Fashion, for Eric, is a calling. Growing up, he discovered a fascination for clothes and design while flipping through his mother’s imported magazines from Hong Kong and Japan. At seven, he had produced his first sketches; by 13, he was a somewhat of a sort after designer among his school teachers, who got Eric to design outfits for their tailors to make!

Still a career in fashion was by no means a choice profession for a Malaysian-Chinese boy back then. However, Eric’s mother was adamant that her son should be allowed to do what he loved and clearly had the talent for. Against her husband’s wishes, she supported his decision to study fashion design in Hong Kong. She was his heroine, muse, cheerleader and mentor, and remains to this day, his inspiration.

Upon graduation from the Hong Kong Institute of Fashion Design in 1986, Eric honed his design and tailoring chops in Hong Kong before returning to Kuala Lumpur in 1990 to start the Eric Choong Haute Couture label. Based on his philosophy that fashion should be an expression of individual style and personality, the label quickly gained a reputation among the fashion set for its impressive creations that transcends fads with timeless beauty. Eric also broke new ground with the way he combined Malaysian cultural influences into his sophisticated designs.

Encouraged by the success of his eponymous label, Eric ventured into made-to-measure bridal wear. Eric Choong Brides was a natural extension given that his haute couture clients had started requesting that he design their bridal trousseau. His penchant for the extravagant and luxurious translated into fairy-tale wedding gowns, sealing his reputation as a leading bridal wear designer.

The Prêt-à-Porter and Corporate Designs labels followed in more recent years stemming from his desire to extend similar standards of fashion design to a wider group. His concern about providing the best for his bridal and corporate clients also saw the expansion of the Eric Choong labels to include Eric Choong Flowers, an award-winning floral design service.

Since striking out on his own, Eric has received numerous awards and accolades recognising his talent. He was nominated by Malaysian Tourism Board as one of Malaysia’s Top 10 Designers for three years running (1990-1992). From 1997 onwards, he was regularly invited to represent the country in fashion shows such as the ASEAN Designers’ Fashion Show (1997), Asia Pacific Young Designers’ Show (1998), Asia Pacific Bridal Summit (2001) and Show of Asian Cultural Garments (Asia Annual Conference of Cultural Exchange, 2003), to name just a few. Over the years, he has actively engaged in fashion platforms and events involving China and batik.

Eric also collaborated with leading luxury brands and media titles such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Moet & Chandon, Malaysian Tatler & The Star (Malaysia). In 2006, he picked up the Best Costume Designer award at the 19th Malaysian Film Festival for his work in the film 3rd Generation. The following year, he was named Designer of the Year at the Malaysian International Fashion Week 2007; Eric Choong Kuala Lumpur also won the Best Collection Showcase of the Year.