Blog | Karen Woo Fashion Videographer

Eat and Drink at Awesome Canteen, Penang

July 17, 2016Karen Woo Leave a Comment

Penang continued to surprise us with their quaint little spaces such as one which we happen to stumble upon while we were searching for a foreign currency exchanger. Thank God, the Awesome Canteen accepted card so we had the liberty of trying some of their healthy paleo dishes. The Awesome Canteen are known for its ‘Paleo’ receipes, focusing on nutritious protein sources, vegetables and fruits, with vibrant highlights like grilled butterfish fillet with sweet potatoes and honeydew sauce, and a pomegranate salad with rocket and avocado. I ordered the Paleo eggplant and chicken stack with sweet potato fries – it was filling and light.

The walls were covered in faded paint giving it a special effect, seats were re-purposed industrial furniture, and what I loved most were the tall skinny trees planted into the middle of the space. This was definitely one space I would come back for a catch up with my foodie friends.

red dress // ZARA
rose gold sandals // BARED FOOTWEAR

All images by Karen Woo.

Finding rest in Penang

July 11, 2016Karen Woo Leave a Comment

“He that can take rest is greater than he that can take cities.” —Benjamin Franklin

I wasn’t expecting to go overseas with my family this holiday season, but Alan whisked me and JJ away for a week of family fun and soaking in the warm golden sun. We had a few destinations in mind: Hamilton Islands, Bangkok Thailand or Hong Kong, but we decided to go back to Penang, Malaysia; to the place we first had our overseas trip together when we started dating.

Our little family flew with Qantas and Jetstar Asia, and we checked into the Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa (Batu Feringgi Beach, 11100 Penang, Malaysia) for a 6 nights stay. Besides devouring bowls of Assam Laksa, sipping endless supplies of Mocktails and Teh Tarik, I spent a majority of my time braving the humidity and 37 degree heat exploring George Town. This little town was perfect in every way – a photographers and art lovers haven to say the least. There were plentiful of hidden gems to discover such as 3D interactive street art, textured walls, piles of ruins, and odd combination of coloured buildings which eventually grew on you. We were really lucky to come at a time of Hari Haya (Malaysian New Year) because the streets were quite deserted which made walking around town a breeze.

Here are some of our most favourite places spotted around George Town. Pictures of me taken by my love, Alan Woo, and the rest are from yours truly x

black jumpsuit // ALICE MCCALL purchased from Very Special Kids Sale
red dress // ZARA
rose gold sandals // BARED FOOTWEAR
clutch // OLGABERG

On the Streets with Aimee Manton

July 1, 2016Karen Woo Leave a Comment

Nice to meet you Aimee, and thanks so much for hanging out with me.

Well why don’t you tell us in a few words…

Your occupation/degree:
I’ve currently deferred my Uni studies to focus on Modelling.

The word you say too much is:
Amazing. (That’s true…she did say that a lot while shooting)

Describe your personal style in five words:
Minimalist, comfortable, chic, edgy, rock and everything black

One item of clothing you can’t live without:
Leather jackets.

Your prized procession is:
My dog.

What are your hobbies when you aren’t modelling?
Reading, Brunching, music and exercise.

What is the last item of clothing you bought:
Knee high boots and high rise stripey pants.

Solids or patterns:
Solids.

Who is your style icon?
Emily Rata.

Your favourite place in the whole wide world.
The beach.

One of the rules about how a girl should dress is:
Less is more.

model \\ AIMEE MANTON represented by Vivien’s Modelling Agency

FIRST LOOK
black and white magpie loafers \\ BARED FOOTWEAR
leather jacket \\ LEE COOPER
hat \\ LACKS OF COLOUR
striped pants \\ URBAN OUTFITTERS

SECOND LOOK
skirt \\ DELPHINE
leather jacket \\ LEE COOPER

Inside Scoop: Coach introduces the Craftmanship Bar at St Collins Lane, Melbourne

June 27, 2016Karen Woo 1 Comment

Coach, Inc., a leading New York design house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle brands is excited to introduce the Coach Craftsmanship Bar in flagship stores around the world.

