AHEAD of this year’s edition of the annual Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW), founder Andrew Tan spoke to The Vibes and Getaran on long-drawn-out allegations of the brand’s history of relaxed remuneration of modelling services for their past runway shows.
Speaking at the media launch of KLFW 2022, Andrew said: “I can tell you now that they [models] cannot claim we do not pay at all. We may be late, but we do and will pay.”
Disclosing the reasons for backdated payments, he highlights compensation delays on the client side to be one of the reason for the lateness in the payment terms.
According to the fashion director, who is known for encouraging homegrown designers and actively pushing the Malaysian Ready-To-Wear (RTW) scene forward since 2013, people get excited to be part of KLFW but fail to realise that the operation relies heavily on the efficacy of the payment terms even on the participating partner’s end because it is what guarantees monetary payouts.
“We have had to deal with payment delays from clients for up to a year or so, but as the organisers it is imperative for us to stay calm and try to come up with a compromise to ensure certain agreements are met.”
Andrew expressed that KLFW is not for singling out entities maliciously, even when there are unforeseen complications, “... as that would be a bad decision in the outlook of us maintaining continuous relationship with collaborators that are all in it to support the industry as whole in the first place.”
“People love to spat and say what they want to say but I would advise models (or others in related fields) dealing with payment issues to come forth.
“Don’t go behind or bringing up the matter to irrelevant parties without resolving the concern directly with us,” he stressed.
Clearing the air on a separate claim where KLFW charges homegrown designers and labels to be part of the show, Andrew denied the allegations and said: “In fact, the money that we want designers to spend should be directly towards the production of the ready-to-wear collections that they are going to present on the runway itself.”
“We have never ever charged the designers. I myself would go knocking on the doors of potential sponsors just so that the event is able to be funded in its entirety.
“KLFW would not have sustained for a decade if it weren’t for the sponsoring partners that have been supportive since day one – this is what I am truly grateful for.
“Haven’t the pandemic already taught us to be more socially conscious with one another? So, again, if anyone has any disputes with the event or myself, please come forward and let’s talk properly,” he added. – The Vibes, August 7, 2022
