Keith Kwek's mother is a seamstress. Since he was a kid, he had been by her side, watching her sew.
His interest piqued at an early age, it comes as no surprise that he had designed more than 20 Barbie outfits. Two clinched top awards at the Barbie Bazaar's design competition in 1999. One was a bridal gown laced with a beaded bodice and a full skirt; the other - a deep red theatrical evening gown topped with an organza shawl.
Keith Kwek (Diploma in Apparel Design &
Merchandising, 2001), a world champion in Barbie Bazaar Magazine's annual
competition.
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Got
the kicks Unlike most of his peers, taking part in the competition had nothing to do with the project being a school assignment. It was pure passion. "I am a collector of Barbie myself," Keith admitted. "I went to Borders to look for the magazine. I had a great time planning the design and deciding what she looked best in. It gave me the chance to feel what it was like to take part in an international competition," he said earnestly. Fun aside, it was hard work trying to decide materials for his Barbie. He explained, "I went around looking for
laces and beads that were small enough for the doll." And he
painstakingly threaded the minuscule beads and lace corsets himself.
Really tedious, he shook his head in pathetic humour. From an idea, he claimed. "Actually, there isn't any prior planning for a design. When ideas come, just put them into action." With his winning designs, the choice of material plays a crucial role. He focused first on the duchess satin and glass beads before hitting on the idea of a bridal gown. And the French lace, china silk and red organza helped inspired the masquerade evening theme. |
| One winning entry - a bridal gown design | |
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| The other entry - a theatrical evening gown |
That decided, he embarked on a single-minded search for fabrics.
Quick decisions and hard work aside, what sustains the 25-year-old is his love for Barbie. So far, lucky collectors had snapped up 25 of his dolls here and overseas.
And if market prices are of any indication - some Barbies go by $250-$350 each -- he has weaved a pile of money even before he graduated in 2001!
Well, that's a great reason for persisting in
one's passion and getting value from it for sure.
*Pictures courtesy of Keith and TS magazine