It’s no secret that Malaysia is full of amazing talents who deserve nothing but the world stage to showcase their genius.
Which is why it is amazing to know that local designer, Gurdip Kaur d/o Jaspal Singh of GypsyKorn Atelier, from Penang will be representing Malaysia in the big apple, NEW YORK, after winning the best fashion designer award 2023 at New York Couture Fashion Week held in Malaysia on February 25 (Saturday).
Speaking to WORLD OF BUZZ, Gurdip shared a little into her journey towards building the collection that brought her the big win as well as what she looks forward to the most when in New York.
From the left: Kristina Barskaya, Sherry Rashid, Gurdip Kaur (designer of GypsyKorn Atelier), Malveen Kaur, Reenisha Kaur, Kash Bhullar
“Our brand’s tagline is ‘dare to be different’ and upholding that is something that I find incredibly important. Staying true to that fact is the unique selling point of GypsyKorn, where every outfit is built like armor, in a sense that they’re all modular, so to speak.”
The collection, Punkature – An Ode to Queen “V”
“Inspired by Queen Victoria from the era named after her, the Industrial Revolution and a tribute to dame Vivienne Westwood, who is also known as the ‘Queen of Punk’ and the late Alexander McQueen, this collection merges all punk culture elements from the aforementioned historical figures, a marriage of steampunk aesthetics, metal spike studs, and leather”, Gurdip shared.
And for her, fashion can also be environmentally friendly!
“As a direction towards sustainability, the leather used in this collection are from discarded garments that have been stripped and deconstructed, giving them new life and I’d like to thank Life Line Clothing Malaysia for providing me with these materials.”
“The values of Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen motivated me to challenge conformity and create revolution through fashion,” she explained.
Winning the best designer award was a dream!
“It’s absolutely unbelievable for me! I felt shocked and grateful to the community and the judges and I’m so glad that I was finally recognised by the fashion world.”
“It was a scary experience for me to be on a platform amongst other senior designers. I didn’t take this as a competition, and instead, I wanted to make a statement on what my brand is and who I am – that was the only thing running through my head being a fairly new young designer to the industry,” she shared, adding that she wanted to make her parents proud.
But, it hasn’t been an easy journey for her.
“I’ve had to deal with being stereotyped by my community with my appearance from having tattoos and piercings and I’ve had that chip on my shoulder for the longest time.”
“I want all other designers out there who are going through a similar journey to never give up and to know that what you dream is possible if you really set your mind to it”, she added.
Having dressed various artists in the local music industry including Maruxa Lynd for the Northern Music Festival 2022, Late Night Frequency for Anugerah Indie Muzik 2023 and KVEN DAVÉ Fantasy music video, she is also looking forward to her current project: a 6-piece collection in collaboration with Sekumpulan Orang Gila, a modern-rock band in Malaysia.
And alongside this new project, she will also be heading to New York for their Couture Fashion Week in February 2024!
“An an independent designer from Malaysia, I want to showcase that creativity in my country is not just limited to big brands. I believe that there are many talented individuals here in my country, including fashion designers, musicians and artists who deserve to be seen and heard.”
“Winning this opportunity would not only be a chance for me to express my own creativity but also to inspire other struggling independent designers. I believe that working independently is harder compared to having a team of professionals, but with hard work and determination, we can make it. I want to start a revolution in Malaysia, encouraging others to shamelessly put themselves out there and not care what others think”, Gurdip said.
While Malaysia might be a more traditional in a sense, Gurdip shares the sentiment that we have to be bold in order to be recognised abroad.
“Even though Malaysia is known as a conservative country, I believe that we should always think outside the box and strive for international recognition. Winning this opportunity would not only be a great international platform for me but also a positive representation of Malaysia.”
“I want to inspire others in my country to come out of their shells and showcase their talents, just like I am doing.”
We genuinely cannot wait to watch Gurdip and GypsyKorn Atelier kick *ss in New York!
Gurdip is also currently looking for someone to sponsor the trip to New York, hence, if you are interested, you can reach out to her via the GypsyKorn Atelier Facebook page.
To follow more on Gurdip’s journey to the big apple and to marvel at her amazing designs, you can follow GypsyKorn Atelier here.
Also read: 2 Malaysians Have Been Named Among The Young Global Leaders Class Of 2023!
