Malaysia The Shopping Heaven

With Penang soon to be hosting it's very first ever Fashion Week, which I hope to be able to cover and share that with you all later, but I thought for now I would like to just introduce to you 'where to shop' in my home country.

Like I have mentioned briefly in my recent blog about KLCC mall back in Kuala Lumpur, my little island of Penang which I call home is also fast becoming a shopping for many shopperholics like ourselves both locally and tourists.

Even though both Thailand and Singapore are the shopping heavens of South East Asia, Malaysia in particular Kuala Lumpur and Penang are now fast catching up. But there is still a vast difference between the two states. Kuala Lumpur is of course the capital city of Malaysia, and being it, naturally it is very up-market in terms of shopping. Where else Penang is a more relaxed island and it is also known as the 'Food Heaven' state. So we do not only have a good mix of both higher end and lower end shoppers market but people in Penang naturally enjoy shopping and eating as their past times...who wouldn't right??

Kuala Lumpur by day


Kuala Lumpur by night


Penang by day


Penang by night

So here are some of the major shopping malls in Penang and mind you this is just on the island alone:

Gurney Plaza Mall

Gurney Paragon

1st Avenue Mall

Queensbay Mall

Prangin Mall

And that is not all...when the mall closes at 10pm, the shopping just continues into the night, but of course at a much cheaper bargain. Sometimes what you cannot find in the malls, you are able to find here in the night markets.

Batu Feringghi Night Market

Night markets around Penang Island

Day time shopping is also available for those who prefer to do some site seeing while shopping. It is amazing what you can find at these street shops. You will also get to enjoy the old Penang and truly get the feel of the island itself.

Campbell Street Penang











Little India Penang

For the plus sizes...have no fear! It is at these places that you can find plus sizes clothing. And you can get them at a very good bargain. That is if you are not looking for the high street fashion designer clothing like Dorothy Perkins, Marks & Spencers, Violetta, Ms. Read, Flow, etc. My particular favourite shop is this little one in town shown below :

They are wholesalers and they have a very wide variety of clothing, from traditional wear to the latest trends. And the best part is that they do have plus size clothing. They also have a wide range of accessories...from ladies handbags, evening bags, jewellery, shoes and even authentic household items such as table cloth, cushion covers and bed covers. There's always something for everyone...yes even the men!

So here's a little touch of what is what shopping is like in Penang the Pearl of the Orient.

Contact : elizaabyrne@gmail.com

Going With The FLOW

Sharing with you all my fellow curvy fashionistas about one of my favourite brands here in Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur is one of the best shopping cities in South East Asia and I must say shopping there is heaven !! Basically you can find anything and almost everything there.

KL has many shopping malls throughout the state and one of it is KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Centre) and it is one of the most exclusive buildings of South East Asia and not to mentioned the tallest as well.

KLCC Mall










I am from the little island of Penang (one of the the 13th States of Malaysia) and it is very difficult to shop for a curvy person like myself back home here, simply because there's not much choices over here. For some reason everyone seems to think that Asian girls are all skinny....but that is so not true. Not everyone Asian are skinny especially those of us who come from a mix parentage background. More so here in Malaysia as we are a multi-national and multi-racial people. So when ever I get the opportunity to be in Kuala Lumpur, it will be shop shop shop...till I drop...literally!

But even then, it was quite an escapade to find perfectly fitted outfits, shopping in KL was a total MUST for me, even though the choices were limited. I only had certain shops like Dorothy Perkins, East India, The Island Shop, Forever 21, British India, Debenhams and Marks & Spencer. But am very pleased to note now that most of these brands are now in Penang shores with the most recent arrival of Marks and Spencer, Debenhams and H&M. Penang is now fast becoming the next Kuala Lumpur I would say and maybe even better. So now I don't have to travel to KL that often for my annual shopping spree!

Anyway, there is another brand known as FLOW that is mostly available in KL and one outlet down south at the moment, and when it opened it's flagship store in KLCC back in 2010, I was jumping for joy cos this meant that the market for plus size clothing is fast expanding in South East Asia.

   

  

Last year's Fall Collection, FLOW had one of our local artist Ning Baizura as their model

This year's Spring 2015 Collection ... already loving it!

Now I really hope and pray that FLOW will one day make it's way to Penang shores soon. In the meantime it's available at the following outlets below;

Flow Malaysia Outlets :

Parkson IOI City Mall Putrajaya, KL Sogo, Johor Premium Outlets, Metrojaya Mid Valley, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Suria KLCC

Contact : elizaabyrne@gmail.com