20th Dec: I was just done with helping organise a queer-related fashion show at the Annexe.
Yuki suggested we follow up by attending the “lesbian fashion show” at Club 69, in Asian Heritage Row. It seemed like a good suggestion – after all, what are the chances of two gender-bending fashion shows being organised in Kuala Lumpur, in a night?
I didn’t know anything else, but the little information I’d been given seemed plausible enough. I will freely believe anyone who says a lesbian-related event is being organised at Club 69 (especially when said informant actually organises such events there).
One of the models from the fashion show.
When I arrived, persons who in all likelihood do not subscribe to heteronormative standards were on duty as front-of-house. This might have turned out to as “some women, who kinda looked like lezzies, were manning the booth as doorbitches”, but that was before I found out who the organisers are.
When I stepped upstairs, I noticed the crowd was largely female. This seems best illustrated by the event’s description of the cover charge:
Cover charge for womyn : RM 30 (plus one drink)
man : RM 40 (plus one drink)
Cause I really think that besides those working there, there really was only one man at the event (though I can’t say I was looking too keenly). Poles lined the floor, for dancing. I spotted some familiar faces from the queer-scene. The fashion show began.
One of the organisers, Pam, gave a speech. Apparently her team was so anxious to have her step up to the mic they even wrote it for her.
The models for tonight were volunteers (I thought they did a good job strutting onstage). And now, some more photos:
After each collection, the fashion designers did a brief Q&A, explaining their designs, and what their stores had to offer.
Prizes were given out, via lucky draw. There were also some belly dancing performances that night:
After the show, I met the organisers, and had a bit of a surprise.
Though quite a lot of people are under the impression that Womyn Like Us (WLU) is a People Like Us (PLU) group, they do not consider themselves as such. The organisers I spoke to, Philo and Pam, clarify that they are a womens’ group. As in, “not gay women”, but “women in general”.
That being said, WLU events are popular with certain segments of the lesbian community, to the extent that their events may look somewhat lesbian-centric. With regards to the queer-community, I think quite a few have staked this event as one of their own. So womens’ group, PLU group, whichever it is, this post is going up.
I found out (belatedly) that the fashion show was a charity event, to raise funds for building a home for differently-abled women (womyn, if you will).
You can find out more about Womyn Like Us from their website. To find out more about the event, Fashion with Passion, read these posts:
Tres Chic! (event promo and flyer)
Fashion with Passion (charity details)
Stay tuned, people. I will be updating soon on the Tomboy & Angels Fashion show!
[Update]
Note: I just realised some of the people participating that I called “fashion designers” may be owners of businesses that sell fashion apparel they sourced from other locations, without necessarily having designed them.