The Craftsmanship Bars provide the finest leather services in an elevated yet authentic work environment – an experience that is uniquely Coach. The Coach Craftsmanship Bar allows customers to experience a rich array of personalized leather services including leather care and cleaning, monogramming, repair services and even a nice cup of coffee. All Craftsmanship Bars are staffed with a specialist who can provide expert advice on each leather service offered.

The new service brings to life Coach’s heritage and expertise in luxury craftsmanship and innovative design. Select Craftsmanship Bars will include vitrines that showcase vintage bags sourced and restored by the Coach Archive team. Every Craftsmanship Bar Vitrine will have an assortment of one-of-a-kind iconic silhouettes from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s which beautifully demonstrate Coach’s 75 year history of leather craft.

Currently, customers can discover the Coach Craftsmanship Bar in the following flagship store locations:

St Collins Lane, Melbourne
Shinjuku, Tokyo
Ginza, Tokyo
Taipei 101, Taipei
Wisma, Singapore
IFC, Shanghai
Hong Kong Plaza, Shanghai
Rue Saint-Honoré, Paris
Columbus Circle, New York

Craftsmanship Bars will be opening soon in additional flagship stores in key cities such as London, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur.

If you have a Coach bag tucked away in your closet, I suggest you go bring in store for some tender leather love and care.

All images are produced and copyrighted to Karen Woo. Please do not use without prior permission, thank you for your support x

Coach, Inc. is a leading New York design house of modern luxury accessories and lifestyle brands. The Coach brand was established in New York City in 1941, and has a rich heritage of pairing exceptional leathers and materials with innovative design. Coach is sold worldwide through Coach stores, select department stores and specialty stores, and through Coach’s website at www.coach.com. In 2015, Coach acquired Stuart Weitzman, a global leader in designer footwear, sold in more than 70 countries and through its website at www.stuartweitzman.com. Coach, Inc.’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol COH and Coach’s Hong Kong Depositary Receipts are traded on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the symbol 6388.

The Perfect Coach Backpack

June 20, 2016Karen Woo 5 Comments

As much I love the idea of holding a clutch or a handbag, I can’t escape from the fact that a backpack is best suited to my photography work and life style. I’m a fashion photographer on the move, so carrying a backpack makes sense for all the ridiculous amount of heavy gear (wait, more like tissue paper and shopping receipts) that I put in my bag.

Huge thanks to Coach Australia, I was completely won over when Georgina from the St Collins Lane Flagship store understood my needs as a mum with a 4 year old and a photographer; and immediately showed me the “Manhattan Foldover” backpack.

Ohhh…..it was perfect in every way. Just let me explain why:

Efficient and Multifunctional
- It is spacious and has three separate, inside compartments – I can fit my laptop, hard drive, book, my lunch, camera and two lens. YAS!
- Has two outside zip pockets – one for my lipstick and keys, and the other for my iphone. YAY! That means I don’t have to rummage through the inside compartments for my keys when I’m in a hurry.
- It has an outside zip to access directly into the inside compartment. WINNING! That means I don’t have to undo the clip closure to get my wallet!
Unisex
- Though the Manhattan Foldover backpack is a part of the Men’s Collection SS17, I honestly believe this bag is perfect for a girl, even better, the right fit for a petite asian girl like me.
Modern and good looking
- The zip details, clip closure, and stitching of this backpack makes it look modern and luxe. To top it off, I had my name embossed on a Coach tag at the St Collins Lane store which added a personalised touch;
- This bag can go hands-free or hand-carried like a tote!
Comfortable
- The straps are well padded, and are adjustable which means no matter how heavy the bag may get, I am rest assured that my back is taken good care of. I’m sure my Oestopath would be happy about that.
Quality Leather
- What makes this bag so extra special is that it is crafted in Sport Calf Leather. The type of leather used in baseball gloves, and it will age and soften overtime.

So can you see why I am so impressed with my new backpack from Coach?

Thank you Coach for my beautiful backpack! Ok guys, if you are like, overwhelmed with too many choices, just go and speak directly to Georgina or one of her staff at the St Collins Lane store. They know their stuff inside out, and be more than happy to find you the perfect bag!

Images taken by Alan Woo.

black leather backpack // COACH
sweater knit dress // ZARA
boots // ACNE
socks // COS
black coat // AMERICAN APPAREL