House Of Sephora, Nevermore Academy @ Sunway Pyramid, KLFW 2025 Days 1 To 4: Dope Events We Hit Up This Week!
We were on the scene and vibing like a boss! Just check out our social diary for this past week (don't be jelly!):
House Of Sephora @ Pavilion Damansara Heights
We were front and centre at the latest edition of House of Sephora at Pavilion Damansara Heights – and it was everything! From cult classics to under-the-radar gems, the curated beauty playground was where IT-girl energy met expert advice.
Whether you were searching for your perfect foundation match, or just looking to play with the latest formulas, Sephora's beauty advisors were ready to guide you through every shade, finish and texture. And the real showstopper? HAUS LABS by Lady Gaga, which has officially arrived in Malaysia. We dove into clean, high-performance makeup that's as bold as it is thoughtful, packed with pigment, science-backed, and crafted with intention. We swatched, we tested, and we fell in love.
Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel:
Nevermore Academy @ Sunway Pyramid
Nevermore Academy: Malaysia Campus officially opened its eerie doors at Sunway Pyramid, inviting fans of Netflix's 'Wednesday' to step into the world of the Outcasts.
From crafting potions to solving spooky mysteries across themed rooms like the Nightshade Library and Wednesday and Enid's Dorm, visitors can collect stamps in their Report Cards for a chance to win a mysterious prize — and maybe even spot the giant roaming 'Thingmobile' around Klang Valley before 10th August.
Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel:
KLFW 2025 Day 1: Sofia Iman
Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 opened with a bang on day one with a landmark collaboration between Suria KLCC and homegrown designer, Sofia Iman. The event marked a powerful full-circle moment for Sofia Iman, who began her journey at Suria KLCC in 2008.
Themed 'Heritage Reimagined, Style Redefined', the showcase was a stunning celebration of Malaysian craftsmanship, with songket and batik reinterpreted through the lenses of eight homegrown designers: ABU, Ashley @ Kapas, Atelier Prive Melson, FUZA by Fuzana Mokhtaza, Jimmy Lim, Jimmy Wong, TANGOO, and Uzair Shoid.
Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel:
KLFW 2025 Day 1: Rizman Ruzaini
RR by Rizman Ruzaini closed day one of Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 with a powerful showcase that blended high fashion with their signature sense of drama. The celebrated designer duo delivered a runway full of bold silhouettes, intricate detailing and statement pieces that reminded everyone why they remain one of the most iconic names in Malaysian couture.
The show marked a milestone moment for RR by Rizman Ruzaini, following their 20th anniversary and ahead of their upcoming boutique opening at Suria KLCC. With the runway located just steps from their future store, the showcase felt like a meaningful tribute to their journey and a confident step into their next chapter.
Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel:
KLFW 2025 Day 2: Hatta Dolmat & Kit Woo
Day two of the highly anticipated annual Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 was just as exciting as the first, as guests were treated to a lavish preview of the latest collections by two of Malaysia's top designers.
Hatta Dolmat made his comeback by introducing his PERAHU KERTAS collection, featuring a fresh silhouette in linen. Later in the day, tech met fashion as vivo presented Kit Woo, where the new V60 shared the spotlight with Kit's signature deconstruction and intricate craftsmanship.
Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel:
KLFW 2025 Day 3: Private Stitch
Day three of Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 kept the energy high as Private Stitch, the effortlessly stylish men's apparel brand – famed for smart casual shirting and utility-inspired pieces – hit the runway with its signature blend of extravagant and unique designs, turning heads with every look.
Their standout showcase added to the excitement of the week, offering a glimpse at how the brand continues to elevate modern menswear in Malaysia.
Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel:
KLFW 2025 Day 4: L'Oreal Paris
Day four of Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 saw the L'Oreal Paris REDManifesto Runway Show, a unique and inspiring display of women's empowerment. The vibrant affair tied closely to L'Oreal's iconic tagline, celebrating women and their self-worth and inviting them to 'Walk Your Worth'.
Among the 22 inspiring Women Of Worth who walked the runway were Malaysian model Zahnita Wilson, actress and singer Bella Astillah, sign language interpreter Tan Lee Bee, and actress Che Sarimah Ibrahim. The show also featured performances by Aisha Retno and Atilia Haron.
Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel:
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The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
KLPac presents a tense, darkly funny tale of three hostages clinging to hope
It's a curious detail, almost poetic in its timing. One of Joe Hasham's favourite theatre plays – Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Irish playwright Frank McGuinness – has never made it to the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) stage. Despite Hasham being the longtime artistic director of both The Actors Studio and KLPac, the play remained absent from the venue's repertoire. Someone Who'll Watch Over Me last appeared in January 2011 at The Actors Studio @Lot 10, a rooftop arts venue in KL now long gone. Next week, Hasham returns to Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, restaging the powerful drama as part of KLPac's 20th anniversary celebrations. From Aug 15-24, the play takes over Pentas 2 – and there's a twist: the original 2011 cast is reuniting for the occasion. Trio back together Fourteen years on, British actor Charles Donnelly, Australian Kingsley Judd, and Malaysian Gavin Yap step back into the harrowing roles of three men – an American doctor, an Irish journalist and an English academic – imprisoned in a windowless cell in Beirut, Lebanon. Cut off from the world, bound by fear and fragile hope, they face the question no one dares to ask out loud: will they ever make it out alive? For Hasham, the play left its mark on him – he's wanted to bring it back for years, and figured now is as good a time as any. Hasham returns to 'Someone Who'll Watch Over Me', restaging the powerful drama as part of KLPac's 20th anniversary celebrations. Photo: The Star/Izzarafiq Alias 'It's one of the most powerful scripts I've ever worked on. With KLPac's 20th anniversary and Ireland's 30 years of diplomatic presence in Malaysia, it felt like the perfect moment to restage it. Collaborating with the Embassy of Ireland and the Australian High Commission, as well as reuniting with our original international cast has made it even more meaningful,' says Hasham in a recent interview. He adds that they will stay true to the play's original spirit, as the story's strength lies in its simplicity and emotional intensity. Someone Who'll Watch Over Me is based on the real-life abduction of Irish author Brian Keenan, who in 1986 was taken by militia on his way to his teaching job in Beirut, where he was held hostage for four-and-a-half years. A year after his release, Keenan recounted his horrific ordeal in an autobiographical book, An Evil Cradling, which won the Irish Times Literary Prize for Non-Fiction in 1991 and was adapted into a film in 2003. A cultural bridge Australian-raised but born in Lebanon, Hasham shares a personal connection to the play's Beirut setting. 'This restaging is about revisiting something powerful and letting a new audience experience it,' he says. In the play, three men go from strangers to friends to comrades, and the same could be said for Donnelly, Judd and Yap, who share an undeniable chemistry on stage. 'I never thought we would do it again and to be honest, I wasn't sure I wanted to, because I look back on the 2011 and 2012 productions very fondly. But I love this play, and I love the character so much that it brought me back,' says Yap. Cut off from the outside world, the characters in this classic Irish theatre work fight despair with bursts of song and laughter. Photo: Weeling Chen Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, with Hasham as director, was also shown in George Town, Penang and Singapore back then. 'More than anything, what strikes me the most about the play is its humanity. It really is a story about the resilience of the human spirit, brotherhood and friendship. It feels great to be back and to be working with Joe, Kingsley and Charles again. It feels like brothers reunited,' says Yap. He adds that the play still feels as relevant today as when it was first produced back in the 1990s. First staged in 1992, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me ran on London's West End and then on Broadway in New York, where it received the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Foreign Play. Currently based in Dublin, Ireland, McGuinness is heartened to hear that his play still resonates to this day, making its way to Malaysia again. 'In this world still driven by violence and wars, I hope its message – that to survive, we need to learn to live with each other, to acknowledge and to celebrate, and even enjoy our differences – hits home for audiences,' says McGuinness in a KLPac press handout. A timely message Given the ongoing war in Gaza, the play's themes – displacement, captivity, endurance, and the search for shared humanity amid conflict – feel more urgent and resonant than ever. 'Sadly, it is a tale that could be taken from present-day headlines. That said, I am so grateful to revisit and restage this magnificent piece of writing and to reinhabit the role of Edward Sheridan,' says Judd. 'When I walked into the rehearsal room, I could feel the butterflies taking wing as we prepared to step over the edge and once more into the pit,' says Donnelly. Photo: Weeling Chen With absolutely no contact with the outside world and an uncertain fate, the characters in Someone Who'll Watch Over Me fight boredom by breaking out into song and laughter, pretend they're in a flying car and do just about anything to stay sane. At the same time, they must also learn to overcome personal and nationalistic differences. Reflecting on what it's like to reprise their roles after 13 years, Donnelly says it's only natural that each of them has grown emotionally since the last staging – and that growth will inevitably shape their performances. 'Our life experiences since then may colour our response to the situation the characters find themselves in. That's not to say that anything will change, but there may be subtle differences in the performance,' says Donnelly. 'When I walked into the rehearsal room, I could feel the butterflies taking wing as we prepared to step over the edge and once more into the pit,' he concludes. Someone Who'll Watch Over Me plays at Pentas 2 of KLPac in Sentul Park (Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah), KL from Aug 15-24. Supported by the Embassy of Ireland in Malaysia and the Australian High Commission in Malaysia, the restaging by The Actors Studio also marks the 30th anniversary of Ireland's embassy in KL.
