Doing It Datuk Zang Toi’s Way
The first Asian fashion designer to be wowed and championed by Anna Wintour, formerly of Vogue magazine 36 years ago, continues to impress in The Big Apple – his home for 44 years
Quote: “If it’s good enough for Vogue magazine, then it’s good enough to be covered by everybody. The key thing is to always be true to yourself and never pretend to be somebody else you are not. I never try to be the next Calvin Klein or Yves Saint Laurent or Chanel. I want to be Zang Toi,” – Datuk Zang Toi, Founder of House of Toi
BY YVONNE YOONG
“Behind every successful man is a woman,” goes the age-old popular saying. But in the case of Datuk Zang Toi, behind the iconic Malaysian-born, highly successful New York-based fashion designer – is the deep-seated love of his family and especially the devotion displayed by his late beloved big brother Toi See Luon backing his success.
Crediting the latter as his supporting pillar of strength, his brother who oversaw the brand’s local clientele regularly travelled to New York to assist him behind the scenes with his exciting fashion runways in New York. This his elder brother did happily – never once complaining as it came with the territory and privilege of brotherly duties rendered to him – the youngest of seven siblings in the family.
Arriving in the Big Apple 44 years ago, having been accepted into the prestigious Parsons School of Design after completing his Grade 13 studies in Toronto, Canada – little did he suspect the streets of this metropolitan city would one day be singing his accolades, acceptance and admiration in the ensuing years. And, his would be the timeless legacy of designing for Hollywood’s most celebrated creme de la creme of society’s superstars and the elite echelon from diverse spheres of powers-that-be.
He frames his opinions of them on a first-hand basis: American actress Sharon Stone has that glamorous instinct to pick out gorgeous looks without the help of a stylist, while American model and actress Carol Alt and the late Farrah Fawcett and Kristie Alley are the epitome of all-American beauties and actresses who shine from within with Princess Haifa bint Muhammad Al Saud being the epitome of chic without trying too hard.”
Although he only had USD300 (approximately RM1,221) in his pocket when he first arrived in the Big Apple at age 19 – he was nevertheless – armed with a dream so big coupled with overwhelming optimism, that the sky was his reference point for success. But first things first – he wasted no time in organising his personal priorities when survival instincts kicked in.
“Obviously, my parents didn’t have a lot of money then so I had to immediately get a part-time job which turned into a full-time job to pay for my living expenses. They worked very, very hard and saved every penny for our education,” he said crediting their hard work in manning a little grocery store in Kuala Krai, Kelantan with the family living on the first floor.
Buoyed by the love of his close-knit and open-minded family, he was free from the shackles of having to settle for a traditional Asian career. Hence, he was able to whole-heartedly pursue his design dreams riding on the wings of inborn talent, boundless inspiration and quiet optimism. And, as far as talent is concerned, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as his elder brother who always cheered him on who is his “best friend, protector and biggest fan since Day 1” and their father was extremely talented too, he shared.
“I believe it’s a combination of both our mother and father’s (genes). My (late) father was very artistic as well as he won numerous accolades for decorating the most beautiful shop on holidays celebrating the Sultan’s birthday,” he told Paparazzi360.
His courage was a relentless force to be reckoned with as he unleashed the full wave of his imaginative creativity upon his designs without fear or favour.
Guided by the values of diligence and hard work – being constant companions gifted to him by his parents by way of instilled virtues – he managed to miraculously compress and complete his four-year design programme into three years. Indeed, his candour and optimism in taking on all forms of challenges in stride is admirable. “In the last two years, I was working and attending college full-time while living on two to three hours sleep for two years,” he quipped.
Apprenticed to his old boss Mary Jane Macasiano, he continued working with her for a total of eight years before eventually establishing his own atelier – “House of Toi” in 1989. And with that, the stage was set for the great unveil of his “Lucky 13” collection.
“LUCKY 13” – THE COLLECTION THAT LAUNCHED A THOUSAND INSPIRATIONS
A young Zang Toi and his beloved big brother Toi See Luon peeking out of the first floor window of the little sundry shop owned by their parents on No. 13. Inspired to launch his first fashion collection with a “lucky 13” series of dresses, this resulted in him emerging as the first Asian fashion designer to be endorsed by the legendary Anna Wintour.
Naturally guided by his instinct, his decision to launch his maiden collection with his “lucky 13” dresses surprisingly set into motion an unprecedented chain of events that would see him taking on the fashion world by storm.
Indeed, the hands of Destiny and Faith – noticing his resilience and determination – clasped their grip together with Fortune and Success to ensure that Zang Toi’s inaugural “Lucky 13” design collection would capture Wintour’s attention and make the headlines – placing “House of Toi” in a sweet spot on New York’s luxury fashion roadmap.
Displaying uncharacteristic courage by throwing caution to the wind and launching his maiden “lucky 13” series of dresses – his action alone showcased his playful approach bordering on confident audacity – boldly using a number usually attached with negative connotation. So huge would the impact be to an unsuspecting young designer in the making that the power of his family’s love to move mountains were already working in his favour.
“Number 13 is my lucky number! I am generally not superstitious but somehow, I decided that my parent’s grocery store address No 13 would be my lucky number when I launched my collection 36 years ago. The reason for the ‘Lucky 13’ is (because) my parent’s store address was No. 13 so I always considered that as my lucky number. Not only did I launch my first collection ‘Resort 1990’ in August 1989 with 13 pieces – but I always hold my runway show on the 13th (of the month) for the past 35 year,” said the generally non-superstitious legend. Coincidentally, this cover coincides with Paparazzi360’s 13th Volume cover edition.
