Deconstruction

Please introduce yourself.
I’m Zechariah. I’m 20 this year and I’m currently in NS.

What are your plans post-NS?
I was thinking of studying visual communications, either in LASALLE or NTU.

Interesting! Have you always had an interest in the arts?
I was previously from JC, so I guess I was more academically inclined. But I also played basketball, so I was quite sporty too. I didn’t really have much time to explore those interests, though, because JC kept me pretty busy.

I first got interested in the arts through photography and videography, but later on, I found myself drawn to fashion as well—especially after seeing fashion shows, campaigns, and advertisements.

Do you remember the particular video or advertisement that sparked this interest within you?
There were a lot of advertisements that piqued my interest, but I think one of them was the Burberry weather campaign that came out earlier this year. It was very interesting the way they shot it, so I think that was one of the first few advertisements that I drew me in to the whole fashion and art scene.

So it seems like it’s a recent discovery!
Yeah, I wasn’t that much into fashion until the end of last year, which was when I went to Tokyo for two weeks for a holiday and I saw how people there dressed, and I guess that inspired me.

How would you describe the Japanese style?
I think they’re more avant-garde, but the weather definitely plays a part. In Singapore, you can’t really dress up too much unless you find pieces that suit the climate.

Real—the humidity here is no joke. Any specific brands or designers that you like?
McQueen, Martin Margiela, especially recently with Glen Martens designing for the house. Unpopular opinion, but I don’t think John Galliano’s designs for Margiela suited the brand because his designs were more theatrical and they weren’t really in line with the deconstruction aesthetic of the original founder.

Another brand I really like is Robert Wun. I enjoy his more theatrical designs because you don’t see much of that in haute couture, especially from an Asian designer’s perspective.

In what way do these brands inform or inspire you?
For Martin Margiela and McQueen, it’d be the distressed, deconstructed, and avant-garde look, whereas for Robert Wun, I think his designs are just otherworldly, which is inspiring in its own way.

You seem to be an expert on fashion! How did you learn so much about it in such a short time?
I like learning about different brands’ design philosophies and how they tell their stories. I think storytelling is especially important nowadays when it comes to buying clothes. With how expensive fashion has become, a strong narrative adds another layer of appreciation for the garment.

I also think it’s important to curate your wardrobe intentionally—to have a sense of personal style. I usually let the clothes speak to me and see how I can incorporate them into my wardrobe.

Then if you had all the money in the world, what piece would you first purchase?
Probably the archival Margiela Bianchetto Tabis—the iconic tabis with the white paint peeling off!