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Beyond anthem and flag: What does belonging in Malaysia mean today?
IT begins, as many Malaysian stories do, with a question of belonging. Not the performative kind waved through patriotic parades, but the type that lingers in daily life — in accents and surnames, in food passed down from grandmothers, and in the silence that sometimes greets difficult conversations. And at Hin Bus Depot in George Town, Penang, where art has long found ways to speak what language cannot, that question now takes centre stage in Negaraku II, a month-long exhibition that will culminate on Merdeka Day. Building on the momentum of the first Negaraku exhibition last August, this anthology deepens the conversation around identity, belonging and the many stories that make Malaysia what it is today. Curated by artist, storyteller and cultural educator Ivan Gabriel and produced by Hin Bus Depot, Negaraku II brings together compelling pieces from the private collections of Bingley Sim and Ima Norbinsha, two passionate champions of socially conscious Malaysian contemporary art. Set around the five pillars of Malaysia's national anthem — Unity, Loyalty, Prosperity, Peace and Devotion — Negaraku II is more than a sequel to last year's well-received show. It's a reconfiguration. A provocation. A deeply personal interrogation of what it means to call Malaysia home — especially when the very idea of home is contested, complex, and, at times, even uncomfortable. "Negaraku II is a call to re-examine what it means to belong," begins Ivan, adding: "It's about honouring every face and every untold story that breathes life into this land. The works we've gathered are living reflections of the people and everyday realities that shape Malaysia." By organising the exhibition into bab, or thematic chapters, the idea is to guide visitors through stories that touch on pride, migration, food and shared aspirations — while still leaving room for the public to bring their own meaning to the journey. "Our theme, Rakyat Hidup, Bersatu dan Maju, is a reflection of how Malaysians live — not just side by side, but truly together," continues collector Bingley Sim, adding: "In every piece, you'll find glimpses of everyday harmony, whether it's a neighbour's kindness, a shared meal, or the resilience of those who came from elsewhere and now call this home." He pauses before continuing passionately: "These quiet, powerful gestures echo across the bab in the exhibition, reminding us that unity isn't about being the same, but about choosing to see and support each other, again and again." This year's edition also features new artworks by selected artists, offering fresh perspectives on urgent social and political issues of our time. Beyond the artworks themselves, Negaraku II comes alive through a dynamic public programme that includes multilingual guided tours in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Sign Language, ensuring that everyone, regardless of background or ability, feels welcome. NO TIDY NARRATIVES "I wanted to move beyond representation and into the terrain of voice and authorship," confesses Ivan, his expression earnest. From his post as gallery manager of Hin Bus Depot, Ivan has steadily shaped a curatorial language that leans into social critique and nuance. Continuing, he shares: "Last year's edition framed patriotism through a lens of resistance and rupture. This year, the question became: Who is allowed to speak, and whose stories are systemically silenced in our national imaginary?" The result is a show that resists tidy narratives. Instead of offering visual affirmations of national unity, it invites interrogation: of state, of history, of self. Rather than assigning each artist a pillar to illustrate, Ivan allowed the five ideals to act as conceptual undercurrents — threads running beneath the works, surfacing in unexpected ways. Shares Ivan: "Many of the artworks responded not with declarations but with provocations. What does loyalty look like when governance falters? What does unity mean to a stateless child or a refugee worker?" These questions form the emotional spine of Negaraku II. The exhibition features around 35 curated works, with some shown as thematic sets — bringing the total number of individual pieces to roughly 60. Paintings, installations, performance gestures and objects range from the nostalgic to the confrontational. There are Mat Ali's silat warrior sculptures. A giant-sized baju. Lightboxes that pulse with uneasy memory. A Langkasuka cookbook once commissioned for the Brisbane Triennale. A grandfather clock, ticking not just time but testimony. OF NARRATIVE AND SOUL As an avid collector and co-curator of the exhibition, Sim understands this interplay of discomfort and devotion well. Collecting, for him, has never been just about aesthetics. It's about narrative. About soul. "Since Negaraku, I find myself more discerning," he admits, adding softly: "I begin to ask: How would this new work fit into the next national conversation?" His personal journey into art collecting took a sharp turn after encountering