Another week, another whirlwind of totally EXTRA events! We were here, there and everywhere!
We purred over Onitsuka Tiger’s ASTRO BOY collab, rode the dragon at Suria KLCC’s CNY launch, wished Watsons a #HappyBeautifulYear and MUCH, MUCH more. We were on the scene, and vibing like a boss! Just check out our social diary for this past week (don’t be jelly!):
Onitsuka Tiger X ASTRO BOY Launch
In conjunction with Onitsuka Tiger’s 75th anniversary in 2024, the Japanese fashion brand is kicking off the new year with the launch of its first collaboration with ASTRO BOY. Malaysian fans are welcome to fully experience the collaboration by visiting the immersive store at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. We were at the launch event, and we were shook!
The collection includes items featuring the original logo and ASTRO BOY design, created exclusively for this collaboration, in a wide range of unisex categories. The lineup consists of 43 items in total, including shirts, track suits, skirts, and pants, as well as body bags, hats, and footwear: MEXICO 66™ SD and DENTIGRE™ PUFF BOOT.
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The Exchange TRX Unveils ‘The Silk Story’ For CNY
The Exchange TRX is excited for shoppers to delve into The Silk Story this Lunar New Year. In celebration of the Dragon season, the mall’s central exchange has been transformed into a living canvas, showcasing a spectacle of festive delights, featuring captivating decorations from an intricately-crafted, giant revolving silk lantern with a mythical dragon flying through, to ornately decorated pop-ups and a magnificent animated dragon intertwined with silk that will run the length of the three-storey flat iron screen.
The significance of silk is to highlight the material that once facilitated the exchange of commodities, culture, and knowledge between the East and West. Trevor Hill, General Manager of The Exchange TRX, hopes that The Exchange TRX can become a beacon that celebrates cultural diversity and help bring both local and international communities together.
The celebration boasts captivating decorations as well as Lunar New Year craft workshops and various group performances. Here’s what went down at the launch:
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Suria KLCC Travels Back In Time For CNY
Go back in time to the vibrant heyday of old Shanghai when you drop by Suria KLCC this Chinese New Year. The mall’s Centre Court has been transformed to a lively old Shanghai street, complete with traditional double-storey shop lots reflecting the rich cultural tapestry of the 1920s and 1930s. Among the engaging experiences, visitors can explore a beautifully-adorned tailor shop showcasing the art of tailoring and the iconic cheongsam, and a restaurant featuring traditional reunion dinner dishes. The setting will also include rickshaws, a retro vintage car for photo opportunities, and old movie projectors playing classic clips, capturing the oriental charm of yesteryear.
The Esplanade KLCC takes centre stage with a colossal 60-ft tall 3D dragon replica. Symbolising the Year of the Dragon, this awe-inspiring installation, aptly named Dragon of Prosperity, promises to be a visual spectacle to all. To further heighten the festive ambience, visitors can enjoy traditional Acrobatic Lion Dance performances every Sunday at 5pm at the Esplanade KLCC, and Dragon Dance at the Centre Court every Saturday at 2pm throughout the campaign duration.
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SANDRO + Maje S/S 2024 Collections
It’s spring fever! Fashion brands SANDRO and Maje both held their press preview to celebrate their recent opening at The Exchange TRX and to showcase the latest Spring Summer 2024 collections.
The new Maje boutique perfectly captures the natural and casual Parisian urban style as every detail manifests the aesthetic vision of Judith Milgrom, founder and artistic director of the brand, inviting customers to explore the world of Maje.
The space impresses with a modern and clean French design and a refined palette of white, light grey and gold that create a sense of calmness and harmony. The Ceppo marble flooring contrasts with the elegant hue of pale grey and warm shade of medium grey, while the walnut furniture underlines an urban Parisian mood.
The cream white walls with exquisite and tactile stripes fill the space with elegance and warmth. The matte gold displays further highlight the accessible luxury French style. The clever layout and design of the showroom frees up more space for display, delighting customers with a more inspiring shopping environment.
Embodying the House’s Parisian elegance, fashion brand SANDRO seamlessly combines a sleek and clean décor with artistic elements to create a refined world where customers can fully explore the sophisticated aesthetics of SANDRO.
