A terrific 2025 we do hope is ahead

It’s a year of true musical chairs in the fashion world. Designers leave brands they have so expertly shaped to be snapped up at other houses. This is, perhaps, how things are. Who can resist, for example, the venerable maison of Chanel, desperately in need of rejuvenation. Despite the changes happening across the European fashion capitals, there is hope that things would be more exciting come 2025, even if some designers prefer to continue with the only flashy steps they can take. The reality is, the grip of blandness on fashion is very real. Walk pass most store windows these days, and you see nothing that entices. And some luxury brands are wondering why their sales are down and going further southwards. For so many, the need to enthrall is less important than the urge to just churn out merchandise.

This year, there has been a sharp increase in the number of readers from Malaysia, and we would like to welcome our friends from across the causeway to SOTD. In 2024, total views from Malaysia rank third, just below the US, and we expect the figure to rise. Encouraged by the data, we are now broadening our coverage to include stories that may interest our immediate neighbour to the north. Malaysian fashion designers are not only garnering attention in the region, but also being spotlighted in Dubai and even as far as London. And Malaysian fashion influencers are such newsmakers these days, it is hard not to consider the content they put out and the lifestyle they so eagerly share as immensely fascinating. From the dot at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula, we wish one and all a stupendous New Year, and a stylish one.

Illustration: Just So