KOTA KINABALU: A decision to retreat and consolidate has helped a fashion designer emerge with new creations that has won accolades.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced Bruno George Sadiwa to close his promising business in contemporary and traditional fashion design, retreating to where it all began - at home in Kionsom, Inanam here.
That was two years ago and recently his designs won the Best Evening Gown of Miss Cultural Ambassador 2022 and the Best National Costume of Mister Cultural Ambassador 2022.
His extraordinary skills allowed him to once again be chosen to design an exclusive bedazzled 'sigah' (traditional Kadazan Dusun headgear) for the winner of Mr Kaamatan (Sabah's cultural male pageant) this year.
For Bruno, 33, his passion for designing costumes was merely to fuel his love for creativity and the slowdown brought by the pandemic had him turn his home into his 'atelier'.
Little did he expect, his creations of traditionally inspired costumes have become a hit. But Bruno admitted that was how it all began for him in the fashion industry.
"After graduating, I was involved with the Unduk Ngadau pageant in 2013. I prepared traditional and contemporary costumes for Tambunan district representative at the state level.
"I won seventh place for the best creative designs. That was the beginning of my career as a self-taught freelance designer," he told the New Straits Times.
At the time, fashion designing was a mere part-time interest for the Kadazandusun who graduated from Universiti Utara Malaysia with a degree in hospitality management.
From humble beginnings, Bruno's hand-made designs have since won various competition awards making him a well-known young contemporary fashion designer in Sabah.
This includes the winner of the Creative Traditional Fashion Design Competition during the Borneo Arts Festival in Labuan in 2015, and the Best National Costume for Miss Crocker Range 2019 in Keningau, Sabah.
Despite alluring career prospects, the lad who hails from Inanam said success doesn't happen overnight. It takes hard work and time.
"Nothing is going to happen in a day, I have been in this industry for nine years, and every day I learn new things.
"Be patient. Keep practising. The more you design, the more you will learn, the more confidence you will build, the better you will be and the more your vision will enlarge.
"I realised that when you know the basics of art, you can expand it anywhere. I'm glad that I followed my passion," said Bruno who actively promotes his business on social media.
The cost for his contemporary designs varies from RM280 to RM680 while for original traditional costumes, it is priced between RM500 and RM1,000.
Bruno who is also one of Sabah's favourite traditional costume makers said respecting the original craft is important to progressing it.
"Creativity has no limits, but we must respect the authenticity of the traditional costume. The sublimity and purity of traditional clothes must be preserved.
"As a designer, it is best to know about a traditional costume – understand how the costume was made, its meaning, rules, and taboos (if any) so that we can design it to its best potential.
"Keeping the tradition alive with an added flair of creativity is at the very heart of what I do," he said enthusiastically.
For the next five years, the founder of BGS Atelier is positive that his business will grow profitably.
He said Sabah has the capacity to monetise its rich cultural heritage.
"I also hope that in the future, there will be more opportunities for local designers to showcase their talent to the world.
"I believe this industry has the potential to generate wealth and create jobs for the younger generation.
"Let's put in enough effort, we will be able to achieve what we want in life."