A Prismatic Pursuit

I designed my outfit myself.
These textiles are from India; I designed this silhouette and had it made there. I actually studied fashion design, but I work in graphic design right now.

How did you get into fashion design?
I’ve always wanted to study it, ever since I was 10 years old. I think my mother was a very big inspiration. She designs clothes and just seeing her go through that process and seeing her love it so much always inspired me.

Why the move from fashion to graphic design?
Graphic design’s a very big part of fashion design, and I wanted to explore that space a little bit more because I’ve always been fond of textiles, making prints, and so on, so I thought, why not use my graphic design skills and build that up before returning to fashion? My favourite part about graphic design is the ability to have fun and create whatever you want, and being able to see things in my head come to life on the screen.

You lived in New York before moving to Singapore—to you, what’s the biggest difference between New York and Singapore?
Singapore is smaller in a good way, and it’s a lot cleaner too. I do see a lot of similarities, so I’d say it’s been a comfortable change, but I do miss the cold—it’s very hot here. I miss layering up during winter because I enjoy dressing up.

How do you think fashion in New York is different from Singapore?
A lot of it ties back into the idea of layering up. In New York, I would say fashion’s more dimensional, and having different layers allow you to be more playful. The style in Singapore is a little more composed compared to New York, but it’s nice in its own way because people wear a lot more colour here. What many people do in New York is wear more black and toned down pieces, or it’s all black with a super bright red coat—it’s very on trend and people are trying to make a statement with what they wear.

What’s the craziest outfit you’ve ever tried?
I experiment with my look all the time, but I’m not extreme with it, it’s more street-style. I like picking things from my wardrobe and wearing them out of context, so I’d pair a nightgown with sneakers, or culottes with a sports bra; so I wouldn’t say I’m crazy, but I do like experimenting.