Tzaims Luksus in Rangoon, Burma

 Here I am in Rangoon, Burma now named Yangon, Myanmar.  Why I am here is a long story.  I first arrived in 2017, returned in 2018 and again in 2020 staying.  Now it's 2021 and I am to turn 90 years old January 1, 2022 but this is a long story since  I was first in Burma when I was 10 years old and remained until I was 13.  This was from 1942 until 1945.  How is this possible? 

My older brother was nearly 10 years older than me.  He joined the US Army Air Corps aged 19 in 1942 during WWII and was stationed in Rangoon Burma.  His constant flow of mail, photos and artifacts he sent me from Burma was etched in my mind.  I knew everything about the people and places of Burma and had a great desire to live here.

 Of course after WWII many changes in government occurred and as a result the country was cut off for Americans.  I kept checking conditions and traveled to many Asian countries but finally gave up trying to visit Burma and then the name changed to Myanmar.  I had a difficult time calling it by the new name since the old one held all the magic, mystery and fantasy I associated with it, however, I have managed to respect this change.

Now living here has its wonders revealed to me and I feel I finally returned to my native land.  To continue my story I must meditate on it further since Yangon and Myanmar play a great part of my life.  Therefore I am unable to sort out details at this moment but I wanted to begin a blog about the wonders I am experiencing now taking me back to my childhood when I was ten years old. I am now living 80 years in the past.

I realize now being here how much I was influenced by it's rich ethnic culture and tribal color, design, printing and weaving of clothing fabrics.  In fact this was why I decided to be here now.  To work among the people in furthering the creation of beautiful fabrics and couture clothing.  Of course I arrived with a concept of my own based on what I knew from working in couture in New York, London and Paris but I soon realized the power of Burma's traditional and tribal patterns and style of dress.  Therefore I stepped back to understand how both a new version of design could be combined with the traditional Burmese concept of high fashion.  This is what I am doing now patiently.

The other most important thing to do is to make certain I work with the Burmese craftspeople and all made here in Myanmar for global distribution.  At the same time introduce to the Burmese a fashion style that they can relate to without turning to western creations from the couture in New York and Paris.  Fashion designed that is uniquely Burmese created by Burmese with my guidance.  

Then too there is other areas of design that young Burmese men and women like that has a western influence both in high fashion and casual sportive clothing so the challenge is inspiring and exciting.

The result will be shown first in Yangon, then Singapore and finally in Paris during the couture collections, however, not in the circus like outlandish presentations that now dominate the showings of Dior  or Chanel or those violent presentations of McQueen.  I won't say how.  That is for all to see in Paris when the time comes which will be soon and when Paris returns to normal health conditions.