Temasek Polytechnic Fashion Design Graduates On Navigating The Industry

EVANGEL TEO, 20, DIPLOMA IN APPAREL DESIGN & MERCHANDISING FROM TEMASEK POLYTECHNIC

Her practice in her own words: “My practice as someone in fashion design involves a lot of textile manipulation. Basically, this means taking fabrics and adding on different elements, or rearranging a fabric’s structure to create new fabrics and textures. My work always involves a lot of creative textile manipulations as my ideas are endless and I enjoy creating new textiles from scratch.”

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Introduce your final-year project: “My final year project is titled Back To The Roots. The collection is meant to tell a story: one of how industrialisation breaks down and the world returns to its natural, mineral, earthly form. At its heart, it’s about sustainability – the fashion industry currently produces a huge amount of waste every year due to the fast fashion market so I wanted to create a collection that shows how upcycling and the use of biodegradable fabrics can still lead to innovative and sustainability-conscious garments.”

What she loves most about her discipline: “Fashion design is an endless stream of ideas overflowing with creativity, and designers always find ways to shock and impress – from Iris van Herpen’s extremely detailed and organic laser-cut garments to Christian Dior’s timeless garments. That’s what I love about my practice: how its beauty and creativity never end.”

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Why pursue the arts? “When I was 15, I was diagnosed with alopecia. The disease changed the way I viewed life and the direction I wanted it to go. It caused me to have severe hair loss, which in turn affected my self-esteem. Throughout this period, I turned my focus to how I dressed. I thought that if what I wore was interesting or stylish enough, people would pay more attention to that than my balding head… I started to pick up sewing from my grandmother, who supported me throughout the entire ordeal and my passion for fashion design grew from there… I chose to pursue this path because fashion healed me and gave my life meaning when I felt like giving up on everything. Fashion to me heals people and brings joy to the world.”

How she balances school, life and her practice: “Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I give myself time and distance away from work to recuperate. I also ensure that I manage my time wisely, and talk to my lecturers and friends for advice.”

How she de-stresses: “I unwind by playing floorball. It’s a sport that I’ve been doing for eight years and is as big a passion of mine as fashion. It’s taught me a lot of meaningful life lessons and allowed me to meet my closest friends who have been supporting me and my career in fashion every step of the way. And playing it distracts and grounds me, keeping me calm when I feel stressed. It also stimulates my creativity – playing the sport is like a reset button for me.”

What she does in her free time: “During my free time, I like to experiment and sew things for my brand EKIYBHO. It’s currently an experimental brand that focuses a lot on patchworking and textile exploration. I like to experiment with different textures and come up with new designs that will attract new customers. My brand is also a creative space to showcase my work and individuality, and my biggest aim is to find suppliers who have the same goal and values as I do to produce garments sustainably and allow me to expand my business worldwide. And there is also floorball!”

What she hopes to achieve after graduation: “To start my own brand and grow it internationally. My goal is to open my own collective store with friends who also plan to start their own labels. I hope to grow it into a popular space visited by locals and tourists. I would also like to be a designer for a couture house overseas if given the opportunity to be recruited and scouted. My course at TP has encouraged me to dare to venture and provided me various opportunities to further my learning – from participating in exhibitions, shoots and design competitions, to giving me a physical space to promote my brand at the Design Shop on campus. These opportunities have given me greater exposure to the fashion industry, and I want to leverage on them to grow even more as a fashion designer.”

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Biggest challenge about being a young creative today: “A lot of brands in Singapore have the same aesthetic and target audience, which results in a small industry with limited range and in turn opportunities for young design talents to express their individuality and creativity.”

HOW SUPHASIRI, 20, DIPLOMA IN APPAREL DESIGN & MERCHANDISING FROM TEMASEK POLYTECHNIC

Her practice in her own words: “I specialise in fashion design so my whole practice encompasses design research, sampling and creating garments – basically working with clothes. I begin with extensive research to inform my designs – drawing inspiration from various sources to develop unique concepts. This is followed by the sampling process in which I experiment with different materials, techniques, and patterns to refine my ideas. Finally, I bring these ideas to life by creating finished garments that embody my artistic vision and craftsmanship.

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The Diploma in Apparel Design & Merchandising at Temasek Polytechnic offers a wide range of classes that cover several topics, making learning more efficient. The lecturers are extremely helpful, going above and beyond to ensure that we are learning well… Meanwhile my design philosophy is ‘living to create’. I view creation as an integral part of my existence and believe my purpose is to create responsibly, making sure my art reflects my core beliefs and values. This commitment to integrity guides every step of my artistic journey, helping me create meaningful and impactful art that hopefully connects with others too.”

Introduce your final-year project: “My final-year project, titled My Body is My Temple, celebrates the strength and resilience of women while exploring the complex notions of beauty across different cultures… The collection was inspired by the extreme beauty practices of various tribes from around the world – rituals that might appear torturous or extravagant from an outsider’s perspective, such as the stretching of earlobes among Dayak women in East Kalimantan, or the wearing of brass neck rings in the Kayan tribe in Myanmar to lengthen the neck.

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To emulate these in my collection, I incorporated high necklines, voluminous silhouettes and features such as metal hoops and rods. I also worked with a variety of textures and opacities, including fur, sheer fabrics, sequins, knits and more to convey a sense of ruggedness and rawness. Through my work, I want to highlight how such practices are deeply rooted in the tribes’ values and ways of life, and in turn define a different concept of beauty.”

What she loves most about her discipline: “I love having the freedom to create whatever I want.”

Why pursue the arts? “From a young age, I’ve always been drawn to creative projects and work that requires being literally hands-on. Fashion satisfies my desire for both artistic expression and being able to craft with my hands. Despite the challenges of pursuing the arts and creative industry in Singapore, I believe that fashion design is my true calling. Nothing else captures my interest in the same way. Furthermore, the lecturers at school have always been tremendously encouraging, giving us opportunities that we would not have otherwise. They have greatly boosted my confidence in pursuing this creative path.”

How she balances school, life and her practice: “Good time management and having a mental schedule for every one of these aspects”

How she de-stresses: “I typically manage stress by working through it. After finishing my schoolwork and creative projects, the stress naturally dissipates. I’ve learned to cope with it as part of my routine.”

What she does in her free time: “Hang out with friends or partner”

What she hopes to achieve after graduation: “Upon graduation and in my first few years of professional creative work, I hope to gain more knowledge and experience in the fashion industry through working. My immediate goal is to work diligently and hone my skills. The rigorous curriculum at school has helped me improve my creative thinking and problem-solving skills, preparing me to face hurdles while navigating the creative industry in Singapore. Ultimately, my long-term ambition is to start my own venture in the field.”

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Biggest challenge about being a young creative today: “The main challenge about being a young creative today is the limited number of opportunities in Singapore as compared to larger fashion hubs overseas when it comes to getting exposure and options for collaborations. This makes it even harder for emerging talent here to break through. However, I do think that there are many Singapore creatives who are finding innovative ways to succeed despite these challenges, which is a huge inspiration.”

PHOTOGRAPHY ATHIRAH ANNISSA ART DIRECTION PANG JIA WEI HAIR & MAKEUP BENEDICT CHOO

A version of this article first appeared in the July 2024 Overachievers Edition of FEMALE