as the main element of my design.
I pieced them together as a skirt and added feathers and embellishments to tune things up. There’ll be lighting underneath to illuminate the bottom. The top part is my version of a white shirt featuring his signature high collar. Lastly, to tie in with her career, I added some functional lighting to Miria’s red carpet look which can be removed once she’s in the building. This outfit took me about three months to complete, but I’m really happy with it.
What is it about Karl Lagerfeld that you look up to the most?
I admire Karl Lagerfeld for his energy and passion for the fashion industry. Even until his death, he was still working. Designers often work for a different brand after a few years, but he stayed with the same fashion houses for so long. And even though Chanel and Fendi have different aesthetics, he was able to build both Houses strongly and separately.
Your work in Crazy Rich Asians has catapulted you into the international limelight. What was your experience like after the show?
As I have been in this industry for over 30 years, people who are in fashion may know who I am, but the younger generation as well as people overseas do not know who Carven Ong is. So, the movie was a good opportunity for me to gain more exposure. That said, I have never thought of expanding my career overseas — I like to go with the flow, and whatever happens can happen naturally. As a fashion designer, my main focus is to make whoever comes to me look and feel good.
What are your thoughts on the local fashion industry?
The younger generation of designers is so talented. They have really strong digital marketing strategies, and I love that most of them are retailing online, which allows them to reach a global audience. It’s very different compared to my days [laughs].
Adequate support from the government is definitely needed for them to build their platform, but the designers themselves also need to be serious about their careers. It’s not just for the fun and glamour.
Are there any Malaysian designers that have caught your eye at the moment?
I like Brian Khoo — he’s very professional and I think he’s doing a great job. He’s doing couture and custom-made designs as well, so I can observe his work and how he deals with his clients. His designs are also very trendy.
Is there anything you’d like to challenge yourself next?
I love being low profile, so instead of setting a goal, I’m always going with the flow. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from — as long as you like my design, it’s a win for me. For now, I’ll be representing Malaysia for a fashion showcase in Sri Lanka in October, and I’m also working on another Macau project for early next year.