Spanning over 200 square metres, the spacious and cosy boutique is divided into different zones for men’s and women’s collections. The meticulously arranged displays and decorations promise an exceptional shopping experience. The accessories area reveals a pure and elegant style with the premium marble displays, while the signature central column cladded in exquisite ceramic tiles instantly captures attention.
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Watsons’ #HappyBeautifulYear 2024
Watsons’ Malaysia is back with their #HappyBeautifulYear 2024 celebration!
Every Lunar New Year, the brand offers not only fabulous promotions and giveaways, but also prepare a special short film for customers to enjoy. We were one of the first people to watch the film that celebrates the theme of family and the Year of the Dragon. Here’s what went down during the launch event at Four Seasons Hotel KL:
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Audi SQ 8 E-Tron Launch
Audi has taken another step forward in the world of EVs as they officially debuted the Audi SQ8 e-tron and SQ8 Sportback e-tron on the Malaysian market. Audi marks another milestone in beating climate change as we transition to a much more sustainable method of transportation.
The vehicles feature a largely different exterior, with the SQ8 Sportback e-tron having sportier look, while the other has more space. But both EVs feature unparalleled performance thanks to their triple engine design: one for the rear dual-motor setup, another for the front axle motor, and the last for the total system output.
The two are capable of hitting 0-100 km/h in just under 4.5 seconds and have a top speed of 210 km/h. You can also rest easy about its battery, as it can jump from 10% to 80% charge in just 31 minutes with DC charging and full charge from 9.1 hours to 11.3 hours charging via AC.
The Audi SQ8 e-tron and SQ8 Sportback e-tron are priced at RM519,990 and RM529,990, respectively, and are available in a plethora of colours for you to choose from.
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Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Global Launch
2024 has just begun, but Xiaomi is already going strong with the global launch of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 series, which introduces four new phones for everyone to try out. Though they differ in some aspects, these four devices still deliver unparalleled performance and professional-level photography.
Each device has its own unique spin and tricks that can’t be found on its siblings, such as the powerful Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset, memory configuration, and incredible water resistance. They also boast some potent photography tricks, such as the Remi Note 13 Pro’s ISOCELL 200MP-powered primary camera with OIS for a guaranteed perfect shot.
These phones have a clean and smooth design and are more than ready to be anyone’s new favourite phone, and with a starting price of RM749, anyone can hope and try out Xiaomi’s latest generation smartphones. However, you are also more than welcome to take home Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 13 5G, Pro, and Pro+ for RM1,099, RM1,399, and RM1,599, respectively, via Xiaomi authorised stores, as well as its official stores on Lazada and Shopee.
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Lancôme ‘Make Your Legend Bloom’ Pop-Up
Lancôme took over Pavilion Kuala Lumpur with their ‘Make Your Legend Bloom’ pop-up – and we were there to witness it all, from the stunning decor surrounding the iconic Pavilion KL fountain to the bright red alley branded with Lancôme.
There were tons of activities set up for guests and we had to try it all, including getting our caricatures done and making our wish for the new year. Of course, with Lancôme, everything has to be grand – so they chose to display their large-scale Lunar New Year advertisement on not just one of Bukit Bintang’s digital billboard screens but both – and it’s there for all to see until the end of Lunar New Year.
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UNIQLO Exchange TRX Store Preview & Party
Introducing the largest UNIQLO store in Malaysia! Strategically located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, The Exchange TRX, the 3-storey store offers customers more variety and exclusive items that you simply cannot get anywhere else!
We were surprised to see how big the store was and even got to sample their UNIQLO Coffee. Check out our reel below to see a sneak peek of what you can expect at this newly-opened UNIQLO outlet:
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Drunk Elephant Opens 1st Freestanding Store
We witnessed history as cult favourite skincare brand Drunk Elephant opened its first-ever freestanding store in Kuala Lumpur’s very own The Exchange TRX! At this eye-catching and innovative store, Drunk Elephant customers can experience a personalised skincare journey with the touchscreen “skincare smoothie” mixing station and check out the entire range of products from skincare to body care.
During the opening, we explored all the iconic Drunk Elephant products – including fan favourites like the Protini Polypeptide Cream and the C-Firma Fresh Day Serum. The store is now open to the public, so visit the store today at Level 1, The Exchange TRX.
