The Pink Project designer collaborative sees five of Malaysia’s top fashion names working with BAZAAR to design limited edition pink ribbons to be given away on our citywide mission to increase breast cancer awareness. Celest Thoi, Sonny San for Eclipse, Izrin Ismail for Innai, Khoon Hooi, and Sereni and Shentel have been wonderfully supportive in their creation of unique pink ribbons that are the signifier of the breast cancer awareness campaign. BAZAAR’s Pink Project that started 9 years ago with the Nick Munro for Royal Selangor jelly mould has grown from strength-to-strength with the support of Malaysian celebrities like Bernie Chan, Jojo Struys, Asha Gill, Elaine Daly, Stephanie Chai, and many more. These phenomenal women have always come together in gorgeous editorial shoots styled by BAZAAR Malaysia’s creative director, Kenneth Goh where they have shared inspiring messages with BAZAAR readers. This year, BAZAAR strengthens the project in encouraging women to do their monthly self-examinations and to schedule their annual mammograms — because early detection of this disease saves lives!
Please join us on our Pink Crusade, post a picture of yourself on Instagram, wearing pink and with the pledge to do something in your community to raise breast cancer awareness. Use the hashtags #BAZAARPinkProject and #PledgeInPink, and tag three of your friends to make their own Pledge in Pink. Be creative, have fun and inspire with your pink pledge, let’s make a difference with every post!
Celest Thoi
Harper’s BAZAAR: Thanks so much for being a part of the Pink Project and designing the limited edition ribbon.
Celest Thoi: Thank you for having me! It means a lot and it’s my personal hope for this pink ribbon to be an inspiration of change, while raising awareness. It bears the Celest Thoi logo which is a “fleur de lis” symbol to signify strength, light and life. I’d like to take this opportunity to encourage the woman who wears it to help spread the message to get ourselves checked, and, if it turns out positive … to be strong! There’s always light at the end of the tunnel and sometimes we just have to hang on to that idea, support each other and love ourselves. What is more empowering than having women support each other?
HB: What do you hear when the words “breast cancer” come up in conversation?
CT: Well, I had a close girlfriend who had breast cancer. She was incredibly lucky that she detected it at the first stage — it’s true what they say, early detection really does save lives. Anyway she went through chemotherapy, which is never easy, and she’s now well. It really was a soul-crushing time for her as she was preparing for her wedding when she found out about the disease — she was barely 30! In one doctor’s appointment her entire life came to a halt and all she wanted was to be well again and rid of cancer. She told me that it can happen to anyone, of any age. Throughout the whole ordeal, she was still wonderfully cheerful, warm … very positive. I am, to this day, in awe of her attitude and she has my utmost respect!
Celest Thoi’s #BAZAARPinkProject 2015 limited edition ribbon
HB: On that note, is there a personal mantra for success that you can share with us?
CT: Oh, I have quite a few. You tend to pick them up with experience. But seriously: life is short, so whatever decisions you make, have no regrets! Always take care of yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself you can take care of no one else. And most important: Every trial is a learning experience.
HB: What’s the secret to great design?
CT: Less is more! Great design always has a focus point to avoid looking busy. Quality materials, a great cut… a real respect of simplicity.
HB: What is the one thing you know Now, that you really wish you knew Then?
CT: Honestly, I’d opt for an intimate destination wedding instead of the big ballroom one where I only knew 10% of the guests. Because happiness is really something you choose for yourself.
The Celest Thoi limited edition designer ribbon will be distributed with the BAZAAR Pink Project x Breast Cancer Welfare Association (BCWA) Mobile Unit. Catch us throughout the month of October 2015 at KLCC, MidValley Mega Mall, Uptown 7, The Mandarin Oriental and Pavilion KL. Also available as a special set with the October issue for RM10 at Kinokuniya @Suria KLCC from Oct 2. Proceeds to go to BCWA Malaysia.
