Difficult Simplicity

FASHION : Snapshot

Five pieces in five colors but a lot of hard work and creativity is put in a perfectionist’s first collection.

David Chum is a 27-year-old fashion designer who just launched his first collection, Selah D’or.

His simplicity might fool many.

“I go ga-ga for technique,“ the developing designer said.

His mod-inspired dress for example, looks so simple, yet it took Chum more than nine patterns to get the perfect fit. One might think, ‘What is the big deal about a plain short dress?‘ Well, if you follow the detailed artist’ blog, you’ll learn that it’s a lot more than a simple dress.

“I’ve always been very self-motivated and love teaching myself complicated things like this. It’s been a learning process this whole time, but I love it,“ the self made designer said in an e-mail interview.
In his blog, Chum posted a number of pictures of the baby doll dress pattern in the process of becoming “Ammy.” Chum names all his pieces after women in his life who have inspired him.

Chum describes the obstacles he faced when trying to make the dress’s bottom and sleeves as round as a lantern, choosing the colors, and finally the fabric all in his blog.
Most of the pieces come in champagne, teal, black, burgundy and grey. The whole collection is hand made by Chum and a team of seamstresses in Boston. “Nothing is shipped out,“ Chum said.
The fabric choice came last.
“Most designers start with fabric choices, then design the garment from it. I work backwards,” the inspiring artist explained in his blog.
The fabrics used in Chum’s collection are all of high-quality fabrics, such as silk crepe and superfine worsted wool.
When it comes to inspiration, Chum gets it from “pretty much ANYTHING I see, even a leaf or a bug,“ the artist said.

“The starting point for me was the female figure and how the shape and lines of a garment can compliment and accentuate it. I wanted it to be sexy, versatile, confident, aggressive, but demure. I also wanted to keep it very simple,“ Chum explained.

Chum graduated from the ART Institute of Boston with a BFA in studio arts, he describes himself as a self taught designer.

His first collection is sold online on his Web site www.selahdor.com. The collection was on pre-fall sale of up to 50 percent off retail prices up to July 1.

Despite the hard time Chum had trying to launch his clothing line and the rejection he faced by many boutiques, the upcoming designer is happy that he sold as much merchandise as he did on his website and at the shows he participated in.

The designer has participated in three successful fashion shows in the past three months: Fashion Rocks Boston, Upscale Living Magazine and Providence Fashion Week.

Selah D’or is for a contemporary and urbane yet a classic woman that looks fabulous yet simple, age-free and everlasting.
The artist dislikes making “clothes that have expiration dates on them.“ 

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