Erbert Chong Debut @ "Safari 54" Collection

 Erbert Chong debuted his <Safari54> women wear collection combining the fun disco culture of Studio54 in 70’s New York with understated beiges and blacks ready for an urban safari adventure. The design featured powerful lines and feminine forms, using a mix of carefully selected fabrics from Paris and traditional Chinese textiles to flatter and accentuate the female silhouette.

All the while training at Parsons and Fashion Institute of Technology, as well as the world’s oldest fashion school ESMOD, Chong had been simultaneously working up the ranks of Paris’ competitive fashion retail industry at LVMH when he decided to pursue his dream of launching his own label. Now back in his hometown, Safari54 is his debut collection, the culmination of inspirations drawn from Chong’s experiences around the world. With nude makeup and casually coiffed hair, Chong’s models created an impression of cool and elegance that could easily be envisioned on the women around us. Wide legged pants, edgy leather, and structured forms were presented, with the highlight being the “Empire Gown”, a sheer, floor-length jersey cotton gown with a detachable shoulder cape reminiscent of the classic movie star era.

“I often see women in Hong Kong either wearing clothes that hide their femininity as if it’s something to be ashamed of, or clothes that are just plain short and tight,” says Chong. “So when I’m designing, I think of ways to enhance the figure while exuding grace. French girls in cafés, cool and aloof with an air of je ne sais quoi; New Yorkers in five inch heels confidently striding down 5th avenue, women everywhere who hold themselves with a sense of elegance, exuding sensuality rather than sexuality,” he describes as his inspirations for the collection. “I want to empower Asian women with the confidence to take control over their bodies… and eventually, the world!”