The Sound of Style

Introduce yourself, and what you do!
I’m Lauren! I’m studying fashion at Temasek Polytechnic. I used to work at Maison Margiela at Paragon, but I recently resigned because I felt like I needed a bit of a change of pace from the fashion world. Next up, I’m planning to work in a bar.

What are some misconceptions that people have about what you do?
People usually assume studying fashion is very easy. I mean, it’s definitely easier than something like business, but it’s very time-consuming. It’s not necessarily hard—I study fashion merchandising, so it’s not a lot of physical work, but you need to spend a lot of time on research. Unfortunately, that’s time I’d much rather be spending on my hobbies.

What do you normally do in your free time then?
I love going to gigs, art markets, and bars with my friends. Today, I’m heading to a metal gig at The Adelphi, and this Saturday, there’s a shoegaze gig at *SCAPE that I’m really excited about. I usually listen to psychedelic rock, but I also just love experiencing different types of live music.

Cool! Would you say that your interests and style align with your creative craft?
Quite a bit! The music I listen to influences my creative side, and how I dress as well. I take a lot of inspiration from the artists that I liked back in the day and how they dressed. Right now, I don’t really have a specific style; it’s kind of a mix of everything that I like. Sometimes I’ll dress a bit ’60s-inspired, other times I’ll dress 2000s-inspired. It really depends on my mood for the day.

You mentioned worked and hanging out at bars; which one are you hoping to visit next?
There’s this cool spot that I’ve been wanting to go to—not many people seem to know about it. It’s got this ‘70s vibe, and there’s a disco ball in it. I’ve seen my friends post about it, and I really want to check it out. I think a lot of people my age go to bars not just for the drinks, but specifically for the atmosphere and the music.

What did you want to do when you were a child, and how has that changed from then till now? 
As a child, I actually wanted to be a scientist, because I’ve always had a really big interest in science. But looking at Singapore’s economy now, and considering what I could do realistically, I decided I’d rather go into the creative field. Honestly, it feels like an easier path for me, and I also feel like there aren’t that many creatives, and Singapore needs more of them.