Bayu Utomo Radjikin's Kau Sekutu atau Seteru — a piece that cracked open his understanding of what art could hold. That sense of awakening continues to inform his curatorial lens, particularly in how the five pillars are explored. "These are lofty ideals," Sim says of Unity, Loyalty, Prosperity, Peace and Devotion, before sharing: "But I don't have many artworks in my collection that call for them outright. I go for paintings that evoke angst or reflect contemporary happenings. We've had so many political upheavals. Even Covid-19 didn't help." This tension between ideal and reality is what Negaraku II leans into. One of Ivan's goals was to subvert the expectation of what a national exhibition should look like. Rather than a spectacle, he wanted intimacy. Rather than resolution, a mirror. Shares Ivan: "There were moments where I had to ask: 'Is this too much?' Some works dealt with religious critique, systemic racism, institutional failure. Topics that can be misread or politicised. But we chose to trust the intelligence of our audience." Adding, he points out: "Curating an exhibition like this is not neutral work; it involves bearing witness to pain, to exclusion, to histories of silencing. There were moments of pause, but also moments where I felt it would be more irresponsible not to show them." LOYALTY TO THE TRUTH It is this trust that gives Negaraku II its weight and its courage. Rather than offer a Malaysia that is polished and palatable, the exhibition invites audiences into its messiness — the raw, shifting, often contradictory realities that shape the Malaysian experience. For Sim, the theme of remembering is deeply personal. "My grandfather was an immigrant," he says, adding: "My father never let me forget that. And I shouldn't let my children forget it either." Indeed, what he hopes his children — and the next generation — take away from Negaraku II is not a fixed national identity, but a willingness to remember. To question. To cook Teochew food even if they no longer speak the language. To recognise that Malaysia's heroes came in many forms — including those once dismissed as Chinese triad leaders or betrayed revolutionaries like Hang Jebat. "Devotion, to me, means loyalty to the truth," he says simply. That devotion is felt across the works selected. Whether it's Ise's Langkasuka cookbook, Mat Ali's sculptures or Paiman's glowing lightboxes, each piece is a vessel — not just for heritage, but for grief, memory, refusal and possibility. Meanwhile, Ivan, whose background in theatre informs his curatorial flow, sees the exhibition as part performance, part ritual. "I always think about how people move through space," he confesses, adding: "With Negaraku II, I wanted to create moments where people could gather, speak and reflect. Not just view the art but be with it. Engage with it." That engagement isn't always comfortable, nor is it meant to be. In an increasingly visual and digital world, he is acutely aware of how easily stories get flattened into aesthetics. He counters this by layering context — through wall texts, public dialogues and slow-looking sessions. "In a scroll-and-swipe culture, our challenge is to decelerate attention," he says matter-of-factly. Where others might have softened the show's edges, Ivan sharpened them. Unity, for instance, is reframed not as sameness, but as coexistence — messy, imperfect and often difficult. Loyalty becomes critical care: the act of loving a nation enough to critique it. "Younger artists are less interested in flag-waving," notes Ivan, expression earnest. Continuing, he says: "They're more invested in structural critique. They define patriotism as the right to dissent. And that, to me, is incredibly powerful." There is, of course, tenderness too — in the food demos, in the archival fragments, in the quiet stories that unfold not with declarations, but with gestures: a brushstroke, a scent, a found object. These are the textures of Malaysia. And in Negaraku II, they are held with care. Both Ivan and Sim resist the idea of a tidy Malaysia. They don't believe in wrapping the national narrative in ribbon. Instead, they believe in holding space for contradiction, complexity and for truths that don't always align. When asked whether he sees himself as a gatekeeper, a translator or a bridge-builder, Ivan pauses to reflect. "It's a balancing act," he finally replies, adding passionately: "Gatekeeping, to me, means curatorial responsibility. Not control." Continuing, Ivan elaborates: "It means ensuring representation is ethical, intentional. But ultimately, I see myself as a bridge-builder — between artists and audiences, between visibility and erasure." That bridge is where Negaraku II stands: suspended between past and present, rupture and reinvention, critique and care. It is not an easy exhibition, but it is a necessary one. And as Merdeka approaches, it reminds us that patriotism doesn't always look like celebration. Sometimes, it looks like conversation. Sometimes, like confrontation. And sometimes, it looks like a grandfather clock ticking in a room full of people finally ready to listen.
