Fille d’océan (from the Genesis Collection) June 30, 2009

For those who don’t know (like me bfore this hehehe),  Fille d’océan means Ocean Girl. I felt this name would be appropriate for this dress.I wanted a name synonymous with its grandeur & colour and spent some 2 hours before deciding on its name…yes yes anal (pardon my french) I KNOW , I KNOW. But its all part of the thinking process no? hehehehe

Anyways, this dress sure looks turquoise on screen, don’t you think but its actually a green (the colour of envy) and not so much a light blue hence since  the ocean  (the depths of it inlcuded) have vairous colours I decided to go with this name

This is also one of the less expensive ones. It’s abut RM200 and can be made for bigger children too. Buzz, holla, email if interested…

Cheers!

Mighnight Glow : Too big a ‘Tabla’ @ Tummy June 27, 2009

Midnight Glow

Yesterday, after watching Transformers at IOI Mall (that’s the only place that had tickets); Uncle Boba drove me from Puchong  to my appointment in Mont Kiara. On our journey there, he constantly got annoyed with the seat belt for unbuckling many a time on its own. He shout ed ”IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I’M DAMN HUGE OR SOMETHING” … I couldnt hold back my silent

Midnight Glow

snickering any longer and broke into a roar of laughter…I know, its not nice laughing at peoples frustrations hahahahah but I simply couldnt help it and added “long walks might help ” hahahahha

As I continued to laugh, I recall this one dress I made for Jada last year – The Midnight Glow from the Genesis Collection. Everything was perfect, BUT the ribbon round her waist. Why? Well,if she were to have a meal in the dress, soon you will find her lil tabla @ tummy spilling over the bow around her waist and I’d find myself  loosening it for her while laughing at what a lil cute fatty she can sometimes be.

Uncle Bobo and Lil Jada have something in common I suppose besides their love for BLINK shades @sunglasses.  I suppose some interest develop with ones physics heheheheh both have round faces too hahahahha….

I had better stop right there for now…..Do visit again to check on new designs by Baby Biggs. Some 10 peices have yet to be uploaded here. So stay tuned

Cheers

The Breakfast Show @ NTV7 with Baby Biggs Couture June 24, 2009

A week or two ago, a friend (Syed Idid) whom I’ve taken a liking to since meeting last year; called to say that he has some big news for BBC. I figured he may have a huge order or something along those lines….nope…thats wasnt it. He introduced the producers of the Breakfast Show to BBC. and the next thing I hear him say over the phone is “they want Baby Biggs Couture on the show!” I was like – YOU SERIOUS!!! I believe if he were in my presence , I would have planted a ginourmous kiss on his cheek.

Later that week, was his bday. It was held at the very beautiful Subak Restaurant in Sg. Penchala and there I had the privilege of meeting Intan. We were quickly introduced and we took our seats. I didnt get much of a chance to speak to her for there was a lot of catching up to do with my dearest friend Marissa (a true sincere, not to mention, very UNDERSTANDING person) and of-cos there were other friends there TOO that evening but I couldnt stay as long as I would have liked  (had to drop Marissa home) so we left by bout …hmmm think it was about 10.30 or so. While on our way out, we decided to treat ourselves to a beer….long story short, we didnt head home straight to our kids but had a beer in Waikikis Too, chatted and laughed till our stomachs hurt and THEN headed home by bout 12am. We sooooo have to do this more often babe!

Anyways, in the following days that followed, Syed arranged for me to appear on 23rd June 09. I has perhaps a week to finalise a logo and churn out more designs….I did allllllllll of that but none were ready (no logo, no NEW designs) in time. So the sedih. I did get the logo but I’m still a wee-bit unhappy with it and the dresses that came back werent up to my expectations. Yes yes, I’m anal (pardon my french) but I have to be! How else can I retain the perfect design and quality if I werent?

Moving one, I woke at 5 am yesterday. I dont know why but I was up by 5am and was tossing and turning and couldnt go back to sleep. Jada was up by 7am. Poor baby. She was so sleepy. Got her ready (and got me’self ready next), gave her breakfast (she had half a cupcake baked by Aunty Jackie) and Uncle Prakash arrived right on time – by 8am. Just as I was about to step out of the house, a rep from the Breakfast Show calls to confirm if I’m already on the way over. Told her we were just leaving the house.

