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An unforgettable fashion extravaganza
Too much is never enough, not when superstar-drag artist Jujube and models in sequins share a room.
Glamazon 2.0, last month’s fashion event hosted at Nagaworld Hotel, was the showcase for emerging designers, KeoK’jay and Juli Handayani, as well as Phnom Penh’s premier salon, The Dollhouse. Catwalk models – ranging from a high school student, an English language teacher to businesswomen – were transformed from everyday folk to, as the name suggests, glamazons.
There were no holds barred on hair and makeup. Inspired by iconic heroines throughout history, the keyword was extravagance. As the show’s pièce de résistance, the spectacular parade of avant-garde outfits created by Brandon, Ryan and KeoK’jay’s Rachel Faller left audience members awestruck.
"This time around they went with a bang," said Angolan model Elda Chileanbo, whose costume personified an imposing Queen Elizabeth-meets- Alice in Wonderland’s Queen of Hearts. "There were a lot of backstage jokes. Obviously there was a lot of stress too but everything turned out great."
"We’re all influenced by pop culture so the looks were based on that," said Brandon Lee, Dollhouse’s co-founder, who dedicated about six months planning the event with his creative partner, Ryan Taylor.
Jazz and soul singer Rihannon Johnson and Phnom Penh’s Central School of Ballet took the stage, but the show’s highlight was undoubtedly Jujube’s dazzling performance. Strutting down the catwalk, the vivacious alumnus from hit TV show, RuPaul’s Drag Race, raised temperatures with his swinging hips and pouty lips.
Glamazon 2.0 is the first collaboration between Innov8 Events and The Dollhouse. "We’ve exceeded expectations," said Sarah Garbutt, Innov8’s general manager. "Everything was done on a volunteer-basis to raise money for Wildlife Alliance and the first elephant conservation centre in Cambodia."
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