Singapore Label Studio Vetyver: Finding Softness In Unyielding Places
The contemporary menswear and womenswear label by Singapore fashion designer Pit Firdaus Aris brings a nuanced look at everyday objects and local narratives
Found objects - the practice of using or being inspired by natural or man-made objects - is usually more the purview of art than fashion, but at Studio Vetyver, a contemporary womens and menswear label founded by fashion educator and designer Pit Firdaus Aris, it helps to lend shape to his designs.
"Studio Vetyver started as a fashion research and a dialogue between a group of friends. I was also interested to create a fashion discourse as to how we view fashion in our little island, experimenting with the ideas of uniformity and the mundane. Uniform are typically regarded as 'low-brow' in high fashion, but I find them very meaningful," says Pit, who formerly designed at Singapore labels such as In Good Company.
Studio Vetvyver founder Pit Firdaus Aris
While the pandemic saw him taking a hiatus after the launch of his first collection in 2020, Pit recently returned with his sophomore collection, named Paradise, which debuted for sale last month at the multi-label store Spades and is also available online on the Studio Vetyver website.
Found objects are a key motif in this modernist 20-look collection; take how certain garments were crafted out of materials that are purely utiliarian, such as a hard-hitting A-line gathered skirt made from (unused) construction tarps.
These hardy materials are also a nod to how the designer is inspired by his everyday surroundings. With his previous studio previously nestled in the heart of Geylang and surrounded by many structures in the midst of being built, the designer grew fascinated with how the district is typically perceived, birthing designs that obliquely reference the area.
A look inspired after living in Geylang for a period.
The slinky gathered dress here, for example, is made with mesh - resembling the safety nets that cling around buildings under construction. Its cut-out can be read as a more gentle and sensuous take on the Geylang district's traditionally unsavoury reputation.
"(The slashing effect) of the dress is open to interpretation - whether its a slashing incident - or the slashing of a fruit." says Pit. "I think maybe what I wanted to say is that I wanted to find a (sense of) softness in an area that is generally perceived as violent and threatening."
With many of the pants and skirts upcycled from deadstock materials and existing fabrics, one could say the collection is also empathetic for the planet. Pit also currently operates on a model that combines off-the-rack retail with pre-orders, preferring to work with local seamstresses and makers for better quality control and to reduce the brand's environmental footprint. Romanticism aside, pre-orders are simply a more practical mode of working, especially for an independent label in Singapore.
"I think having more avenues for local designers to participate would be crucial for the future of the fashion scene here. More programmes for mentorship and funding too," says Pit, when asked on what he'd like to see more of in the local fashion industry. "It’s very important to see local fashion - not just through a capitalistic point of view - but as an (integral) part of the arts and culture fabric in Singapore."
Below, a more detailed look at the Paradise collection: