The Star's Life Inspired magazine is now brighter, better, and more energised with an all-new look. From horology to fine dining, we bring you the latest on luxury and lifestyle after the second Sunday of the month. This year designer Celest Thoi celebrates an amazing 20 years in fashion. Thoi took a moment to soak it all in as she received a thunderous applause at the end of her Coterie by Celest Thoi Spring/Summer 2025 collection show at the recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Kuala Lumpur.

Her bridal business started in 2004 in Auckland, New Zealand, and Coterie by Celest Thoi was created during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. With no demand for bridal and ball gowns during the pandemic, and a bridal business bank account depleting, Thoi talks about how she had to pivot her business and move out of a luxurious shopping mall location.

She also shares why she and her Malaysian husband James Tee relocated to Kuala Lumpur in 2009, where she set up her boutique. Being a designer has its set of challenges but Thoi reveals how she has evolved over the years. The mother of two daughters, aged 16 and 18, also shares how she balances family life with a successful fashion business.

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