meters in area. He was voted Designer of the Year by the Malaysian International Fashion Awards in 2003. Chandran has also started introducing Europe to his couture with a boutique in Knightsbridge, London. His creations are drawn from Chinese, Malay, Indian and other Eastern cultures. "My inspiration comes from my customers...how they move, how they talk, their attitudes, their lifestyles. When I first meet a new customer, I make her understand that I am here to make you look good." Chandran's favourite designers are Valentino "...for his femininity and finishing...", and Galliano who "...has a great spirit." He admires Hussein Chalayan for his works and how he dealt with his bankruptcy. Celebrities in Bernard Chandran Estelle notably wore an azure blue dress by the designer with exaggerated pointing hips to perform at the 2008 MTV European Music Awards. She also chose to wear two of his distinctive pieces (one on stage in a duet with Kanye West and one for the red carpet) to the 51st Grammy awards, where she went on to win her first Grammy. Lady Gaga has also been spotted in designs from Chandran's Collections. She even wore a Chandran piece for her interview with Jay Leno. English electropop musician Little Boots wore a Chandran dress for her interview with Metro.co.uk. Rihanna wore a hat from Chandran's Autumn Winter 09 Collection for her famous topless, bondage-style shoot with Vogue Italia. Tori Amos chose to wear a red gown from Chandran for the cover of her 2009 holiday album, "Midwinter Graces". Chandran had also designed all the 15 gowns for her concert tour that year. #BlackLivesMatter Controversy In 2020, Chandran released a line of designer face masks and promoted it with an Instagram post featuring a black face donning a yellow mask, with Bernard Chandran branding and the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on the mask. Netizens accused Chandran of blackface and of profiteering off the Black Lives Matter movement. Family He is married to one of his former models, Datin Mary Lourdes Chandran (a Malaysian of ethnic Indian origin). She is a former International model and was one of the most successful Malaysian models in the 1980s. Together they have five children. Dato' Chandran is intensely proud of his Indian ancestry and heritage. His home has many portraits of him, and his family regaled in extravagant historical Indian garbs. Chandran wants his children to be grounded in Hindu faith. His