MALAYSIA TRULY ASIAN RIP-OFFS

Zeppelin S1 Chandelier by Marcel Wanders (2005), based on the Cocoon series of suspension lamps by the Castiglioni brothers in the 60s... (one brother designed the Arco, an UGLY MALAYSIANA favourite!) These are sculptural lamps with a 'normal chandelier shape' core sprayed with a 'cocoon' of resin... quite a haunting diffuser shape!

It is RM20,000+ if purchased from FLOS (I think, correct me if I'm wrong). For affluent readers who are interested in owning an ori one, you can go to XTRA in GARDENS Mid Valley to inquire — they are the official distributors in Malaysia. If you cannot afford it but macam interested in how it's made, you could look at a posh-looking video documentary thing in the shop itself... You may also touch one, provided your fingers are clean).

However, if you feel Malaysian and you want a TOUCH OF LUXE in your home but don't want to pay for design because design has no value because all your nieces are doing design these days in college since they couldn't go into science-stream, then: 

UGLY MALAYSIANA is pleased to announce that the rip-offs have started emerging out of their cocoons of exclusivity~*~*~*~*~* 

SPOTTED IN IPOH. 

DISCLAIMER: STRETCHY SYNTHETIC FABRIC IS USED 

INSTEAD OF WHITE COCOONNY RESIN.

 SPOTTED IN PWTC AS PART OF SOME HOME FAIR WITH THE TITLE PERFECT LIVIN'... RM1,680 BUT BIG DISCOUNTS MAKE THIS ITEM AFFORDABLE AT ONLY RM890 SIAPA CEPAT DIA DAPAT YO....

SPOTTED IN A LOCAL RENOVATIONS AND HOME ACCESSORIES GUIDE BOOK

NOTICE IS THE SAME DISTRIBUTOR: "ALFO".

BEHOLD! A screenshot of the ALFO website:

 

http://www.alfo.com.my/index.htm

Standard look for corporate websites in Malaysia hor? Got people receiving awards or stuff (in this case, a very 90s-hotel looking table lamp), poor logos, horrible navigational buttons, Datuks in batik... 

KEPALA PECAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I seriously wonder what the salesmen from Alfo would say about the rip-off... I can imagine these words used to lure the rich customers:

"Veli special design... veli modern... new look... special construction... see, inside is chandelier, but outside got moden treatment, wrap in cloth, like kuih... if u buy dis, sure many come yr mansion will b amaze... never see dis type of new desin before... young people like dis look now..."

Krismas

Dua-dua jantan 'instrumentalists' sedang memandang perempuan diva seksi berpakaian ala 'Bapak Krismas' dan berambut 'blond'.

Piracy and the "Arco" lamp fetish

 

 

For some reason, the Arco lamp (above) has achieved so much popularity that local lighting supply stores (top picture) has begun stocking terribly unelegant copies of it. It is almost as if it's de rigueur to have an Arco displayed in a new condominium project's showroom (2nd picture) to denote taste and "sophisticated urban lifestyle living". 

I have come across too many Arcos in certain B-grade restaurants, 'trendy' offices,  or the aforementioned showrooms, and I can say that most of them are fake. I can tell at one glance: the curved stem on the FLOS-licensed version is flat brushed metal and tapers off very subtly in barely unnoticeable mechanical joints; the China-made versions have a stem which is cylindrical with very obvious joints.

I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad to see so many fake Arcos hanging around... as I do adore Mr. Castiglioni's work and have often thought about how satisfying it would be to own one of his lamp designs (my old time favourite is the Lampadina)... But I feel it is quite gila sikit to spend thousands of ringgit on such items, what more with unreasonable import taxes and a low currency value. 

Maybe companies like G.D.O. or Timeless Designs can fill this 'need' for design by offering such iconic items at an affordable price. Because it really seems quite ridiculous for the average Malaysian to spend thousands on 'authentic things like that'. 

Or should you say, buy within your means! And deprave yourself from these things, because they are unattainable, they are for rich people in Europe or Datuks here who have Eropah punya aspirasi? Shall we sacrifice iconic furniture lust so we can maintain our purist, non-pirated buying habits (so ethical gitu)?

Sometimes I say, TIU. WE ARE MALAYSIAN, WE BUY PIRATED DVDs FROM PASAR MALAM OR DODGY SHOPHOUSES THAT OPEN UNTIL 4am NEXT TO LOK-LOK CARTS. SO WHAT IF WE SPEND 1/50th ON A PIRATED ITEM OF LIGHTING OR FURNITURE WE REALLY REALLY LOVE, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT LOOK SO PERFECTLY/SO STRICTLY GENUINE? 

Rileks la brader....

---

Trivia: Boffi is an Italian company that makes posh Kitchen Systems and always advertise in Wallpaper* magazine; available in a showroom in The Gardens, Mid Valley — 

...but because this is Malaysia, where salary is low but mimpi-Eropah never ceases, there is a local brand called Bofi jugak ya! The only thing they are ripping off this time, is the name... just like G.D.O. and G.O.D. lah... banyak lagi......