As we approached Media Prima we noticed that cars were parked some 200meters away from the entrance. We risked it and went in-front and found parking only to be told by the guard (who stopped us midway of parking) that as guest of the show we can park inside. Yippie!!! Was elated that I didnt have to walk so far in me high heels heheheheh. Prakash was very impressed that they had such a perk for guest. Told him they probably think I’m some VIP or something sitting in the backseat with Jada somemore and you the driver of MY BMW (LOL) and that’s why we got to park in the front porch hahahahahahha….how I wish it were true…not the part about him being the driver though but me being chauffer driven in MY own BMW….someday, someday…in HIS time it’ll all happen

Anyway, we made our way in, took our seats at the guest area and waited for Flora (a sweet  intern). She took sometime to make an appearance and Jada was getting restless. She wanted to walk around. So Uncle Prakash took her for a short walk. I watched them for a lil bit, diverted my attention towards something else and returned my gaze to find them dancing (yes DANCING). I even have a video of them doing  so(they came back to where I was seated and did they boogied for me again). Shall upload it shortly.

Flora makes her appreance some 10minutes later and escorts me to get my makeup done. I asked if it is was necessary. After all, I already had makeup on! And she looked at me and said “yar i think better” . Guess I wasnt looking pretty enough for tv heheheheh

I stepped in and the lady starts to work on my face. She powdered my face, coated more mascara on (I already had tonnes of it on) and glazed my lips with gloss. Fuh!!! I look soooooooooooo much different now! I thought to myself – NOT….like seriously, how much more can you do for my face la. For those who dont know me, I have some very bad acne scaring. No amount of makeup can camouflage it. Only surgery will fix it – cant afford it nor am I gutsy enough to go through with it.

She then leads us through some doors and I go on some 20minutes later. It was all good, Jada was happy – and yes a lil bit cranky…but as we went live, Jada started to fuss – OH GOD help!!! And help HE did. Naz the host was just great! He didnt get uncomfortable nor didnt he stutter or go silent iin shock from hee behaviour. He was cool as ice! Jada on the other continued to do her own thing. She crawled and yelled and almost fell of the edge of the platform (I was praying hard she wouldnt- almost got up from my seat to pick her up but I knew I couldnt budge). The crew stepped in and rolled on the ground and played with her and kept putting her back on the set and she eventually made her way back. Phew!!!

It was a one-of-a-kind experience (I keep using that phrase a lot these days ). I had to juggle with answering questions and speaking about Baby Biggs Couture while keeping a watchful eye on Jada. Gosh!! it wasnt easy. It went well no less, this based on feedback I received after the show. I have yet to watch the footage (should be receiving it by next week) and will know for sure if it really did go as well.

It’s Prakash’s bday today!!! We’re heading to a healthy diner called Dish Deli in Solaris Mont Kiara. Gotta go get both Jada & I read….till my next posting, here’s the video of Prakash and Jada doing the boogie woogie.

*Sorry….couldnt upload the video….apparently I have to pay for the feature which I wasnt aware off…I am uploading it on youtube though. So catch it there – Jada Biggs & Uncle Prakash dance to Mr.Sun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59J928b_gWE

‘Julish Punk’ Refuses to Conform June 22, 2009

 

Julish Punk

What’s in a name like ‘Julish Punk’  you may ask or why such a heavy dose of black for a lil girls dress? Here’s my reason why…..

 

PUNK, a word often associated with violent good-for-nothings is actually a mental state and not so much a sense of dressing or everything else that is often associated with it. This mentality I speak of represents the mentality of one that is beyond the norm. 

As Dana Williams would put it  “Punks are as varied as the kid who goes to school with the 8 inch long Mohawk, to the plainly dressed 30-year old who quietly attends political rallies, the girl with the green hair and body piercings, the 70 year old next door neighbor who refuses to let the police tell him that he needs to mow his lawn because it is “unsightly”, and the single mother who holds her own with two jobs and still finds time to read both the local newspaper and Z Magazine.”

There’s not ONE type of PUNK  apparently hence if you look deep within you, I think you’ll find a PUNK in there somewhere. Don’t get all defensive now and deny any of it exist in you hahahah before you do that, read on….PUNK  really means  being YOURSELF and not someone else.

