What’s more impressive than seeing a beautiful couture gown on the red carpet? Seeing a perfectly pulled-off suit do the same, worn by a member of the royal family.
Even with her petite frame, Tunku Tun Aminah Sultan Ibrahim looked sharp and powerful in a head-to-toe poppy red ensemble by Altuzarra; she made heads turn as she sashayed across the plush conference room of The Ritz-Carlton in Kuala Lumpur.
The daughter of Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Permaisuri Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah, was in the capital city recently to talk about her latest collaboration with local couturier Jovian Mandagie.
As she was busy telling members of the media about the exclusive collection, I couldn't help but note down all the style cues laid before us.
Everyone wanted to know what and who the princess was wearing. Thankfully, for people like myself, details of all her looks are posted on her @ttaootd Instagram account so that put our minds at ease.
I sat down later with Tunku Tun Aminah for an interview after the launch of her collection and while it might have been short, our conversation was intense.
"Will you be able to hear me clearly?" she asked as I placed my recording device on a coffee table, which was quite a distance from her.
I hadn't wanted to invade her personal space too much but since she insisted, I moved closer and held the recorder in front of her. "Yeah, that's better, I think," she noted, letting out a small giggle.
At that point the atmosphere felt much more relaxed which became the kind of the tete-a-tete I was hoping for. Throughout the interview, I found that talking to Tunku Tun Aminah was like catching up with a long-lost friend.
ON STYLE
Beautiful, demure and contemporary. That was how I would portray Tunku Tun Aminah, outside and in. With a fashion sense to match that is desirable among many, how does the style savvy princess view grace and elegance?
One would think that she would have trouble parting with shoes, bags (especially) and clothes from international designers but she said it's her plain white tees that she has trouble separating from.
"I prefer to be dressed in casuals when I'm not attending functions. I'm a very active person and I love being outdoors so a good T-shirt (either grey, white or black), torn jeans, Nike runners (or flip-flops) make up the kind of outfit I would normally go for," she confided.
That said, she still places an important value in the beauty of dressing up.
"Making an effort to look good is one way to appreciate and feel great about yourself," she noted. "When you step out of the house looking your best, it tells people what they need to know about you and how you want to be viewed as - confident, sexy, driven or independent."
She added that being able to look plain yet sophisticated appealed to her most.
"I think Victoria Beckham has great style; she never fails to wear the appropriate things for events and she knows what cuts and type of clothing suit her body best... this, I feel, is important," she said.
WORKING WITH JOVIAN
"People have asked me where I've had my baju kurung and traditional wear designed, so I guess it's about time for me to share with them," said Tunku Tun Aminah.
The Tunku Tun Aminah x Jovian exclusive collection is a reflection of her regal personality. It comprises 20 designs imbued with her own style preferences, so customers would have a taste of what she wears and what she has in her closet. The collection is made more personal with each piece named after those close to her.
Those craving for a poised and classic elegance will find the fabrications exceedingly alluring, thanks to the mix of rich materials used, including silk (taffeta and shantung),organza and printed chiffon.
"For inspiration, Jovian decided to go through the archive of my past outfits during formal and royal events. I helped pick the ones I felt the public liked the best and we tailored the designs further to suit modern day sensibilities," she noted.
She said the eponymous Aminah, a modern-cut baju kurung incorporated with songket designs and which comes with a songket selendang, was her favourite.
"I love the fabric combination for this. It's in a shade of sultry grey (one of my favourite colours) paired with striking scarlet embellishment which I feel makes the outfit impressive. There are not many designs out there like it," said Tunku Tun Aminah.
"I think Jovian proposed the idea at the right time. We were supposed to work on a denim collection together in 2006 but it fell through. I guess you could say it's a dream come true to finally be able to work on this project with the right designer. It has been fun."
CHASING OPPORTUNITIES
Tunku Tun Aminah said she has a brief background in fashion design.
While this may not be a surprise to many of us, we still can't help but wonder what happened to the pursuit. Why haven't we seen any fashion capsule of hers, not until this collaboration with Jovian?
"Honestly, I didn't really enjoy studying fashion. There were so many rules and that was a problem for me. I didn't like the restrictions and I preferred to follow my own flow, so it kind of ended there," she said.
She enrolled for a six-month course in fashion design at La Salle College of the Arts, Singapore but after a sit-down discussion with her father on how she can become more business savvy, she went on to open a KFC franchise outlet in Johor.
She realised that the fashion industry was pretty unpredictable and she wanted to be able to handle a career that she knew she would thrive in.
"I ventured into a lot of areas unrelated to fashion, ranging from IT to hospitality. The reason I decided to finally come out with my own collection (with Jovian's help) was simply to tick off one of the goals on my checklist before I hit 30," she said.
On how women can do better in advancing themselves in any project they find themselves in, Tunku Tun Aminah noted that they must first learn to respect themselves.
"It's important to know what you deserve in life so that people around you will be able to value you and your work better," she advised.
HOME GIRL
"I am happiest when I am at home," admitted Tunku Tun Aminah.
When not performing her duties as a princess, she spends most of her free time with her family at home, "doing things regular families do".
"You know, like relaxing and watching television. I run around the house a lot and it's one of the ways I stay in shape. But no one likes to run with me because I take time to complete. Being naturally hyperactive, running motivates me," she said.
Being known or remembered as the simplest princess one could ever come across is one of her aims in life. She quipped: "I have yet to understand how to act like a proper diva."
She said her father is the person who inspires her the most and that not a day goes by when he does not think of others.
"He checks up on everyone in the family and works every single day, even on a holiday. His well-being truly depends on the well-being of those around him and the public in general," she said.
When asked what makes her laugh most, she broke into a smile and said that it was her brother, the late Tunku Laksamana Johor Tunku Abdul Jalil Sultan Ibrahim, who was the light of the family's eyes.
"Jalil was the funniest of us all; he was pretty mischevious too. He taught me to not take things too seriously and to be very patient and kind when I can," she said.
"I think making time for your loved ones is something you should not take for granted because time itself is precious. It goes by so fast and there is no way of bringing it back once it's gone."
TTA on TTA
The first thing you do in the morning?
Check my phone.
What's your most obvious characteristic?
Bubbly.
Best place to rest and relax?
My grandmother's farm in France. It's pure nature.
What is your favourite food?
I love pasta! Any type of penne pasta.
What is your favourite city?
New York. Christian Louboutin paid for my expenses once to attend the Met Ball. I received an invite last year but had to turn it down as it was during the time when my brother (Tunku Abdul Jalil) was sick.
Favourite type of animals?
Tigers, cats and horses (I have been riding since I was 5)
What are you currently reading?
Don't Be Sad – a collection of Quranic verses on dealing with struggles. I have also just finished reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.