In plaine view

THE fashion and beauty trades may be snugly interwoven, but transitioning from one niche to another isn't as simple as it seems. Just ask Laine Wong.
For the past decade, Wong has been carving a name for herself in the local fashion and beauty industry with her finesse in make-up. The pint-sized lady began her career working in-house at Media Prima, and then undertook the freelance route, lending her magic to editorial spreads and TV commercials, as well as brides and celebrities.
Hence, few would know that Wong is actually a fashion design graduate. For this reason, the 29-year-old has left her first love on the back burner for a while now, in fear of people's doubts over her expertise in fashion – even though her daily dressing would suggest she has an eye for style.
"Fashion design has always been my dream; I talk about it all the time. And my close friends have always encouraged me, but I couldn't step out of my identity as a make-up artist. I was apprehensive about what people might think – but eventually, I decided not to care and to do whatever I want!" Wong divulged.
The Carven Ong Academy alumna spent the next year rekindling her passion for fashion design and refreshing her knowledge and craft in tailoring. Wong went out of her way – to Guangzhou, specifically – to search and splurge on fabrics, and subsequently made plenty of samples plus some "bad" ones in the process – all while juggling her make-up service gigs.
"I was unclear on the direction I should pursue for my label. I had to constantly put myself in the customer's shoes and ask myself if I'd buy this design. I thought, if I can't convince myself, how am I going to sell it to others?
"So I kept tweaking and making more clothes. It was pretty stressful, because I did all that alone without an assistant. That's why it took so long for me to debut my own label," explained the Kuala Lumpur native.
At last, Plaine by Laine Wong (www. plaineofficial.com) made its first public appearance late last month in a collaborative show with good friend and designer darling Pearly Wong. The show opened with Plaine's Spring/Summer 2017 collection, "The Inception", featuring 20 minimalist and feminine looks in a monochromatic palette. Placing emphasis on comfort and wearability, the pieces are tailored out of mesh, chiffon and soft linen, carrying bareback cut-outs in a nod to the aesthetics of the spine.
"Pearly has been very encouraging and helpful. We have worked together for quite a number of times, and we found that we have a good chemistry so we decided to collaborate," Wong related.
Despite being equipped with a fashion design degree and having Pearly as a mentor, Wong said there's still much to be learnt about the industry.
"Fashion and beauty are very different. The business of make-up is all about servicing and skills, whereas designing fashion requires more than mere creativity. A designer needs to understand how to manage his or her creations, business, retailing and much more," said Wong, who's also a music festival junkie.
Nonetheless, it is imperative and fortunate that Wong finds fulfilment in both fields. There's a price to her services and designs, but wielding the power to beautify individuals and amp their confidence is worth its weight in gold after all.
"When I see my work being published, or when clients tell me that they're happy with my service, it gives me immense satisfaction and excitement," she quipped.