Take me for instance . I’m sooooo NOT  PUNK like…hahahahah not many can imagine me coming close to looking like one though I did once don a Mohawk for the AdBall back in 2005 and that’s probably as close as I’d get to looking like one. But I am however someone who cares not for hate ( come to think of it, i hardly ever use the word…I used to be the total opposite but have come a long way since) , am not a big believer in blind love nor am  I one that holds grudges for long. I just let things happen – good or bad and let life take its course. You can cross me or double-cross me today and I’d fight like hell and then I’d simply leave it up to God to return the favour you bestowed upon me and some weeks later, I’m likely to let all of it slide.

Now. how many people do you know happen to be JUST like me? It’s unlikely you’d find anyone JUST like me – a lil like me perhaps but never JUST like me ;o)

I do however know someone who is rather similar in some sense.  In totality, she is nothing like me but somewhat like me hehehehhe I know, I’m not making sense… give me 5minutes, I’ll try and get the idea across….

Her name’s Juliet. She’s whacky (somewhat like me), she’s funny (just like me – blowing my own trumpet here heheheh) , holds no grudges (like me), loves to dance & party with friends (again – like me), is grounded/humble ( well I dont have much to be proud about so humble I am I suppose),  loves both the yong tau foo and the man that makes it too ( oh-so me), comes from a wealthy family (unlike me), has a strong relationship with her father (again-unlike me), is allllllllllll too vain (yup, thats right – unlike me hahahahahhah) and …I think I had better stop right here if not she’s sure to kill me ) heheheheh

Anyways, what I’m trying to say is we compliment each other . We all do. Can you imagine what life would be like if  both you and me very EXACTLY alike? Gosh!! what a bore!.. I suppose there’s the good and bad to being different  but with me and Juliet – it’s all good .She’s one of those that walks into a room and goes “Here I am Y’all!!” and I ” Ah , there you are” )…I love it that we’re worlds apart but yet able to connect on a certain level. Can’t say the same for many who are very similar to me but dont connect at all. It’s very different with her and I love her just like that.

Wooopseeeeeeeee….I drifted on to a totally different topic …lets focus on the dress…this dress ….ummm this dress right here was made for Aunt Jules who wanted it made for Jada for Christmas . I remember us going to town to hunt (with Uncle Bobo in tow) for material on a rainy drip drop afternoon. It was all nice and sunny but started to rain half way into our hunt. We needed to find something that both of us could agree on.And at our 6/7th stop , we both noticed this PINK/BLACK material but didnt point it out just yet till we closed in on it and she said she kinda liked it and I said it sure is catchy and very different - a lil too busy for a kids dress but am sure Jada would be able to carry off the colour. It’s  not a common colour for kids (the black that is) , yes I know nor is it what a lil girls dress should look like. BUT who discerns that? Nobody.  Hence why this name has been named after Juliet (Julish) Punk.

And since we (Juliet & I) decided we should dictate what we think makes good for us and not what OTHERS think works for us, we feel a lil more liberated I suppose. Yes , friends opinions and suggestion will be heard and often we’re grateful for them but dont let what others like become what YOU like. Take ownership of your ideas, likes & dislikes. 

If  you decide today not to conform to OTHER peoples standards, you will find yourself on a journey of discovering soooooo  many wonderful things you’ve yet to see, learn and understand. It’s a beautiful journey. It’s one I’ve discovered through my daughters coming into this world. I hope this journey never ends for me. I hope and pray its a long one, one to last my lifetime, her lifetime (once I teach her why it’s important to be as such) and the lifetime of her kids and their kids to follow. I pray everyone finds themselves…one way or another – find yourself.

  

Julish Punk

Lydia of Thyatira June 21, 2009

Who would have imagined that the first ever Purple merchant was a woman named Lydia of Thyatira. I was amazed to have discovered her in the bible and her retail business being mentioned in it.

Greek by birth but Jewish by religion, Lydia’s home was also the headquarters from which she churned out her famous dye  from a special secret formula that made the very exquisite purple & scarlett dyes used in the Kings and Princes robes of that time.

Her story inspired me to name my first ever creation “Lydia of Thyatira” simply because she (from the stories of her) sounds like a character that was strong & determine to proceed with her business though there was great opposition against women traders back then. She was a pious, childless ,widow  that had moved away from friends and relatives  and stayed on her own and often lead prayers with other ladies in her town.

I found her to be someone who went against man-made rules and didn’t wish to conform to other peoples needs and demands. She was her own person. I wish for the same for my muse and daughter Jada. That she become her own person and learn that she can be anything she wants to be and can achieve anything she wants to achieve no matter what the circumstance.

