Bed of Roses: A Blend of Classic Elegance and Modern Comfort

Kelly Ng's Award-Winning Collection Reimagines 40s Fashion with a Modern Twist

Ng's inspiration for "Bed of Roses" stemmed from the 40s fashion era and the idiom Bed of Roses. In contrast to the avant-garde style and oversized silhouette of the 20th century, 40s fashions were all about the hourglass figure. Ng chose to embrace this feminine silhouette, liberating women from thick shoulder pads and hourglass frame, by adding modern taste and comfort to her design.

The collection consists of 15 looks in total, including 3 couture dresses and 12 practical ready-to-wear pieces. Each look involves different couture techniques and materials such as 3D rosette embroidered mesh, wool, organza, felt, silk, and Swarovski crystals. Ng was selected as one of 24 fashion designers worldwide by Swarovski to produce 2 Swarovski garments, which are featured in the collection.

Each piece in the collection was created using couture tailoring techniques, couture hand knitting skills, 3D rosette embroidery done by transparent fishing thread, nuno felted silk techniques, 3D felt roses, and millions of Swarovski hotfix. Ng pushed the use of each material to the maximum, offering comfort and function to the wearer while maintaining a luxurious aesthetic.

The collection was designed to be versatile and practical, suitable for a range of occasions from formal events to casual meetups. The project started in June 2016 and was completed in January 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. It was developed at Bunka Fashion Graduate University in Tokyo and showcased at a fashion show attended by over 1000 guests from the fashion industry.

Ng faced numerous challenges during the design process, including pushing the use of each material to the maximum while offering comfort and function to the wearer. She used 3D rosette mesh to offer lightness and embroidered 3D rosette on wool using transparent fishing thread to make roses appear like blooming. Countless hours were spent applying millions of Swarovski crystals to the dresses. All knitwear in the collection consisted of multiple types of couture hand knitting techniques to create convex patterns which cannot be done by computer knitting.

The "Bed of Roses" collection was awarded Platinum in A' Fashion, Apparel and Garment Design Award in 2017, recognizing its world-class, exceptional, and highly innovative design. The collection is a testament to Ng's ability to blend classic elegance with modern comfort, creating a collection that is both practical and luxurious.