MUSIC PLAYING]CHARLET DUBOC: Welcome to Fashion Week International, anew show that reports on the most fabulous fashion weeks inthe world and the culture and politics behind them. This time we headed out to the wild westof the east, Cambodia. [MUSIC PLAYING]CHARLET DUBOC: It's the crack of dawn on the back of acattle truck in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. This is a typical daily commute for the 400,000 femalegarment factory workers of Cambodia. Despite the fact that the garment industry represents80% of Cambodia's export revenue, these girls work sixdays a week for only $2. 00 a day until, in some cases, theyquite literally faint. We were here for the first ever Cambodia fashion week,not that that meant anything to the girls in the back ofthis truck. [MUSIC PLAYING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]FEMALE SPEAKERS: Welcome to Cambodia!CHARLET DUBOC: Cambodia used to be a liberal, peace-lovingcountry where miniskirt-clad girls bopped to thesounds of psych pop. That was until Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge not only destroyed theagricultural industry, but also wiped out every Cambodianartist and intellectual, leading to a creative braindrain that left a cultural black hole until now. 30 years on, the Cambodian people are beginning to forgea creative path of their own. It was in this climate that the country felt it was readyto host it's first ever fashion week. We're outside this art gallery in downtown Phnom Penh withtuk-tuks around us everywhere. And in there is the makings of a fashion show bydesigner 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 thinkabout 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 startwearing 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 thefashion week. A bold, conceptual, performance arts style showwhere 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 werethere for support. [APPLAUSE]CHARLET DUBOC: The high classes he was referring toare otherwise affectionately known by the local press asthe Khmer Riche, the sons and daughters of rich and powerfulgovernment officials. As well as being fabulously rich, they were alsosurprisingly camp. But not nearly as camp as the after party. The Blue Chili Bar is run by fashion week's head makeupartist, Oak Chan. As it was Halloween, we were told toexpect something scary. The elite fashion crowd bailed, and the vibe gave wayto a different form of creative expression, appealingmainly 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 Cambodianfashion, the garment industry. We went to meet Phen Chou, former garment worker andunion leader, to hear about some of the recent issuesfacing the workers. PHEN CHOU: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]CHARLET DUBOC: One of the reasons we'd come to PhnomPenh was because we've read stories in the local press ofmass faintings in a garment factory that produces clothesfor international high street brand, H&M. When the official report came back, it claimed that thefaintings 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 partyleader and campaigner for worker's rights. MU SOCHUA: The garment sector, it represents 80% of theexport of Cambodia, billions of dollars. It employs over 400,000 women from remote villages inCambodia, 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'twant 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, 30years 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 manysuch factories in the outskirts of the city. Come on. We're running because we want to catch the garment workersleaving the factory before it's too late. They just keep on coming, thousands of them. Remember this when you're battling down Oxford Street toget 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 girlson 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 notgetting 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'regoing 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 toback here at 7:00. Which makes me think that we're going to be on thisthing 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 Ikeep 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 LANGUAGEFEMALE 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, andwe're still wide awake. We've got to try and get some sleep because we're going toget up with them at 5 o'clock in order to be back at thefactory 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 tooffer 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 intotheir 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 withmosquito 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 andthe 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 ofyou and me to wear. When I think of that girl standing in there, working themachines or whatever it is that goes on behind thosegates in her Berlin fashion week jumper, without evenknowing what a fashion week is, and then I think of allthe high fashion designers collecting their praise, andchampagne, and flowers for their latest collection, itdoesn't add up. [MUSIC PLAYING]CHARLET DUBOC: Cambodia fashion week continued in fullswing as the well-heeled crowd move from one exclusive venueto another. And before we knew it, the week was almost up. Given that there is no Cambodian equivalent to RodeoDrive, I was curious to find out where the rich girls wentto get their frocks. Sophy & Sina is a five-story fashion mansion, complete witha relaxing shoe garden, wine cellar, tailoring room, andfashion magazine. All this is owned by 23-year-old Sophy Key,daughter of the Deputy Prime Minister and head of theCambodia 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, Icouldn't help but be seduced by this confection. You never know when a giant Barbie dressmight come in handy. [MUSIC PLAYING]CHARLET DUBOC: We went to check out another verydifferent type of fashion show being put onby local girl Rina. Rina, sorry. You look busy. CHARLET DUBOC: Rina grew up on the street before working in agarment factory and learning English on her lunch breaks. Since then, she's gone on to open her own business, acafe-cum-bespoke bespoke fashion boutique. Who are your favorite designers?CHARLET DUBOC: So everything you do justcomes 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 aregoing to get made up. Hi, models!FEMALE SPEAKERS: Hi!FEMALE SPEAKERS: [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]CHARLET DUBOC: So the 1960s, that was agood time in Cambodia?CHARLET DUBOC: So you're trying to sort ofremember 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 hadDIY creations, we wondered why more people like Rina hadn'tbeen included in the fashion week. After all, if recycled trash is good enoughfor 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 combinedsurprise and delight, I've been askedto 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 mydress 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 itindoors 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 theline 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 unnecessarilytheatrical shows I've come across. The whole thing was suspect briefcases,handcuffs, and fugitives. But to be honest, I was more concerned about getting thebloody 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 & Sinaparty frock, hoping this might help clinch aninterview with Sophy Key. She was surrounded by her impenetrable entourage andushered out of the building the moment we got too close. However, we caught up with Remy, whose rags to richesstory was a far more positive example of Cambodian fashion,even if his brand of spy fashion wasn'texactly 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 orrunning 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 Westknows what a fashion week is. So there's these weird tiny children everywhere indresses, 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 wheregarment workers are beaten for protesting, and mass faintingsin factories are blamed on evil spirits, then it willconstantly be undermined by other fashion stories hittingthe headlines for the wrong reasons. [MUSIC IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE PLAYING]