Hence, Lydia of Thyatira came into existence. A dress bold enough for a princess and for a very special occasion -  her very first birthday. I could see she loved the comfort of the dress and most of all the colour of it. I got this material from a curtain shop I frequent in SS2 and one good friend fondly known as Uncle Bobo was amazed to discover that I had dressed my daughter in curtains hahahahha it did sound funny and all too weird for him to comprehend at that point but he was amazed at the outcome and is now a loyal customer of Baby Biggs Couture 

Sure, there’s always some doubt. Afterall, any belief worth having must first survive doubt hence he is now known as a Believer of Baby Biggs Couture and am in the midst of designing Shirts for his friend who has become a believer too. It feels good to have friends who truly believe in your work and trust in your ability to be creative. It feels GREAT thanks guys. It means a lot.

Lydia of Thyatira

The Toga Goddess…….”I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.” – Socrates June 21, 2009

 

Toga Goddess

My all time favourite has got to be this piece I put together for Jada last Christmas. Her Acah@ Dad wanted something in white for her and commissioned me to put together a one-of-a-kind dress for our princess. The thinking process for this was rather simple. 1. What do I often like to wear myself that’s not too hot but yet stylish…. why of cos!! a Toga… I’ve never yet seen a lil girl in one nor have  I a seen one looking a like a lil Greek Goddess.

 

 

 

Excited, I headed out one hot afternoon to this hidden lil curtain shop in SS2. Was certain I would find something that wasn’t plain or lacked lustre. It’d HAVE to have texture and shine and but of-cos – a touch of GRANDEUR was and is till today the main prerequisite for all my designs.

I spent some 20-30 minutes on the floor of the tiny shop, flipping through the books and narrowed my choice down to two different kinds of material. Told the shop owner that these were my options and that I will call once I’m done hunting elsewhere. She agreed and took note of the name/code of the material I wanted.

I then headed else where – 2-3 other shops and didn’t find anything I liked. Made a call to the shop and placed the order for one meter of the specific material to which she said “oh! sorry ahhh! this one you must buy minimum two meters only can”…but what was I to do with 2 meters! Jada was so tiny and she needed nothing more than a meter!

I heaved a big sigh and said….OK.. I’ll take it – cos I loved it!  She then told me that the material will arrive in two weeks but I didn’t have two weeks to spare and insisted I wanted it in 5 days and thank God, it arrived on time.

Little did I anticipate that my tailor wasn’t going to be available  as it was peak season and she had an overload of orders.And so I ended up giving the dress to a student who delayed the dress by some 10 days cos her machine was spoilt and when that got fixed she had a fall and couldn’t complete it in time…..frustrated, I decided to go out and buy Jada a dress….and the hunt for the perfect dresses begun yet again…from Sunway Pyramid, to One Utama, to Subang Parade, to Mid Valley, to The Gardens, Lot 10, and then finally Pavillion…..was so so very frustrated. In the end I settled on a dress from Baby Gap (which was pricey) and another from MetroJaya which wasn’t pricey.

I did manage to get the dress (and 2 other dresses) from the student some 2-3 days after New Years only. What a wait that was but was grateful that it came out precisely as I would have wanted it to.

The wait was worth the while and this fits Jada till today for it was tailored with additional material on the inside hence as & when she outgrows it, I can simply unstitch it and have her wear it. Am guessing she’d be able to fit into this number till she’s about 3 – I HOPE

But if she doesn’t, I still have that spare material with me. Will just need to do some adjusting and she’s still have this dress to wear for a much longer time to come in comparison to the other dresses I’ve bought her from malls :o) It’s still a far better deal to me and intend to adjust and re-adjust her dresses as she grows older. What better way to save on clothes than this? Atleast it stays a new and different as the bottoms can be swapped with other materials and so can the tops!

I cant wait to make some drastic adjustments…..just have to wait it out a lil I suppose till she outgrows them  one by one.

Baby Biggs Couture and its beginnings….. June 21, 2009

Feels great to finally start a blog for all of you who have been tremendously supportive and appreciative of my designs. I really do hope that the designs will continue to appeal especially to those in the lower / middle income earners group as you are the folks  I intend to please. It’s not always you get something worth the price yet alone something that’s within your budget.

In the next week or so, some 4 more designs will be posted for your viewings. Hope you take a liking to them.

Gotta run…take care and have a wonderful Fathers Day.