Cambodia Fashion Week - Ghosts in the Garment Factory

[MUSIC PLAYING]
CHARLET DUBOC: Welcome to Fashion Week International, a
new show that reports on the most fabulous fashion weeks in
the world and the culture and politics behind them.
This time we headed out to the wild west
of the east, Cambodia.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
CHARLET DUBOC: It's the crack of dawn on the back of a
cattle truck in the outskirts of Phnom Penh.
This is a typical daily commute for the 400,000 female
garment factory workers of Cambodia.
Despite the fact that the garment industry represents
80% of Cambodia's export revenue, these girls work six
days a week for only $2.00 a day until, in some cases, they
quite literally faint.
We were here for the first ever Cambodia fashion week,
not that that meant anything to the girls in the back of
this truck.
[MUSIC PLAYING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

FEMALE SPEAKERS: Welcome to Cambodia!

CHARLET DUBOC: Cambodia used to be a liberal, peace-loving
country where miniskirt-clad girls bopped to the
sounds of psych pop.
That was until Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge not only destroyed the
agricultural industry, but also wiped out every Cambodian
artist and intellectual, leading to a creative brain
drain that left a cultural black hole until now.
30 years on, the Cambodian people are beginning to forge
a creative path of their own.
It was in this climate that the country felt it was ready
to host it's first ever fashion week.

We're outside this art gallery in downtown Phnom Penh with
tuk-tuks around us everywhere.
And in there is the makings of a fashion show by
designer Don Prutasio.
I don't know.
It's not Prostasio.
What is it?
What's your full name, Don?
DON PRUTASIO: Don Prutasio.
CHARLET DUBOC: Where are you from?
DON PRUTASIO: From the Philippines.
When you think about Cambodia, you don't think
about fashion week.
But Cambodia, there's a fashion scene going on.
It's not relevant for the world.
But for us here, it's relevant enough.
How many many more then?
18, right?
MALE SPEAKER: Yeah.
CHARLET DUBOC: When did you first start
wearing makeup yourself?

CHARLET DUBOC: Who are your influences?
CHARLET DUBOC: Do you have one music video in particular?
OAK CHAN: "Vogue."
CHARLET DUBOC: Walk?
OAK CHAN: Yeah.
CHARLET DUBOC: I don't know that one.
OAK CHAN: V-O-G-U-E, just vogue.
CHARLET DUBOC: Oh.
I thought you said walk, like walk.
OAK CHAN: No, not walk.
CHARLET DUBOC: You mean vogue, like--
OAK CHAN: Yes.
Yes.
CHARLET DUBOC: Can you vogue?
OAK CHAN: Yes.
CHARLET DUBOC: Do it.

Back stage is a [INAUDIBLE].
It's quite full on.
They've got their mouths covered.
It's kind of like military.
They've been instructed that they have to look stoned.
So we'll see how that pans out.
How do you feel?
MALE SPEAKER: It's amazing.
CHARLET DUBOC: Yeah.
Have you ever worn heels before?
MALE SPEAKER: Never.
But it's amazing for me.
Come on.
I enjoy the show.
I enjoy the clothes.
Everything's just great.
Really, really great.
CHARLET DUBOC: It was an intriguing start to the
fashion week.
A bold, conceptual, performance arts style show
where the models practically sleep walked.
It wasn't yet clear who Don Prutasio's market was.
But at least his loyal all black clad entourage were
there for support.

[APPLAUSE]
CHARLET DUBOC: The high classes he was referring to
are otherwise affectionately known by the local press as
the Khmer Riche, the sons and daughters of rich and powerful
government officials.
As well as being fabulously rich, they were also
surprisingly camp.
But not nearly as camp as the after party.
The Blue Chili Bar is run by fashion week's head makeup
artist, Oak Chan.
As it was Halloween, we were told to
expect something scary.

The elite fashion crowd bailed, and the vibe gave way
to a different form of creative expression, appealing
mainly to the white expats in the mood for love.

How many beautiful Cambodian trannies can you fit tuk-tuk?
What are your names?

CHARLET DUBOC: OK.
So tell me.
This is your bar?

CHARLET DUBOC: And how do you feel on the bar, dancing?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

