On Tuesday, 3 November, Men’s Folio Malaysia celebrated its 29th anniversary at Save Our Souls with the theme Seventh Heaven. Inside, the venue was bathed in deep red light, lending the room a rather theatrical, after-dark atmosphere. Taking the original FACETIME concept a little further, this year’s edition looked to the discothèques of the late 1970s, with Studio 54 serving as its rather decadent point of reference. Part-creative gathering, part-OOMF (one of my followers) convention, the evening brought familiar faces from KL’s fashion, music, and wider creative circles into the same room, alongside a few new ones. Notable guests in attendance included Sabronzo, Tabby, and Angel of Malaysian girl group DOLLA.
The New Discotheque dress code was hardly an invitation to practise restraint. Liquid silk, satin, sheer mesh, fur jackets, animal prints, metallic finishes, and chainmail all made their way into the room, while sequins did what sequins do best: catching every stray glint. Some guests went full 70s disco, while others brought a little 90s glamour into the mix. A few took the Studio 54 reference quite literally; others seemed happy to use it as an excuse to wear something they might otherwise struggle to find an occasion for. Fair enough. A little louche glamour never hurt anybody. The result was less a uniform take on disco than a roomful of people making the brief their own.
The soundtrack had a little something for everyone, too. Malaysian rapper kidsteph brought a live performance into the mix, while KREAM, LapSap, JA.A.KE, and MICHA, better known as killamisha, took turns behind the decks. People gathered close to the decks, but the dance floor took a little time to loosen up. As the evening wore on, though, the more carefree side of the room began to emerge. There is a difference between attending a party and actually getting into one, and the later sets seemed to make that distinction rather clear. By the time MICHA took over, there was considerably less interest in simply standing around looking the part.
Of course, there was more to explore around Save Our Souls than the dance floor. Jean Paul Gaultier Fragrances made its presence known at the entrance, with a fragrance display and a dedicated backdrop for the obligatory photo stop. Tiger Beer brought its Remix flavoured Lager to the party, while Petaling Jaya Marriott took care of the food. For those in the mood for a cocktail, an open bar offered another way to toast the evening. Guests could also get acquainted with ANEWMAX‘s skincare offerings, with products available to try and purchase, while IQOS had a dedicated station showcasing its devices. A fair bit of activity for one room, and enough reason to make a few rounds before finding your way back to the music.
Seventh Heaven was built around the idea of getting people together in real life, which sounds rather simple until you consider how much of our social lives now happen elsewhere. For one evening, the magazine’s extended creative circle had a place to congregate, with fashion, music, and a little disco excess providing the common language. Studio 54 might have supplied the mythology, but the people in the room gave the evening its character. After all, the best part of a discothèque was never really the disco ball. It was what happened underneath it.
Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our latest issue.