Backstage at London Fashion Week 2007

I was fortunate enough to be asked to photograph backstage at Singaporean designer-extraordinaire Ashley Isham's show at London Fashion Week 2007 yesterday. His ready-to-wear range are really inspiring and stylish, but the show-stoppers must go to these ribbonesque creations in single colours that simply look fantastic (photo). The models chosen looked decidedly androgynous for these designs. Backstage photography can be difficult at times due to the low and uneven light levels, plus the models, hairstylists, assistants, dressers, not to mention, other fellow photographers from the worlds fashion media all cramped into rooms too small and often filled with all manner of props. Now I know what the basement of the Royal Opera House looks like!

So you think you are model material? First, you have to look and feel the part, but can you hack the hanging around for hours, and then have some hairstylist brush the head out of you, suffer the cans of hairspray mist, hair clips, and layers of make-up, and munch on sandwiches (delicious though these were yesterday!) Wham, 15 minutes of fame, and then its all over, or some start again at another show. Its not easy being a top model.


Fashion also means celebrities, and I managed to grab a few shots of the 'front row'. Katie Leung, the darling-girl who played the love interest of Harry Potter in the latest film was there with her male-companion. I also bumped into KakTeh, a fellow blogger who lives in London.

MALAYSIANS Update 3

I spent just over a week in Kuala Lumpur to copy proof the pages of my forthcoming book MALAYSIANS. It has been a refreshing change of scenery after a dull and damp August in London. Mind you the rain also poured down in KL but at least it doesn't linger like it does here, back in the UK. Luckily, the heavens shone over the Merdeka weekend, sparing the several thousand participants and VIPS at Dataran Merdeka from a drenching. It was very warm and humid indeed.

I visited my publisher and graphic designer several times, and began to learn more about the book printing process. This time, unlike the previous publication, we will be using the CTP or computer-to-plate process, as opposed to CTF (computer-to-film). This modern process completely removes one whole step ie. the elimination of the making of films which is time consuming, prone to errors or registration and colour accuracy. It is also about 30% more cost effective, which can only be a good thing.

I still have to sign off the final digital proofs, which I am expecting to arrive by courier any day now. Barring any major amendments or disasters(!!) it will take another 2 weeks to print.

I have also been busy locating a suitable venue for the book launch. Many establishments have been put forward and visited, and we have so far narrowed it down too a couple of prime places in KL. It has been put forward that I should display some of the portraits in a small exhibition at the same time. This now seems like a real possibility, thanks to Elizabeth, my local promoter. More on this later!