Indeed, it was just a matter of time for his ingenuity to be discovered. And the hand of destiny was moved by none other than the name which inspired awe, respect, admiration and trepidation all at once, as she could make or break besides influence the sway of fashion trends with her approvals or disapprovals in the legendary Anna Wintour – former Editor-In-Chief of Vogue – and the authority of fashion who is currently overseeing Conde Nast as Content Chief.
“And it’s unheard of even till today – that the first dress of the collection was featured by Anna Wintour, (former Editor-In-Chief) of Vogue magazine (and current Conde Nast content chief) for the entire issue of November 1989. And, I was in business for all of three months. I thought it happened to all designers but I didn’t realise how lucky I was to have a dress featured in Vogue after just launching for three months. So, that is the beginning of the American Dream, (for me),” he recollected.
It was certainly no mean feat for his maiden “Lucky 13 collection” to win Wintour’s strict approval standards and be featured on the front page of Vogue.
“I think the highlight of the journey along the way was being discovered as the first Asian Designer championed by the legendary Anna Wintour of Vogue magazine. It was one of the first highlights of my career not only for the dress to be featured in Vogue but I was in business for all of three months,” he shared.
And the rest as they say, is history.
JUST LIKE THE MOVIES
And, when I launched a second collection in Spring 1990, Anna Wintour was working on a very big story called ‘The New Faces of The 90s’ featuring four of her favourite (selection of) young designers,” he recalled.
“Another three months later in February (1990), when I received the big March issue of Vogue magazine, not only was I selected by Anna Wintour to be one of the four new faces of the 90s but my photograph was on the opening page of the story. So, for a young Malaysian designer to be among the four to be featured by Vogue basically cemented my reputation in the fashion industry in 1990 and Anna Wintour was the one to put me on the fashion map. If it’s good enough for Vogue magazine, it’s good enough to be literally be covered by everybody for the next five years.
“I am now living the American dream,” he says with his signature smile showing off his white row of gleaming pearly white, with his black fringe clipped back at angle and black eyes glistening with excitement.
Recalling how many of the favoured young American designers and he launched that Spring collection in November 1989, he said that when she saw his second collection, she decided to withdraw one of the designers to be replaced with him instead.
“It was like a movie for three months and within 24 hours, there were the photography sessions and they came to photograph and interview me for the collection and made me do a big sketch for Vogue magazine,” he reminisced.
Incidentally, she is credited with the blockbuster movie “The Devil Wears Prada” inspired by her fastidious pickiness and impossible high standards of perfection and uncanny, overwhelming brilliant ability to spot emerging fashion trends as portrayed by award-winning actress Meryl Streep alongside Anne Hathaway.
LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM
“My story is very lucky. As I say again, with the love of my family, it gave me the confidence that I didn’t even know I had. But the key thing is that you have to work so hard that anything can happen. Don’t be afraid but the key thing is always to be yourself. And, don’t pretend to be someone you’re not because once you pretend, the smart people will see right through it.
“So you always have to stay authentic and true to yourself and people will embrace you… And, with a lot of hard work, like me in New York for 44 years trying to study as a fashion student and trying to start my own business, I always stay true to myself and I always do what I believe is right for me. I never try to be the next Calvin Klein or Yves Saint Laurent or Chanel. I want to be Zang Toi,” he said attributing hard work and authenticity as the cornerstones to his success.
Despite dressing Hollywood’s most glamorous celebrities and superstars including the powers that be – think Eva Longoria, the late Farrah Fawcett and even the late Ivana Trump whom he describes as “a loyal client and friend from 1996 – 2022” and Melinda Gates – at heart he remains the lucky last child of seven siblings spoilt by his parents who “allowed and encouraged” his “love of drawing instead of studying”. And, truly what a long way he has come.
The playful candour, his witty disposition and lovable easy charm enveloped by quiet optimism is indeed a tough act to follow – even by international standards. And, that is what makes him uniquely the legend that he is.
And, for someone who has achieved the ultimate fashion design dream in an unsurpassed clientele reading like a who’s who which others can only dream of having, his parting words are not to be taken lightly and carry a weight of authority: “If you stay true to yourself and work extremely hard and never, never pretend to be someone you’re not, you will make it.”
@Paparazzi360
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FANS, FRIENDS & FASHION
Die-hard patron of Zang Toi Couture since he first started his boutique in Kuala Lumpur, Chan Yue Yee, has attended his “fabulous fashion shows” in New York and travelled to Paris, London, Santorini, Bangkok and Hong Kong with him and his brother, the late Toi See Luon, whom she credits as a “very good and loyal friend” to her.
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The lifetime friendship with Datuk Zang Toi espouses an innate “admiration for his creativity, dedication to his craft and attention to quality” so much so that after each seasonal collection, she always looks forward to the next one in anticipation.
Professor Datuk Dr Elizabeth is another fan who was introduced to Datuk Zang Toi through his brother the late Toi See Luon who managed and designed for the Zang Toi Boutique in Malaysia.
“When I was featured on the cover of a magazine called “Dare”, I was asked to choose the wardrobe being sponsored for the shoot from either Zang Toi or another leading brand.
Impressed that See Luon had already put together a whole rack of clothes in her size, she chose the former which was the start of a lifetime friendship where he would dress her for every Prestige Ball among other events. She also got to know Mama Toi, the beloved matriarch of Home of Toi in Malaysia instrincically linked with House of Toi in New York City.
