As an intern at Penang Passion, I never expected myself to have done half the things I did. It’s remarkable that merely one month into my internship, how much the company actually does and how it has impacted the industry in Penang.

In another ambitious move to create more visibility, Penang Passion embarked into a joint project with Canon during their recent All About New Canon Roadshow. Planning the event was an experience on its own. The execution of it was a different, hair-raising matter entirely!

Flier promoting the event

Throughout the four-days of the carnival, it felt like I was running around non-stop, organizing our Penang Passion models, helping the contestants dress up, and making sure that everything runs in a smooth and organized manner.

Well, as smooth and organized as an event of this nature can be anyway!

Working with the Penang Passion models was definitely an interesting experience. If I’ve had any negative pre-conceptions about models before, they successfully dispelled each and every one of them. On top of being drop dead gorgeous, they were fun, humble and very easy going which makes working with them a breeze.

Amali giving the Kebaya an exotic and sultry feel

Amali and Kimberly wearing the beautifully eye-catching sarees as a toga

Their exotic looks were perfect for Penang Passion, as they modeled in outfits to the theme of “A New Twist to Traditions”. They were perfectly poised as they wore our colourful and bright Sarees that caught the attention of every passerby. They showed off the wonderfully delicate, handmade Kebaya with beautifully intricate embroidery. Perhaps the star of the show were the bright, beautiful silk pareos, and our models gave a show of the versatility and beauty of these soft, printed resort wears.

Ciara going all out at the Penang Passion photobooth with a fun scarf

Kimberly, May Li and Ciara; Penang Passion's own Charlie's Angels!

Vnn gives the Kebaya a nostalgic yet undeniably sexy feel

They may look top notch on stage, but behind the scene it was a different headache altogether! Clothes were flying here and there, as we tried to keep the stage constantly occupied with a model at all times. Needless to say, the changing room was a battlefield with clothes lying everywhere, shoes strewn on the floor, and jewelry hanging at the oddest places imaginable. It was a small miracle that everybody got their own clothes back at the end of the day, and each of Tze’s clothes was accounted for! Phew, thank goodness. Otherwise I will have to extend my internship at Penang Passion for another 50 odd years!

May Li showing off the versatility and femininity of a Cheongsam top

Kimberly in our ever popular silk Pareos that comes in various wonderful prints and colours

But the highlight of the photobooth was the audience participation. Stella In International, our makeup sponsor for the event, did an amazing job at transforming even the dowdiest of girls into an image of beauty.

Stella-In International hard at work with one of our models. 

A big "Thank You" for their contributions!

The makeup artists present for the entire 4 days were extremely friendly, on top of being amazingly talented with the makeup brush! We were thoroughly trilled with their participation in the event, as their presence certainly made a difference in the volume of participation as well as overall quality of experience for the participants.

A contestant posing with a lime-green scarf

Perhaps it’s true, when they say the clothes maketh the woman. I dreaded having to organize the wardrobe for the participants at first, seeing it more as a chore than anything else. I never thought of fashion as one my fortes.  But I surprised myself, because I thoroughly enjoyed playing dress up for the participants! It was like playing with dolls, but now they can talk back to you! It was like seeing my childhood dream come true.

A contestant wearing our beautiful silk Pareos as a halter dress. She completes the look with a wide brimmmed floppy hat.

A contestant wearing our silk Pareo as a tube dress

The Silk Pareos were especially popular among the participants, mostly due to their vibrant colours, intricate prints, and sheer versatility of just a single piece of cloth. It could be a halter dress, a tube, or even a toga which would look absolutely perfect at a resort or by the beach. For a more versatile look, just fold it half to make a top and pair it with jeans or cute shorts, a nifty pair of heels and you’re good for a night out!

This contestant shows off the silk Pareos versatility as she wears it as a high-waisted skirt

And the transformations didn’t stop at the physical being. It was especially amazing to see young girls coming out of their shells and truly blossoming under the bright glare of the studio lights and never ending burst of the camera’s flash. Their smiles were ‘thank yous’ enough and meant so much more than words alone could ever express.

The ponchos were another popular choice, as this contestant models one in bright lime-green

It’s safe to say that I did not leave from the event empty handed. I learned a few practical lessons when organizing this event such as “You can plan as much as you want, but something, somewhere WILL go wrong” and “Don’t expect too much. When you expect, your expectations will always be too high and you’ll be left dry” but it was certainly not all dowdy and depressing. I’ve learned to appreciate down times. I’ve learned to find the joy in seeing faces light up when they look at themselves in the mirror. And I’ve learned that giving something back will always be more rewarding than taking something from them.

I certainly look forward to events of this nature in the future. Who knows, maybe I should start moonlighting as a freelance fashionista and eventually quit my day job in order to work in the glamorous world of fashion instead!

But back to reality. The event ended on a high note, when they announced the winner of the competition.  The competition was stiff, but Jessie Ong posed her way into first place, earning her a brand new Digital IXUS 95 IS. The first runner-up was Praisy Yeap Ling Zhi, who posed in a tube Pareo dress and Stephanie Lee came in third, wearing a similar outfit.

The Top 3 winners at the event. From left; Winner - Jessie Ong Siew Ling, First Runner-Up - Praisy Yeap Ling Zhi, Second Runner-Up - Stephanie Lee

It was a smiles and laughter, and that is what’s most important about the entire event. I’d like to think that I’ve touched some people; one way or another!

Penang Passion Team, posing with Stella-In's representative and Canon's Branch Manager