CHARLET DUBOC: Having had our first taste of fashion week,
we were keen to look into the other side of Cambodian
fashion, the garment industry.
We went to meet Phen Chou, former garment worker and
union leader, to hear about some of the recent issues
facing the workers.
PHEN CHOU: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: One of the reasons we'd come to Phnom
Penh was because we've read stories in the local press of
mass faintings in a garment factory that produces clothes
for international high street brand, H&M.
When the official report came back, it claimed that the
faintings were due to, wait for it, evil spirits.
Ghosts, not noxious fumes from the dyes, but ghosts.
To find out more, we met with Mu Sochua, an opposition party
leader and campaigner for worker's rights.
MU SOCHUA: The garment sector, it represents 80% of the
export of Cambodia, billions of dollars.
It employs over 400,000 women from remote villages in
Cambodia, women who can hardly read and write.
They work in the hard working conditions.
They don't eat enough.
Why are they fainting?
Hundreds and thousands fainting--
When you're fired by the factory, they don't
want to go back home.
They stay around the city, and they take any job they can,
even sex work.
They cannot be working in these factories for 10, 30
years until they die.
That's the end of the road.
I don't think so.
CHARLET DUBOC: We headed out to pay a visit to one of many
such factories in the outskirts of the city.
Come on.
We're running because we want to catch the garment workers
leaving the factory before it's too late.
They just keep on coming, thousands of them.
Remember this when you're battling down Oxford Street to
get to H&M and Gap.
No one was willing to talk outside the factory.
So we decided to try and hitch a ride with a group of girls
on their way back to their villages.
We meant to get on a truck.
Everyone's staring at me because I'm a monster.
I'm a giant.
But to be honest, my main concern now is not
getting run over and--
[HONKING]
CHARLET DUBOC: Finding the fucking truck.

We finally found the truck.
Apparently it's packed so I don't even know if we're
going to fit on.
But I don't give a shit.
I'll fucking cling on by my little toe.

Oh.

Can we fit on?

[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: Hey.
My god.
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: Who do we know on this bus?
FEMALE SPEAKER 1: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: So within two minutes of being on this bus,
we've managed to find a girl who works in a factory.
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: And she has to leave for work to
back here at 7:00.
Which makes me think that we're going to be on this
thing for two hours, not one.
I really need to wee.

FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: Whoa!
[LAUGHTER]
CHARLET DUBOC: I keep on trying to ask questions, but I
keep getting smacked in the head by bits of twig.
FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: No.
FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: OK.
I'm going to get down here.
Hey.
[LAUGHTER AND GIGGLES]
FEMALE SPEAKER 2: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: We're getting off.
Thank you!
Bye!
[OVERLAPPING VOICES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: We're somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
Look, bushes, jungle, dirt road.

SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: OK.
You lead the way.
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: Thank you so much.
How long have your family lived here?
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: And how many of you are there?
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: I'm Charlet.
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: Does she have a day off from the factory?
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

[INTERPOSING VOICES]
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

SREY THOM'S FATHER: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE

FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: Who built the house?
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: And whose clothes are these?
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: So this is her favorite outfit?
FEMALE SPEAKER 1: Yeah.
CHARLET DUBOC: Do you understand what this means?
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: Can you tell her what it means?
FEMALE SPEAKER 1: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: Why does she like it?
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
FEMALE SPEAKER 1: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
FEMALE SPEAKER 1: No, I don't understand that.
CHARLET DUBOC: Do you know what fashion week is?
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
FEMALE SPEAKER 1: No.
CHARLET DUBOC: No.
How old were you when you started working?
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

FEMALE SPEAKER 1: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
FEMALE SPEAKER 1: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: She should just be starting work now.
FEMALE SPEAKER 3: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

FEMALE SPEAKER 1: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
FEMALE SPEAKER 3: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: And did your friends faint?
FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

FEMALE SPEAKER 3: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

FEMALE SPEAKER 1: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

FEMALE SPEAKER 2: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

SREY THOM'S FATHER: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

FEMALE SPEAKER 1: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
I don't know.
I forgot this word.
CHARLET DUBOC: Who is the cook?
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: Father.
FEMALE SPEAKER 4: Yeah.
SREY THOM'S FATHER: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

FEMALE SPEAKER 4: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

SREY THOM'S FATHER: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: OK.
SREY THOM: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
CHARLET DUBOC: Sweet dreams.
So now everyone's going to bed, and
we're still wide awake.
We've got to try and get some sleep because we're going to
get up with them at 5 o'clock in order to be back at the
factory at 7:00.
It's been so amazing.
They've brought us back here.
And they've shared with us the little that they had.
And they had a traditional meal, and then they tried to
offer us up their beds, which we refused.
So we're sleeping outside.
It's a small price to pay to kind of get an insight into
their story.

I haven't slept a wink.
I couldn't sleep.
So I'm just completely mad.
And I can barely walk because my legs are so swollen with
mosquito bites.
And getting up [INAUDIBLE].

I'd really like to clean myself.
[MUSIC PLAYING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]


FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
[MUSIC PLAYING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: No sooner had the truck stopped, Srey and
the other girls disappeared into the crowd.
We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

And that's it.
They've gone in.
They've gone in to work.
They're not at school.
They're not learning anything.
They're going to make jeans for the likes of
you and me to wear.
When I think of that girl standing in there, working the
machines or whatever it is that goes on behind those
gates in her Berlin fashion week jumper, without even
knowing what a fashion week is, and then I think of all
the high fashion designers collecting their praise, and
champagne, and flowers for their latest collection, it
doesn't add up.

