I remember Celest Thoi from the early noughties when we were schoolmates at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. She was a graphic design student who often sat at the back of the class, surrounded by the coolest cats on campus. Notably an It-girl, she was cool and slightly aloof, with a pair of willful eyes. She commanded attention through her distinctive style—floor-sweeping bell bottoms paired with a cropped Mickey Mouse baby T-shirt, and her hair parted down the centre, falling all the way to her navel.
Fast forward two decades, and Thoi is now one of Malaysia’s most prominent bridal designers with her eponymous label, Celest Thoi. Her designs blend modern romanticism with a touch of La Garconne. Today at The Yard, I am introduced to Coterie—Thoi’s first ready-to-wear label, which she launched during the pandemic in 2021. This line aims to offer wearable pieces for the modern romantics.
Coterie—a name that suggests an intimate get-together of like-minded people—saw the entire show venue awash in white. Family, friends, guests, and celebrities were clad head to toe in ivory (a tradition that, I hear, has been observed at every Celest Thoi show to date).
The show opened with a delicate lace dress that floated down the aisle, featuring a foliated collar bib. This set the tone for what was to come, as laser-cut details, embroidery, ribbons, and fringes were carefully mixed in varying proportions. But the brilliance here was not just in the ensemble alone; rather, it was in the fact that when taken apart, the cropped shirt with the attached bib, the cute ruffle skirt, and the ultra-alluring empire dress worn under a ribbon-adorned corset could easily integrate into any wardrobe when paired with classic staples such as flint grey pants or a mocha-coloured camisole. As such, it was a decidedly cinematic collection that reimagined traditional bridal techniques for the modern woman.
The crafty shirts stole the show for me with their frilly necklines, attached bibs, and interesting cut-outs reminiscent of the ’70s—perhaps a reflection of the inner hippie in Thoi. It felt like a moment of ‘right place, right time,’ thanks to the major boho trend taking over every fashion Instagram post. An ankle-grazing lace shirt dress with ostrich feathers dancing from its hips proved that a well-thought-out design can withstand the test of time. Unfortunately, this was not the case for the menswear presented today—a missed opportunity, in my opinion—since the heavily detailed shirt with layers of stenciling had so much potential.
Below, browse some of Vogue’s favorite looks from the collection, intimately captured backstage.
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