What We Saw At Lasalle’s 2024 Graduate Fashion Show
The graduate collections of 12 final-year fashion and textile design students who attempt to reimagine the future of fashion.
Fashion and design schools are in the thick of graduation season for the Class of 2024. On May 7, the spotlight shone on students from the BA (Hons) Fashion Design & Textile programme at Lasalle College of the Arts as they showcased their final-year fashion collections at the school's campus on McNally Street.
The graduate fashion show by the BA (Hons) Fashion Design & Textile programme at Lasalle College of the Arts featured the collections of 12 selected students.
Titled Re:Imagine, the show spotlighted the work of 12 selected students from the programme's cohort, who used the occasion to explore social issues through the lens of fashion. The themes around which the student designs revolved were heritage and culture, sustainability and consumerism, as well as gender and society.
Circe Henestrosa, the Head of the School of Fashion, remarked: “Our young designers have demonstrated that fashion is a powerful art form for discussing contemporary issues. The graduate fashion show, featuring the future leaders of the fashion industry, presents a glimpse into what the future of fashion could look like.”
In addition to the fashion runway, three digital fashion collections by students Eric Sim You Geng, Puteri Navet, and Chirag Kamra were presented during an immersive pre-show VR experience.
Following the fashion show, all 21 collections from the BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Textiles graduating class will be showcased at The Lasalle Show graduate exhibition, which will take place from May 16 to May 24 on campus.
Ahead, we provide an up-close look at the works seen on the runway.
PRICILLA CHIQUITA MINTRA
Name of collection: In Between: Heaven and Earth
What it is about: The collection aims to rebuild the connection among Chinese Indonesians by highlighting heritage sustainability through architecture, social class, and cosmology. It explores the use of blueprints in a pattern-cutting approach. These blueprints of Chinese architecture correlate with the placement of social and gender classes within the family in the house, and the cosmological significance behind the architecture - how it acts as a channel to heaven through symbolism.
PONNI ASHOK
Name of collection: Odyssey
What it is about: Inspired by the back of trucks in India, this collection is a satirical commentary on overconsumption and waste, involving sustainable techniques in the process. The sari stands out as a beloved fabric in many closets, symbolising versatility. Its surplus fabric, the pallu, allows the wearer to interact with it on their own terms, a testament to the garment's modularity. Drawing references from the DIY attitude and the anti-fashion aesthetics of anti-consumerism that the punk subculture and the Dadaist art movement encouraged, this collection aims to create interactive textiles that allow the wearer to experiment with assemblage.
DEEPA YADAV
Name of collection: Eminence
What it is about: Eminence is a collection that attempts to redefine and explore a modern blending of traditional techniques with new silhouettes. Drawing inspiration from the natural architecture of flowers and leaves, as well as the iconic Yves Saint Laurent ‘Le Smoking’ suit, the collection features six looks that fuse the essence of traditionally masculine and feminine aesthetics. From exaggerated shoulders to cinched waists, the designs play on the use of classic suiting fabrics, such as pinstripes, enhancing them with vibrant pops of green.
JOCELYNNE PRICILIA CANTONA
Who: Shadows Unveiled
What it is about: The collection attempts to highlight the age-old art of batik for a younger and broader audience by fusing it with Western influence. This collection aims to be dramatic and leaves a trail of ambiguity for the viewer to make a strong impression. It is achieved by drawing colour and composition inspiration from a painting technique called tenebrism. This collection's fusion aspect is further seen in the silhouettes inspired by the Italian Renaissance era, showcased in voluminous skirts and sleeves.
CHERLIN FAYE VALDEAVILLA
Name of collection: "Pormanteauwear"
What it is about: The term ‘portmanteau’, derived from blending two words to create a new one, encapsulates the essence of this collection, where the garment and bag become a unified entity. Drawing inspiration from 17th-century reticules and tie-on pockets, the concept infuses quilted garments with intricately designed pockets. Pockets, revered as symbols of safe spaces, play a central role, and this collection pays homage to their historical significance while incorporating practical design elements.
GIACINTA AMARYLLIS CRYSTAL
Name of collection: Coral's Final Whisper
What it is about: In the collection, Giacinta explores the realm of sustainable fashion, addressing coral extinction with a creative twist. Drawing inspiration from the intricate beauty of corals, she embarks on a journey of upcycling, transforming preloved garments into captivating patchwork designs. Through her work, Giacinta aims to bring awareness to the urgency of environmental conservation, highlighting the impact of textile waste on coral reefs.
ERIC SIM YOU GENG
Name of collection: 安息
What it is about: This collection attempts to address overconsumption and waste by offering garments in digital form before physical purchase. Rooted in Sim's Chinese heritage and Buddhist beliefs, the collection explores themes of death and the afterlife. Symbolised by butterflies – believed to carry souls – the designs embody spiritual transitions.
THIRZA ARIANCE LILINGAN LODO
Name of collection: I Love You, See You Inside
What it is about: Thirza’s collection uses fashion as a gateway for self-expression, celebrating escapism and imagination by exploring the concepts of maximalism and performative fashion. Her inspiration came from the man-made garden, the result of humanity’s attempt to carve out an ideal place in nature – a symbol of hope and utopia. She integrates biomorphic photography techniques on a flower to explore initial shapes, which have inspired her pattern-making decisions.
LEE SEOYOUNG
Name of collection: Hol-ro-sso-da
What it is about: Hol-ro-sso-da originates from Lee Seoyoung’s contemplation during a visit to her homeland, South Korea. Observing the juxtaposition of neglected historical palaces against the backdrop of modern skyscrapers, Lee was inspired to capture the metaphor of solitary flowers amidst urban decay. The collection aims to depict the resilience and strength inherent in standing alone, represented by bold strokes and rough textures portraying delicate flowers.
TAN TING YI RACHEL
Name of collection: -38.67444, 143.78611
What it is about: Tan's work reimagines fashion through the lens of landscape, topography, and architecture, merging soft brutalism with military precision. Her collection has been designed under her fashion brand, Syllabus of Society, a genderless brand that celebrates diversity and individuality in all their forms.
RYNNA SHAZRINA
Name of collection: Tropical Threads
What it is about: Inspired by the environment around us, this collection celebrates nature by integrating its textures, shapes, and fun, bright colours into garments and textiles. The complexity of nature influenced the development of motifs and textile experiments, where layering of different materials and prints is played within the collection. Through embracing the use of recycled and upcycled materials, this collection aims to serve as an inspiration in contemporary sustainable fashion.
NI SITING
Name of collection: 竹
What it is about: 竹 (Bamboo) is a collection that delves into the trend of the new Chinese style, merging streetwear and sporty elements with feminine aesthetics to create a dynamic and culturally resonant collection for today’s youths. The collection emphasises accessorising oversized, voluminous silhouettes with delicate details like ribbons and pearls.