[MUSIC PLAYING]
CHARLET DUBOC: Cambodia fashion week continued in full
swing as the well-heeled crowd move from one exclusive venue
to another.
And before we knew it, the week was almost up.
Given that there is no Cambodian equivalent to Rodeo
Drive, I was curious to find out where the rich girls went
to get their frocks.
Sophy & Sina is a five-story fashion mansion, complete with
a relaxing shoe garden, wine cellar, tailoring room, and
fashion magazine.
All this is owned by 23-year-old Sophy Key,
daughter of the Deputy Prime Minister and head of the
Cambodia Fashion Council.
The place was empty.
Not a soul came in the whole time we were there.
However, as inappropriate as I felt this place was, I
couldn't help but be seduced by this confection.
You never know when a giant Barbie dress
might come in handy.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
CHARLET DUBOC: We went to check out another very
different type of fashion show being put on
by local girl Rina.
Rina, sorry.
You look busy.

CHARLET DUBOC: Rina grew up on the street before working in a
garment factory and learning English on her lunch breaks.
Since then, she's gone on to open her own business, a
cafe-cum-bespoke bespoke fashion boutique.
Who are your favorite designers?

CHARLET DUBOC: So everything you do just
comes out of your head?

CHARLET DUBOC: Yeah.

CHARLET DUBOC: See you in the market!
RINA ROAT: You have to follow me!
CHARLET DUBOC: Here we are!

We're at the market where Rina's models are
going to get made up.
Hi, models!
FEMALE SPEAKERS: Hi!
FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

CHARLET DUBOC: So the 1960s, that was a
good time in Cambodia?

CHARLET DUBOC: So you're trying to sort of
remember that time?
FEMALE SPEAKER 5: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

[MUSIC IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE PLAYING]

FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
[MUSIC PLAYING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]


CHARLET DUBOC: As Rina's models paraded around and had
DIY creations, we wondered why more people like Rina hadn't
been included in the fashion week.
After all, if recycled trash is good enough
for Comme des Garcons.


CHARLET DUBOC: The final show of the week was by Remy Hou,
Cambodian-born designer now living in L.A. To my combined
surprise and delight, I've been asked
to walk in his show.
I wasn't off to a good start and arrived late.
All the models were dressed and ready to go.
But there were bigger problems than me squeezing into my
dress on time.
CHARLET DUBOC: It's raining.
FEMALE SPEAKER 6: Yes.
CHARLET DUBOC: Is the show mean to be outside?
FEMALE SPEAKER 6: Yes.

DANNY: [SINGING]
Boom!
We had all this.
We had all this, but it's raining.
It's wet.
And this is what you get.
When it's raining and it's wet, we take it
indoors and we respect.
Let's do this.
[MUSIC PLAYING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

MALE SPEAKER: We're live in Phnom Penh, y'all.
All right!

The party must go on, and it's the same old song.
CHARLET DUBOC: We haven't even had a rehearsal.
And I haven't been styled yet.
MALE SPEAKER: Yeah, we're going to take her and get the
line on her.
But it must be done.

CHARLET DUBOC: I'm not nervous.
I just don't want to fuck his show up.
[MUSIC PLAYING]

CHARLET DUBOC: This was one of the more unnecessarily
theatrical shows I've come across.
The whole thing was suspect briefcases,
handcuffs, and fugitives.
But to be honest, I was more concerned about getting the
bloody umbrella open at the end of the runway.

[CHEERING]

CHARLET DUBOC: I did it, and it was fine.
I opened the umbrella.
And it was really scary.
[MUSIC PLAYING]

CHARLET DUBOC: After the show, I changed into my Sophy & Sina
party frock, hoping this might help clinch an
interview with Sophy Key.
She was surrounded by her impenetrable entourage and
ushered out of the building the moment we got too close.
However, we caught up with Remy, whose rags to riches
story was a far more positive example of Cambodian fashion,
even if his brand of spy fashion wasn't
exactly to my taste.
REMY HOU: I was a refugee.
My parents, they were held captive.
And we were escaping, like, pitch dark at night.
I don't know if they crawled through barbed wires or
running through bushes.
They ducked because they saw it.
But I didn't duck.
I was in the backpack.
My face was ripped open right there, this side.
CHARLET DUBOC: Oh, my God.
REMY HOU: Yeah.
The scar is still there.
But it's a reminder, everybody goes through challenges.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
CHARLET DUBOC: And the gods wept.
Fashion week was over.
There was nothing particularly wrong with the fashion week.
It did all the things a fashion week should do,
lights, models, guest list.
But it happened in a cocoon.
Fashion weeks the world over are inherently elitist.
But at the very least, the general public in the West
knows what a fashion week is.
So there's these weird tiny children everywhere in
dresses, and powder on their face, and lipstick.
They come up to me and just go--

Cambodia fashion week will probably continue.
But as long as it's held in the shadow of a society where
garment workers are beaten for protesting, and mass faintings
in factories are blamed on evil spirits, then it will
constantly be undermined by other fashion stories hitting
the headlines for the wrong reasons.
[MUSIC IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE PLAYING]