The day that we’d all been counting down to for weeks has come and gone like a passing cloud. It was all so surreal on the day of the show, from the atmosphere to the emotions that we were encountering – a mix of nervousness and excitement to the minutes leading up to the runway show. 

It is after all our debut at KL Fashion Week, and the feeling of seeing Sher by Twenty3 come alive on the runway is indescribable. Countless days and endless nights fleeted by our tireless team in preparation for the show. 

We are still admittedly raw compared to other established designers, and with 90 other designers showing their collections throughout KLFW, we decided to make the production and experience as memorable as possible for our guests. From the personalized gift-bags to the way we asked our guests to dress, no detail was spared. 

We spent days perfecting our gift-bags, which were filled with several items that reflected different aspects of the Sher philosophy. We included a card explaining the meaning behind these items:

• A gym voucher– To kickstart your fitness journey and healthy lifestyle.
• Water Bottle – The unusual shape is a reminder to be fluid and adaptable like the water within. Never restrict yourself.
• Black Coffee (supplied by @m_ti_cup_studio) – A metaphor for overcoming the fear of the bitterness of life, for it is in the dark that light shines the brightest. 
• Drawing Book – Always pen down your ideas, and let it serve as a reminder of the potential you possess.
• Sher by Twenty3 Pouch – Purposefully unstructured, it is nothing but a shapeless vessel without the dreams you keep within.

Our guests were given a dress code – slicked back, wet hair accompanied by strong brows and dark lips. Everyone knows Twenty3 as a girl-next-door brand, so we were trying to push the boundaries of our guests, challenging them to step out of their comfort zones and embrace something new. We were thrilled to see everyone take up the challenge, and we were touched to hear the buzz: “This is me, discovering my inner Sher.”

“We made it!” – a collective sigh of jubilation and relief within Team Twenty3 when our founder, Sherlyn Tan and our Creative Director, Sobu, took the final bow on the runway, signifying the end of this collection and the beginning of many more. It was the culmination of months of hard work, and to see our vision not just being realized, but to also see our message reaching through to our lovely customers and the media, was an indescribable feeling.

The cherry on the cake was Dato’ Jimmy Choo’s presence at our show. We are honored and grateful, as he has been a big inspiration to us, not just for what he’s accomplished, but also for his determination and humility – he insisted to not be seated at the front row, explaining that he only wanted to be there to watch us succeed. His guidance and support have been invaluable, and we are forever grateful to him.

 

On that note, we would like to say a big thank you to all our guests, our customers who turned up in full Sher outfits even without tickets to the show, as well as those who were unable to attend but followed our updates through Instagram. We would never have made it without you.

Don’t be afraid to dream a little bigger.

P.S. Stay tuned for our official photos from the runway!

One sunny Friday afternoon, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Hoon Mei Sim, otherwise known by her stage name, 雲鎂鑫, to talk about her singing career. She rose to fame when she placed second in Project Superstar Malaysia back in 2006, but only released her first album last year, titled “Himalaya”. Here, she shares her story about her singing career, her struggle with low self-esteem, and her unlikely path to success via...hiking.

How did you get your big break, and what happened after?

I was 18 years old when I joined Project Superstar Malaysia. I was only tagging along with my friends, but it ended up being just me in the end, because they didn’t pass the audition stage. It was a great experience, and I soon got an offer to star in a TV drama series. My parents were supportive of my career, but said that I had to go to university no matter what. So, just as my singing career was launched, it had to be shelved for my studies.

Was it difficult to cope with having a career in acting and university classes?

Quite. In my first semester, my results weren’t great. My English was terrible; I could hardly understand what I was supposed to learn. Also, I had just moved to KL; I didn’t even have a printer to print out my assignments so I would be at work until 2 am every day, printing out my assignments at the office before handing them in the next day! It was difficult. I didn’t want to skip classes so I would accidentally fall asleep in them, not because I wanted to but because I was so tired with 4 to 5 hours sleep each night, sometimes less. 

Why did it take you awhile to get back into your singing career after the competition?

I had to mentally prepare myself. I was 20, when people approached me to ask if I wanted to record an album. My parents were worried that I wasn’t ready. I was easily influenced by negative comments and highly emotional; I cried easily over little things. At that time, I was recording the theme song for the drama series and I would suddenly burst into tears when I felt like I wasn’t singing well enough. I had high expectations for myself, yet no confidence. Also, a Singaporean record label I was signed to wanted to record an album for me, but then they saw me crying when I was under pressure, so that fell through. Everyone thought that I wasn’t ready.

Tell us about your time working as a DJ for a radio station. What did you learn?

After graduating, there was one year where I didn’t do anything; I felt useless. There was so much time for me to think and I was lost with no direction, no clear path to take. So I got into being a DJ despite always wanting to be a singer. I interviewed so many singers and played so many of their songs on the radio, and I asked myself, why wasn’t I on the other side of the table? I didn’t want to play my own songs on the radio, I wanted people to play them.

When did you know that you were ready to get back to singing?

Hearing positive feedback from my friends and family. They felt that I had improved as a person. Bad comments used to get into my head, such as people calling me ugly or telling me that I was a terrible singer. It bothered me so much but now, it might still sting a little, but I try to take it as constructive criticism in trying to improve myself. People have commented that they see a change in me.

What triggered this decision?

I felt a change in myself when I picked up hiking. I am not an athletic person but because of hiking I begin to realize that if you have the determination and will power, you can accomplish anything, especially when you have already started it. You wouldn’t want to see it go to waste. In long hikes that could take days, I used to feel tired after 1 or 2 hours but I never gave up. I kept pushing on. This helped me to develop a mentality to accept myself and be stronger than who I was. 

