For the first time ever, Hilton hotels have collaborated with a fashion designer for their annual mooncake boxes. None other than Khoon Hooi, one of Malaysia’s leading International fashion designers, designed two limited edition satchels for gift boxes. The limited-edition Midnight Bloom and collector’s edition Blossom series box are enveloped in the same brocade fabric used in Khoon Hooi’s Fall collection.
This year’s signature mooncake is the Snow-Skin Dragon Blossom, a vibrant blend of bright fuchsia and cobalt blue housing bursting flavours of red dragon fruit, pineapple, and the buttery-crunch of macadamia nuts. Making a comeback is the Snow-Skin with Pure Premium Musang King Durian, where Malaysia’s favourite fruit generously fills the soft mooncake shell.
We interviewed Khoon Hooi to find out more about the collection and the inspiration behind it:
Do you think the mid-autumn festival could influence fashion?
I would say it’s an untapped opportunity for us. By September, we are usually already putting our finishing touches for next year’s QiPao collection. Traditionally, Malaysians do not put much emphasis much on the mid-autumn festival when it comes to dressing up.
Does the mid-autumn festival have a special significance in your own life?
The festival signifies unity. My friends would often gather for a meal followed by a sampling of various mooncakes.
How do you feel being the first Malaysian fashion designer working with Hilton?
Both brands being pioneers in our respective fields, it has been interesting to see how we have been able to merge gourmet pastry making and fashion within a project such as this.
Can you tell us more about the mooncake boxes you’ve designed?
I wanted to create a unique packaging that can basically be utilised for many occasions – a luxury mooncake packaging, a decorative piece of art, a constructed satchel bag and perhaps, even as a jewellery box with different compartments.
Do you have a favourite mooncake flavour?
My personal favourite would be the signature flavour ‘Dragon Blossom’. Who would have known that the combination of Dragon Fruit and Pineapple can bring such joy to the taste buds?
