On the occasion of Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur’s 20th anniversary this year, the world-renowned hotel brand solicited the help of none other than Royal Selangor to recreate Mandarin Oriental’s iconic fan symbol in a stunning pewter memento celebrating Malaysia’s rich artisanal heritage and culture. Join us as we follow the creative journey behind this momentous collaboration.
Above Join us as we go behind-the-scenes to discover the creative process that led to the unveiling of this iconic memento for Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur's 20th anniversary.

Six months in the making, the signature fan symbol of Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur will take on a distinctly Malaysian aesthetic this month as the hotel commemorates its 20th anniversary. 

Make your way through any Mandarin Oriental hotel across the globe and you’ll notice the ever-changing façade of each property’s fan. While the logo remains unmistakably the same, each hotel is encouraged to produce their own version of the brand's 11-bladed fan. 

“The Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur has always had a very traditional, Malaysian motif woven into the fabric, the carpets, the columns even – it’s built into the building, not just artwork placed on a background,” shares Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur’s general manager, Frank Stocek.

“Having that deep sense of place is important to us, and Royal Selangor was able to capture that and bring it into the latest version of the fan.”

 

Tatler Asia
Above "Having a deep sense of place is important to us." -- Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur general manager, Frank Stocek

What was conceptualised on paper slowly came to life in pewter form: sketches by famed Wayang Kulit artist Tintoy Chuo gave Royal Selangor’s design team the intricate pattern of the fan’s first ‘layer’ of Wayang Kulit figures against a pewter fan gilded in gold. 

“We knew it was going to be double-layer fan for several reasons, it just gave more dimensionality and made it different from what the other Mandarin Oriental properties had,” says Royal Selangor creative consultant Christopher Yong. “From the start, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur wanted to have obvious links to local culture, and what it means to be Malaysian.”

Related: All the reasons to join Mandarin Oriental KL’s Fitness & Wellness Centre  


Videography: Dean Shaari & Khairul Imran

Interviews: Tania Jayatilaka


 

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