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Pavilion KL’s CNY Celebration
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur had a rousing CNY launch this year with their Dragon Dynasty celebration! With wonderful performances such as a dragon dance and an acrobatic lion dance, and a cheerful rendition of “Happy Long Long Way” by Astro celebrities, a festive air could be felt by all in attendance.
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SpaceLift Face Booster Launch
Empro has just revealed their latest in skincare: SpaceLift Face Booster, designed to reverse and restore your skin’s aging and premature aging processes. Their launch ceremony took place at Mid Valley’s Centre Court, amidst an excited crowd. Along with a signing ceremony between partners from Japan, Watsons and Sasa, we were also treated to a stunning performance from local singer Aina Abdul herself!
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LEGO Long Quest For Wisdom
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon, LEGO style! The LEGO Group invited media friends and families to 1 Utama Shopping Centre to build long lasting memories and spend quality time with loved ones. Upon entry, guests were given a quest card that they could complete by visiting several stations found in the venue. Once completed, kids could claim and build their very own lucky pineapple.
The brick-based building blocks have been making memories for as long as people could remember, and this would be the sixth time in a row that the company is celebrating the Lunar New Year. To commemorate the occasion, the LEGO Group took the opportunity to debut its annual festive release, the Spring Festival Auspicious Dragon and Spring Festival Family Reunion Celebration. Here’s how things went down:
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Melvita Media Brunch Get-Together
We met with the Melvita team for brunch at the lovely Fittie Sense cafe in Bangsar! During the intimate get-together, we got a refresher about the Melvita brand and their recent releases – the Extraordinary Water Hydra-Plumping Essence and the Hydra-Plumping Cream. Not only did we get an insightful recap of the Extraordinary Hydro-Duo, but we were also treated to some tasty delights from the peeps at Fittie Sense! You can now get both the Extraordinary Water Hydra-Plumping Essence and the Hydra-Plumping Cream in Melvita stores and through their official website.
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Love, Bonito ‘Modern Memories’ CNY Collection Preview
Love, Bonito unveiled their latest Lunar New Year collection – and we had the pleasure of getting a first look at the entire line! The preview for the ‘Modern Reunions’ collection was held at their flagship store in The Exchange TRX, which is also their sixth and largest store in Malaysia.
Gracing the event were Love, Bonito co-founder Rachel Lim, CEO Dione Song and Love, Bonito’s brand ambassador and Hong Kong actress, Grace Chan. Rachel and Grace also took to the stage to share about the collection and how each piece was meticulously designed for the Lunar New Year celebrations. The ‘Modern Reunions’ collection is now available both in-store and online on the Love, Bonito website.
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Intermark Mall Eternal Happiness Celebration
Intermark Mall welcomed the Year of the Dragon by delightfully inviting all to join them on a journey of Eternal Happiness. From traditional dances, to a captivating performance with traditional Chinese drums, all courtesy of students of Taylor’s International School, Intermark Mall’s Eternal Happiness launch was truly one for the books.
Lush Opens 10th Outlet In Suria KLCC
Since its Malaysian debut in 2018, handmade cosmetics company Lush has been expanding its retail outlets across Klang Valley, Johor, Kuantan and Penang. With the latest launch of its 10th store in KLCC, Lush continues to promote social responsibility (via the Charity Pot and Bring It Back schemes) as well as eco-friendly initiatives (naked products).
Dr Harvinder Harchand, Director of Lush Malaysia said, “In our stores, customers can experience Lush’s products being sold without packaging, or as they call it “naked” products. The idea behind naked products is to reduce the cost that would typically incur with packaging, enabling the products to be made using better ingredients, suitable for the customers’ needs.”
Dr Harvinder further emphasised “At Lush, we hold on to the belief that a business should be ethical and all trade should be fair. This is reflected through our products and how we conduct our business. It’s no secret, consumers are becoming increasingly conscientious about the impact of the products they buy. We want to make sure when customers purchase our products, it’s not only beneficial but resonates with their values. Customers should be rest assured that the production of Lush items is ethical and safe – from the sourcing of materials right to when it reaches their hands.”
