Hidden Figures SU Fashion Walk 2019 (19/6/19)

Penny and Katelyn at the after-party of Hidden Figures

What comes to our mind when we think about fashions walks? Tall models with the perfect height? High street designer clothes? Celebrity guests and top designers at front row seats? No, not even one! We are bringing you a fashion show where all shapes and sizes are celebrated! We have KL Fashion Week, but at Sunway we have Hidden Figures!

Hidden Figures is an Event Management project run by Year 3 PR project management students (Jan/Mar 2017) under the Department of Communication (DoC). FI8GURES, as the team is called, aiming to serve as a platform for fashion to be showcased by students and staffs on campus as well as boosting self-confidence. This totally changes the perception of the fashion shows that we usually see on television, magazines or even Fashion Week showcases.

As this is my very first fashion show on campus, dressing up for the big night to impress is kinda hard. After much thought, I decide to wear my go-to white lace dress, a pair of Pazzion flats and a Sherini and Shentel headband to complete the whole look. I hand my tickets to my course mates and it's off to have some cakes and chocolate to satisfy the cravings in my tummy. Along the corridor, they photo booths, calligraphy writing and glitter face painting.

I'm joined by Aloysius, Raphael, Yu Qi and Co for the big night. We have lots of fun at the photo booth. Doors are opened at 6.50pm, all the guests are given the green light to make their way to the Art Gallery. I'm about to sit at the back seat but I'm informed that I have a "special seat" in the front row. Wow! Luckily, I'm small in size which is easier for me to make my through the walkway.

With opening remarks from the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wilkinson, let the show begin! "Mums and Dads" and "Artistic" are the first two collections. Next up, we have performances by Alix and poem by Amelia.

The second part is Marvel Bounding and Rocker Chic Street Style. Well I'm not a fan of Marvel but I do love the collection! It's time to get lucky with the first session of lucky draw- a set of necklace and earrings from JY Trendy House. The second performance is from poet Pavithrah and a dance performance from L'Queen.

We have a sharing session from Ms. Lisa, who has been designing clothes from extra fabrics to turn them into something out of extraordinary. Why need to buy, when we can elevate and create our fashion by recycling fabrics? It's sustainable fashion! Before the final performance, a final walk from the models showcasing their styles one last time. My favourite performance of the event is from Penny who perform two songs- Never Enough by The Greatest Showman and Diamonds by Rihanna.

At the end of the show, we have closing remarks from event director himself, Ezac. Through the event, the team hopes that everyone will love themselves for who they are and be confident in ourselves each and every day. I could say that one part that I love about my body is my eyebrows because they have this natural curve.

After the show, it's the after-party! I have a catch up with one of the performers, Penny, she introduces me to her guitarist Wei Keat, as well as her friends. Endless photo sessions with the organising committees and the models are the best way to end the night. We have to be confident in our skin, it's not on the outside but what's more important is on the inside- the true us, who are the real hidden figures.

If you miss out the fun night, check out their official social media sites
FB: Hidden Figures Fashion Walk
IG: @hiddenfigures_su

Diamonds are girl's best friend: My prize for the lucky draw

I'm out to support my PR mates at Hidden Figures

Striking a pose after the show. Glam up for the night

Beyond Labels SU Closing Ceremony (12/6/19)

Raph and KM: We definitely go beyond labels!

Are you ready to beyond labels? That's the question I'm asked during my class as I share Beyond Labels' closing ceremony on Facebook page. Am I ready to go beyond labels? Well, let's find out! Let me take you to have an insight on The Story Behind.

If you guys wondering what is Beyond Labels, let me refresh the memory again. Beyond Labels is a PR campaign project run by Year 2 PR and Corporate Communication students (August 2017) under the Department of Communication (DoC) at Sunway University. The campaign is to break social bias that we live by everyday, we can go beyond what we see.

At 6.07pm, I head to Level 1, NUB, for the closing ceremony of Beyond Labels. I head over to register counter to sign myself up, since I made an RSVP online. After signing up, I receive a mini booklet and a dinner ticket redemption. I have to make my way down back to the university cafeteria to have dinner. All that dinner sure gives me a happy tummy!

Once I'm back up, I head to the photo booth to take a picture. I'm going Disney for the night, because in Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear always says this tagline: "To infinity and beyond!" I thinnk Mickey wants us to go beyond labels as well, I borrowed one of the Mickey Mouse ears at the photo booth. With Vart as the campaign's sponsor for photo taking, we just need to take a photo and upload to our Instagram with the hashtag #vart.my along side with your creative caption, the photos can be printed out with Instagram as the photo frame. How cool is that?

I also look around the exhibition as I missed out a few sessions. One of them featured my course mates, Joanne. Doors are opened at 7.30pm, everyone is given the green light to head in to JC 2. The ceremony begins with the remarks from the campaign director himself, Chester Toh. He thanked the whole Beyond Labels team for putting so much effort and hardwork to make every event a success.

A sharing session by Giselle on how the transgender community in Malaysia face discrimination everyday throughout their lives. That kind of reminded me of my time in Communication Theory and Practice back in Year 1 in semester 2, Ms. Nisha also had a similar sharing session. Well, no matter who we are, we are still human in the end. Why do we have label people just by their appearance? Can't we just go beyond labels? Accept for who we are as a person both inside and out.

A promotional video is shown before the second session of the closing ceremony, a panel discussion moderated by Ben. During the discussion, I find out that no matter what we do, there will be some discrimination. We can't please everyone. People can label us whenever they want, it's up to us to go beyond that and show our true colours.

Wait, there's more! We can't the end the night without any music right? While they are setting up the instruments on stage, a short highlight video is presented on the events they had done throughout the campaign. My favourite is definitely the bazaar! Carlson sure win our hearts with his new original song- No Turning Back. I immediately fall in love with the song! If we want to go beyond labels, there is no turning back.

The ceremony ends with the handing of tokens of appreciation and tearing of the labels to mark the end of the campaign. That kinda of reminded me of the campaign which I worked on last year, TogetherLAH!  The campaign celebration is not over without an after-party right? I congratulate the team for a job well done, and finally I have a proper catch up with some of the team members, we even take photos to capture the heartwarming moments.

I want to congratulate to all the Beyond Labels team for doing a fantastic job! Identify, not classify! There's more beyond the reef! To infinity beyond! This is not the end, it's a whole new beginning. Am I ready to go beyond labels? Yes, yes I am!

 If you missed out any of the beyond actions, check out their official Facebook page and Instagram account:
Facebook: Beyondlabels_su
Instagram: @beyondlabels.su

Beyond Labels' campaign director, Chester, giving his remarks at the closing ceremony

Desmond and KM after the closing ceremony

To infinity and beyond