Hype Malaysia
13 hours ago
- Hype Malaysia
House Of Sephora, Nevermore Academy @ Sunway Pyramid, KLFW 2025 Days 1 To 4: Dope Events We Hit Up This Week!
Another week, another whirlwind of totally EXTRA events! We were here, there and everywhere! We were on the scene and vibing like a boss! Just check out our social diary for this past week (don't be jelly!): House Of Sephora @ Pavilion Damansara Heights We were front and centre at the latest edition of House of Sephora at Pavilion Damansara Heights – and it was everything! From cult classics to under-the-radar gems, the curated beauty playground was where IT-girl energy met expert advice. Whether you were searching for your perfect foundation match, or just looking to play with the latest formulas, Sephora's beauty advisors were ready to guide you through every shade, finish and texture. And the real showstopper? HAUS LABS by Lady Gaga, which has officially arrived in Malaysia. We dove into clean, high-performance makeup that's as bold as it is thoughtful, packed with pigment, science-backed, and crafted with intention. We swatched, we tested, and we fell in love. Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel: Nevermore Academy @ Sunway Pyramid Nevermore Academy: Malaysia Campus officially opened its eerie doors at Sunway Pyramid, inviting fans of Netflix's 'Wednesday' to step into the world of the Outcasts. From crafting potions to solving spooky mysteries across themed rooms like the Nightshade Library and Wednesday and Enid's Dorm, visitors can collect stamps in their Report Cards for a chance to win a mysterious prize — and maybe even spot the giant roaming 'Thingmobile' around Klang Valley before 10th August. Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel: KLFW 2025 Day 1: Sofia Iman Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 opened with a bang on day one with a landmark collaboration between Suria KLCC and homegrown designer, Sofia Iman. The event marked a powerful full-circle moment for Sofia Iman, who began her journey at Suria KLCC in 2008. Themed 'Heritage Reimagined, Style Redefined', the showcase was a stunning celebration of Malaysian craftsmanship, with songket and batik reinterpreted through the lenses of eight homegrown designers: ABU, Ashley @ Kapas, Atelier Prive Melson, FUZA by Fuzana Mokhtaza, Jimmy Lim, Jimmy Wong, TANGOO, and Uzair Shoid. Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel: KLFW 2025 Day 1: Rizman Ruzaini RR by Rizman Ruzaini closed day one of Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 with a powerful showcase that blended high fashion with their signature sense of drama. The celebrated designer duo delivered a runway full of bold silhouettes, intricate detailing and statement pieces that reminded everyone why they remain one of the most iconic names in Malaysian couture. The show marked a milestone moment for RR by Rizman Ruzaini, following their 20th anniversary and ahead of their upcoming boutique opening at Suria KLCC. With the runway located just steps from their future store, the showcase felt like a meaningful tribute to their journey and a confident step into their next chapter. Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel: KLFW 2025 Day 2: Hatta Dolmat & Kit Woo Day two of the highly anticipated annual Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 was just as exciting as the first, as guests were treated to a lavish preview of the latest collections by two of Malaysia's top designers. Hatta Dolmat made his comeback by introducing his PERAHU KERTAS collection, featuring a fresh silhouette in linen. Later in the day, tech met fashion as vivo presented Kit Woo, where the new V60 shared the spotlight with Kit's signature deconstruction and intricate craftsmanship. Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel: KLFW 2025 Day 3: Private Stitch Day three of Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 kept the energy high as Private Stitch, the effortlessly stylish men's apparel brand – famed for smart casual shirting and utility-inspired pieces – hit the runway with its signature blend of extravagant and unique designs, turning heads with every look. Their standout showcase added to the excitement of the week, offering a glimpse at how the brand continues to elevate modern menswear in Malaysia. Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel: KLFW 2025 Day 4: L'Oreal Paris Day four of Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 saw the L'Oreal Paris REDManifesto Runway Show, a unique and inspiring display of women's empowerment. The vibrant affair tied closely to L'Oreal's iconic tagline, celebrating women and their self-worth and inviting them to 'Walk Your Worth'. Among the 22 inspiring Women Of Worth who walked the runway were Malaysian model Zahnita Wilson, actress and singer Bella Astillah, sign language interpreter Tan Lee Bee, and actress Che Sarimah Ibrahim. The show also featured performances by Aisha Retno and Atilia Haron. Watch Hype's Exclusive Reel:
