The designer behind Beyonce’s daughter Blue Ivy’s much buzzed-about US$11,000 princess dress that stole the show during the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards is none other than Indonesian-born Winnie.

Blue Ivy walked the 2016 MTV VMA red carpet in a Mischka Aoki “The Grand Royalle” dress that is currently available at Bergdorf Goodman New York for US$10,950.

Winnie is the face behind Mischka Aoki, a luxury brand for children whose clothes have been worn by the offspring of Hollywood A-list celebrities including Suri Cruise, Harper Beckham, the Kardashian kids and Sarah Jessica Parker’s children.

Mischka Aoki is described by Vogue magazine as children’s haute couture and the brand is sold in exclusive department stores and boutiques around the world including Harrods, Bergdof Goodman, Harvey Nichols, Saks Fifth Avenue and Tsum.

Winnie, who was born in Indonesia but later relocated to Perth, Australia, after she met her husband, said she founded the brand after realizing there were no clothes available at the time that she thought were good enough for her daughter.

“I have always loved fashion and luxury all my life, and it’s become a part of my everyday life. But when I had my daughter eight years ago, I saw that the available clothes for children were not according to the style that I liked,” she said.

“I saw that there was not yet a market for luxurious and stylish children’s clothing, which is when I decided to start Mischka Aoki,” Winnie said of the brand, which was named after her daughter.

After debuting Mischka Aoki’s first collection during 2009 Perth Fashion Week to an overwhelmingly positive response, Winnie’s career as a world-class fashion designer immediately took off. In just a few short years, the brand rose to become an international luxury brand for children, a good fit for the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. And it didn’t take long for A-list celebrities to take notice.

“I think the edge we have over other brands is that we have such a unique product that stands out. This is the factor that attracts people to our designs, especially those who appreciate the intricacy of making haute couture dresses that we implement in our designs in order to stand out and look glamorous,” said the designer, who splits her time between Perth, Jakarta and Europe.  

Winnie, a pioneer in luxury children’s dressing, admitted her success was largely due to the fact that she had managed to enter a market that was previously almost untouched.

In addition, Winnie said Mischka Aoki had also introduced a new collection of so-called ready-to-wear haute couture dresses that would make the design available in regular standard sizing, therefore eliminating months of waiting time.

Mischka Aoki’s regular clients are not only top Hollywood celebrities, but also famous local names, like Adinda Bakrie, Annisa Pohan and Dian Sastrowardoyo.

— The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post

Popular

Jakarta to ban Betawi ‘ondel-ondel’ in busking

Bali to ban production of bottled water under 1 liter

Possible new dwarf planet spotted near the edge of the solar system