KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — It’s the year of the dragon and shopping malls around the Klang Valley have gone all out to usher in a memorable Chinese New Year.
From gigantic dragon sculptures to blossoming gardens and heritage towns, shopping malls are ready for the festive season.
Pulling out all the stops when it comes to festive decor, some malls are going the extra mile with a packed itinerary of Chinese New Year related activities as well as performances such as the Lion Dance as well as Dragon Dance.
Back to the good old days at Suria KLCC
With its prime location under the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, Suria KLCC is one of the most well-known shopping destinations in the Klang Valley.
In conjunction with Chinese New Year this year, the mall is bringing back the heydays of old Shanghai.
The Centre Court has been transformed into a lively old Shanghai street from the 1920s to 1930s, complete with traditional double-storey shop lots — offering engaging experiences to visitors.
From a tailor shop showcasing the art of tailoring traditional apparel such as the cheongsam as well as a restaurant showcasing traditional reunion dinner dishes, the setup also features rickshaws, a vintage car as well as an old cinema which will be playing clips from famous classic Chinese films.
The main attraction not to be missed however is located at The Esplanade area where a 60-foot 3D dragon sculpture, christened the Prosperity Dragon, stands in all its glory with the iconic backdrop of the twin towers.
Suria KLCC Public Relations and Communicatio manager Sherina Khairi told Malay Mail that the positioning of the Prosperity Dragon was meant to represent soaring towards success and reaching new heights.
Sherina, who with her team did extensive research on this year’s decor through visitors’ surveys, said that the installation took about a month to complete and was done immediately after Christmas and New Year celebrations wrapped up..
“I think it has become a tradition for local malls to indulge in festive decorations. We celebrate all our different festivities here in Malaysia.
“And for Suria KLCC, we are not just a shopping destination but also an aspiration destination where we want to attract not just local visitors but also tourists to identify with the many facets of our cultures.
“It’s a shame if we do not showcase it and the best way to do that is through these immersive decorations.”
Pavilion KL's dragons and lanterns
Meanwhile premier shopping mall Pavilion KL located in the bustling streets of Bukit Bintang went with ‘Dragon Dynasty’ as their main theme this year with not just one, but five dragons placed around their mall.
Two golden dragon figures are placed at the Centre Court guarding a precious oriental pearl while another three embroidered dragons can be seen at the Pavilion Crystal Fountain.
The pathway towards the Centre Court is also decorated with a prosperous red carpet along with lanterns to greet their visitors.
Pavilion KL director of Marketing Kung Suan Ai said that they aim to embrace the spirit of new beginnings by extending blessings of good luck, happiness, hope and togetherness to their shoppers this year.
The avant garde decorations which had been planned since last year, comes with its own challenges with the double dragon sculpture being the most challenging part.
“The design team worked alongside qualified engineers to ensure the precise calculation of the weight and structural support needed to hold up the dragons using hoists, creating the illusion of flying dragons.
“The descending golden dragons are 60 metres and 32.4 metres long for the top and bottom dragons respectively, and are made with a fabric instilled structure wrapped with LED lighting.
“The dragons placed on the ground of the Centre Court measure at 22 metres each, made with fabric instilled bodies and paper dragon heads supported by a rattan structure,” Kung said.
She said that Pavilion KL, which recorded around 49 million visitors in the last year alone, will continue to distinguish itself amongst other malls through its innovative decorations.
This includes making the best use out of their LED screens at the Pavilion Elite and Fahrenheit88 where they will also advertise a synchronised 3D dragon display.
A blossoming garden at LaLaport BBCC
The Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre (LaLaport BBCC) which is one of the up and coming malls in Klang Valley, didn’t hold back with their Chinese New Year decorations either.
Going with the theme of Blossoming Spring Garden, the centre atrium of LaLaport BBCC is filled with peonies which represent love, honour, happiness and wealth.
Although their decorations are smaller in scale compared to some of the major malls, LaLaport BBCC makes the best use of their space by placing a twin dragon sculpture at their entrance which also symbolises their second year anniversary.
According to LaLaport BBCC’s advertising and promotion assistant manager, Eddie Tan Kee Cheong, the mall’s aim is to stand out while incorporating other elements into their Chinese New Year celebrations.
This includes having a Year of Dragon calligraphy exhibition as well as a Huat Market bazaar at their rooftop.
The mall will also be having an array of live performances throughout the month which includes a Thousand Hands Performance, Chinese Martial Arts performance as well as Chinese Silk Dance performances.
But wait... there’s more
With the number of malls in the Klang Valley, the short list above is by no means a definitive list of places for Chinese New Year vibes.
Other malls that are worth checking out for their Lunar New Year decorations include the newly opened The Exchange TRX which has gone with its choice of theme in ‘The Silk Story’.
Mid Valley Megamall in Bangsar meanwhile has opted for their choice of Prosperous Persimmon theme which featured a traditional village decorated with fruits of prosperity.