I used to feel like I was born ugly, I had no confidence especially in my appearance. For example, I hated my lips, I felt like they were too full and the make up artists would keep applying bright red lipstick, making them even fuller! As I gradually learned to accept it, I felt like it wasn’t so bad, my lips could maybe be my trademark. 

Where’s the best place you’ve ever hiked?

Gunung Tahan in Pahang! It was mentally and physically challenging because we had to camp in the jungle. After the first day, you start to feel that everything around you is smelly, you don’t have enough rest and your own body odor is overwhelming. It was the most memorable and challenging trip.

Do you have any regrets?

I always tell people that I regretted joining Project Superstar. My life would have been much simpler, and I wouldn’t be so exposed to and affected by negative comments. But then again, without Project Superstar, I wouldn’t be here right now. 

So what do you want for your future?

Happiness is important to me and I don’t want to forget why I went into singing. It was for the pure, unadulterated enjoyment of it. I feel touched when I see that people enjoy my music.

What would you like to dedicate to your fans? 

I wish my fans happiness. Follow your dreams and put yourself first before anyone else. Don’t spend your life chasing someone else’s dream, because you might end up being 40 and full of regrets.

Mei Sim is wearing the Reversible Kiefer Jacket from Sher by Twenty3.

“I am building a fire, and every day I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match.” – Mia Hamm

I’ve always been interested in the dichotomy between the strength and grace of female athletes. It seems that whenever a woman dares to get stronger in pursuit of her athletic goals, she is mocked for having a “masculine” body.

Misty Copeland is the principal ballerina in the American Ballet Theater.

Serena Williams is number one in the world in women's tennis.

Ronda Rousey is possibly the most dominant athlete today, regardless of sport or gender.

All three are champions, and all three have been criticized for their muscular, “masculine” bodies. It’s come to the point where women everywhere are afraid of lifting weights, because they don’t want to look like a man.

Since when did strength and a will to win become synonymous with masculinity?

This dichotomy is what drives my interest in creating a sports-influenced collection.

Plus, ever since Sherlyn started on her fitness journey, her wardrobe has become increasingly taken over by her sports attire. It’s come to the point where she wears her workout gear to the office! It’s inspired me to create a collection that was a sporty version of fashion, rather than a fashionable version of sportswear.

Match Point employs a liberal use of mesh for a structured, athletic appearance, while soft, nylon-blend tech fabrics help bring out the strong, sharp lines of the designs. Tops and jackets are cropped so as to not restrict movement, while also revealing the physique you’ve been working for. The key feature of Match Point is that most pieces are reversible – this is symbolic of transformation, a reminder that fitness is not just a fad, but a change in your entire lifestyle.

Live fit. Lift it.

Regards,

Sobu

I often receive requests from student groups and universities inviting me to share my experience in starting up Twenty3, but with the breakneck speed at which we’re growing, it’s been hard to find time to fit in all these invitations. Entrepreneurship is basically constant firefighting, so I feel really sorry about this!

However, with KL Fashion Week ticking ever closer, I’m reminded of what it took to get us to this point – determination and humility. It’s always been my passion to help the next generation of entrepreneurs, and to encourage them to live in the present, follow their hearts, and to chase their dreams.

I was the stereotypical good girl in school. When I was in university, I never dared to do the things that I loved. I wanted to please everyone but myself; it was just the way I was brought up. I did everything that my parents thought was best for me, just so others would think that I was a good student, and they were therefore good parents. In that regard, I succeeded – I obtained a first class honours.

But at what cost? I was a good student, but I learned nothing. I gave up my passions, all for good grades. It’s a common problem in Asian societies.

If I could do it all over again, I would have done it differently. I would have started my entrepreneurial journey earlier in my uni years, and if you’re a student thinking about chasing your dreams, that’s the advice I would give you too.

1. There’s nothing like the unbound optimism of youth with nothing to lose. No responsibilities to tie you down and kill your dreams. With nothing, you dare to dream.
2. When you start a business, you’ll discover that the most previous resource is time. When you’re young, you have time to fail, time to pick yourself up, and time to grow. You’ll find you have time to experience both failure and success, and you will learn a thing or two about yourself and the career you’ve chosen.
3. Youths have more energy and drive! (I sound like an auntie)

On Wednesday, August 16, we’ll kick off the first leg of the Twenty3 Campus Tour at UTAR Sungai Long. I’ll be there from 10am to 12pm, and I’ll be glad to answer any questions you may have about starting a business. There will also be a pop-up store, so if you’re on campus, we’d love to meet you!

If I could inspire just one of you to chase your dreams, it will be completely worth it :)

Keep dreaming,

Sherlyn

PS. If you’d like us to visit your school, please feel free to leave a comment below or send us an email at marketing@twenty3.my

 It’s often bitter and ashy, sometimes sharp and acidic, or mild and velvety. The depth of its complexity mirrors life’s challenges, its flavour profile every bit as nuanced as the human psyche.

Take away the cream and sugar, and you are left with a zero-calorie cup of black. There is a darkness to it that some shy away from, just as we instinctively run away from our problems, but persevere and the acquired taste turns into an appreciation. The bitterness mellows to a delicate earthiness. You realize that the murkiness is not to be feared, for it is in the dark that light shines its brightest.

You embrace it and let it propel you. As you do, you unveil the strength within yourself, your innate beauty blossoms. You find the Sher in you.