part 5 of our tastemakers series: An interview with Farah Khan
Kuala Lumpur
Farah Khan, founder and President of Malaysian luxury retailer The Melium Group.
How do you approach each new creative project?
I’ve been involved in luxury fashion retail for over 30 years. It’s a world I respect as it involves, art, design and the process of creating. I also love how artisans weave and paint Balinese baskets. I’m always fascinated by these creative processes: how human beings create. Whether it’s a work of art, a dish, or a piece of furniture.
Your personal interpretation of luxury?
I just returned from sailing in the Greek islands. There were no distractions, and time quite literally stood still. It was absolutely gorgeous; and to me, this was a moment of luxury.
Your most challenging project?
With the Seminyak Village shopping mall project in Bali, we worked in a different environment and country from which we were accustomed, so we had to evolve. In life, we give ourselves different challenges. From the moment we started piling works, we have seen the project flourish.
Your five inspirations:
People from all walks of life inspire me.
Contemporary art. I collect art by the works I enjoy. If you see my designs for the Farah Khan label, you will notice the presence of artistic forms, inspired by British artists like Bridget Riley.
Fashion, because in some ways, it can last for eternity. For example in Edwardian times, dressing was an art form.
I love music of all genres. From classical to hip hop. Last year, I was at an opera festival in France, and I also enjoy the music of present-day DJs like Pete Tong. Music can transform my mood instantly.
Just like music, films, especially from decades past, record so much of the way people lived. You see things from the past. Films have the ability to take one from place to place, and from time to time.
What’s next for luxury?
The world of social media is changing the way we do business. It’s a different way of understanding how the world sees things; the ways in which people live and how they aspire to live. Social media connects us to how the new generation thinks, and their retail habits.
In this series, we also feature Bonnae Gokson , Loh Lik Peng, Jeffrey A. Wilkes. and Polpat Asavaprapha
