Jovian Mandagie: Secret Garden
A celebration of sun-drenched springtime and blooming flowers
Recently, one of Malaysia's most notable fashion designers, Jovian Mandagie, unveiled his latest collection, the Secret Garden at Telang 18, Hulu Langat.
Jaja Shah-Mohen | 27 February 2019
Style & Beauty : Fashion Feature
I am no fashionista, but I can duly appreciate anyone with a particular sense of style and passion for his/her craft.
Jovian Mandagie is one of the designers whose designs I can identify with. I love the boldness and structure he brings into his designs and more often than not, I would scroll through his Instagram account to see what he’s up to and also check out his RTW Instagram for some ideas I could lift on what I should wear.
I went to the unveiling of Secret Garden with an open mind. Though I did have some expectations at the back of my head, because hey, after all, it is Jovian Mandagie. If it’s not bold with a little bit of theatrics, then it’s not the hallmark of Jovian. Case in point, his Jovian Luxe collection always comes to mind when I think of Jovian Mandagie.
And he wouldn’t be the host and face of Say Yes To The Dress Asia if he can’t carry the sense of flamboyance and drama :-).
Jovian Mandagie Luxe collection
Secret Garden unveiling took place at Telang 18 in Ulu Langat, and it is not your expected venue for a fashion installation. But for one thing, it’s far, I’ll tell you that.
Took me close to one hour to get there. But it was worth the journey. The place was dolled up to match its theme – a secret garden nestled in a middle of nowhere. From the moment I arrived, it did feel as though I was entering an ethereal garden. Yes, it was blazing hot. But thank God the dress code was white. So under the scorching sun, Jovian’s guests look like fairies for the whites we were wearing gave off a beautiful glow and sheen. Call me cliché, but Telang 18 suddenly felt like it was fit for the staging of Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Every bit of the venue was carefully crafted to give the guests a sense of garden escapism. From the soft, live violin music playing in the background to the flower crown workshop set up on the side. In our white attire and beautiful flower crown adorning our heads, it’s easy to see why I said we felt like fairies in a Shakespearean play!
We were seated in the, you guessed it, garden. As much as everything was beautiful and delicate, it can be quite antsy to be under the hot sun in Hulu Langat. For a split second, how I wished we could have all these at Le Jardin des Plantes under the crisp Parisian sun and with cool spring breeze in our hair. But Telang 18 was pretty too. It was a good thing the sun wasn’t hot for too long and by the time Jovian took the stage to welcome his guests, the clouds have moved and gave us a little bit of shade.
Jovian introduced his Secret Garden as the collection designed by two designers under his patronage, Arene P. Khairudin and Juliani Jamal. Speaking for no longer than 5 minutes, Jovian proudly introduced the petite and beautiful ladies and then he took a step back, not being in the limelight for the rest of the evening.
Here is what's admirable.
It's easy enough for someone like Jovian to make it all about him even though the collection was designed by the ones under his tutelage. It was easy to bring the attention to him and briefly mention the ladies who are behind the collection. But he allowed the spotlight to be on his young apprentices and he watched from afar like a proud parent. My respect for him perhaps doubled on that evening because Jovian knows when to put himself in the limelight and when to lay back. Above all, I see what a smart businessperson he is for he knows that if he wants his brand to live on for many more years to come, it really is about his legacy and signature in the fashion industry and it’s not entirely always about him.
Secret Garden is the work of Arene P. Khairudin and Juliani Jamal, two designers who have worked together in the past notably for Innai Red, but working together now for the first time under Jovian’s tutelage and patronage. The collection is inspired by the soft and delicate colors of florals, but also portraying the vibrant energy flowers can display. It offers both RTW as well as couture designs so any woman can find something that suits her style and personality.
The inspiration behind the Secret Garden is described as, "with dreams of a sun-drenched springtime and blooming flowers, came an inspiration behind the Secret Garden collection. Featuring a new intro to the silhouette, this resort collection carries a selection of straight-cut to puffed-sleeve blouses, palazzo pants to A-line maxi skirts, loose tops to tailored jackets with iconic floral motif and fine detailing.”
The Secret Garden collection unveiling was not your usual fashion showcase, but rather a fashion installation. I found myself chuckling for I knew there had to be something different and rather dramatic when it comes to Jovian because everything else so far was dainty and tender. And boy, was it different!
Jovian and team transformed the Telang 18 Pavilion high-ceilinged form into another world. Layers upon layers of delicate strips of fabric gently flowing down from the beams above, creating structure and the illusion of one walking through drooping willows. With dried leaves scattered all over the floor brushing against our heels and shoes and background playback of bird chirping and a distant babbling brook, it truly was a secret garden.
To be candid, the collection didn't quite blow me away as much as the setting did.
I'm being real here. As mentioned, I admit I'm no fashionista, but as someone who has been following Jovian Mandagie and appreciates his take on style and how he's able to articulately translate them into his designs, I was perhaps a little...let-down.
I understand it wasn’t designed by Jovian himself, but I expected to see just a little more well, Jovian drama, for lack of a better word. Upon closer inspection, I still did see his hallmark for the structure of the collection and its amazing attention to detailing was unmistakably Jovian.
As a working professional juggling project meetings and picking up her kids from school, I don’t honestly think the Secret Garden collection is something I could wear all the time.
I would definitely pick the puffed-sleeve white Azalea blouse to match with a pair of my tan chinos, but not put on the entire ensemble Azalea is paired with, which is the Azalea Maxi skirt. Let’s take the Zinnia Slim Cut Pants for example, I wouldn’t be able to pull off the outfit when it’s paired with its matching ruffled blazer, but I would definitely wear the pants with a top that’s less loud. Ironically, as much as the colors are delicate and soft, I find the collection to be rather loud without carrying much of Jovian’s other hallmark.
Mrs. Mandagie, Nina Ismail Sabri, donned the Petunia ensemble and she looked gorgeous. So I guess it really is about how you wear and carry it because while Datin Nina was stunning in the Petunia ensemble, I’m afraid I would look like an oversized bubblegum who’s trying too hard even though I’m a sucker for anything pink. The Petunia Crop Blazer on its own, however, is definitely something I don’t mind having in my closet.
Azalea Modern Blouse
I guess it’s natural for me, or for anyone who is keeping abreast with local fashion industry for that matter, to have high expectations when it comes to Jovian Mandagie and his collections.
Then I reminded myself that this collection was the work of Arene and Juliani, who in their own way are perhaps trying to find the rhythm in creating stunning works under Jovian Mandagie as a fashion powerhouse in Malaysia. As much as the ladies have worked together prior to their Secret Garden collection (and I truly love their work under Innai Red!), I find that they’re still trying to find a secure footing and be confident in their designs under Jovian.
Ever-sweet Mrs Mandagie, Datin Nina Ismail Sabri looking stunning in Petunia Crop Blazer and Pleated Boot Cut Pants
Zinnia
Petunia
The Camellia (L) ensemble and the Zinnia ensemble (R)
A good leader leads instead of dictates. At Telang 18, amidst the flowers and violin music and Secret Garden, I was reminded of the quote by Diane Janknegt, “Don’t hire a copycat of yourself. Look for people whose skills are the opposite of yours.”
And that was what Jovian did. And that is perhaps what Secret Garden is all about.
