The School of Fashion at The LASALLE Show 2023
LASALLE College of the Art’s School of Fashion graduation showcase
By Sharrona Valezka
This month, The School of Fashion at LASALLE College of the Arts celebrates their graduating students from the BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Textiles, BA (Hons) Fashion Media and Industries, and Diploma in Creative Direction for Fashion programmes as a part of the annual graduation showcase, The LASALLE Show, which opened on campus on 19 May and runs through 31 May, after which it will continue to exist online.
The School of Fashion also welcomed the return of physical fashion shows with ‘Transition’. The show, which took place on 15 May at the Sky Bridge at LASALLE’s McNally Campus, presented the collections of 12 selected students from the BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Textiles programme. The full showcase from the School of Fashion’s graduating students is displayed at The LASALLE Show.
In this article, we highlight three projects by the graduating students: Pratyusha Prasad Borgaonkar, Corinne Janita, and Justin Neo Wei Jun, and find out more about their creative processes.
BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Textiles
‘Arrangements’, 2023. Image courtesy of Pratyusha Prasad Borgaonkar.
Could you describe your final year project, ‘Arrangements’? How did you come up with the concept?
‘Arrangements’ is a creative cutting and tailoring-focused menswear collection that challenges colonial hierarchies. I was looking at the mannerisms of ritualistic practices to uncover the metaphors communicated within them. In many ways, humans are affixed to spirituality.Often, performing a ritual becomes a connective tissue between the body and spirituality. The rituals practised in my culture seem like a portrait of thoughtful arrangements, wherein every object and action has a function and a role to play in the fulfillment of the ritual. This collection, which is an interpretation of these values and objects found in the nexus of rituals, explores a mix of experimental and technical pattern drafting methods.
The silhouettes were an interpretation of the research and they try to communicate the core values of the rituals. I included post-colonial style garments to balance the experimental silhouettes and create a well-centered collection. Additionally, the collection includes accessories and embellishments with brass motifs inspired by the object-oriented identification of the rituals, with brass being a common metal used in vessels and objects of ritualistic mannerisms. In the end, the final collection is a logical grouping of relevant motifs, structures, and colours informed by the cultural identity to create garments that communicate a modern zeitgeist, a sense of personal style, and conceptual metaphors.
‘Arrangements’, 2023. Image courtesy of Pratyusha Prasad Borgaonkar.
Could you talk about the process, from conceptualization to execution? Please also include challenges you faced and how you overcame them, and maybe even how they ended up serving the project positively.
The primary and secondary research conducted explored the spirit of the symbolic puzzle of rituals mixed with tailoring. The overarching values found in the cross-section of rituals are cleansing, arrangements, offerings, and anecdotes. These values and the supporting research formed the conceptual framework for the collection.
For the primary research, I studied images and videos of performances relating to the four stated values and decoded them to further explore the potential silhouettes, motifs, and drapes. Meanwhile, the secondary research looked at traditional and tailored menswear garments worn by post-colonial politicians in India. A regional menswear attire in India consists of a dhoti — a square piece of natural fabric wrapped around the waist and legs, a kurta — a knee-length shirt, and a shawl, a woollen piece of fabric worn over the shoulders. By examining the garments of post-colonial politicians combined with the documentation of rituals, I was able to develop initial designs.
‘Arrangements’, 2023. Image courtesy of Pratyusha Prasad Borgaonkar.
I faced several difficulties during the production of the garments. I had to use tailoring methods to produce jackets and trousers, which require a lot of practice to perfect. However, I was able to successfully achieve a certain level of tailoring precision in some of my garments. Another difficulty I faced was the production of the brass metal motifs, where I had to find a laser cutting company that was willing to sponsor their laser cutting services and also find artisans to emboss the embellishments. When I finally found both, it was a relief for me. As a result, it also embedded a sense of community and collaborative spirit in my collection.
What would you like to communicate through this project? Are there any specific elements that you would want people to pay attention to, and why?
Today, the everyday attire of menswear comprises clothing dictated by Western norms. However, by studying post-colonial dressing styles, the collection aims to retain the spirit of the nation as well as attempts to retain a modern zeitgeist in the experimental approach to clothing. In a way, these politicians rewrote, adapted, and fashioned a national style of dressing and also wore traditionally tailored military uniforms often to portray the position of power in the media. My collection aims to shift gears from a Western lens to an Eastern lens of contemporary fashion. I want my audience to understand these iconographic references to Asian leaders and local craftsmen from my collection so that there is a dialogue initiated on how to modernise fashion from the “East”.
‘Arrangements’, 2023. Image courtesy of Pratyusha Prasad Borgaonkar.
What plans do you have in store for your practice moving forward?
I aim to have my own design studio for working on fashion and visuals for my creative ventures. However, in the near future, I am excited and equipped to test my creative and technical skills in a professional setting!
Read more about Pratyusha’s graduation project here.
BA (Hons) Fashion Media & Industries
‘Breathing Bissoe’ by ‘KAMI’, 2023. Image courtesy of Corinne Janita.
Could you describe your final year project, ‘KAMI’? How did you come up with the concept?
‘KAMI’ is an Indonesian-based independent publication platform that aims to shed light on the socio-cultural heritage and ethnicity in Asia through the lens of fashion. By providing insightful content and educating the public, it hopes to be a medium to communicate what goes on behind the industry from a cultural point of view.
The project started from my interest in Asia’s culture. I realised that there are many unfamiliar cultures that have not been exposed enough to the world. With ‘KAMI’, I aim to bring together individuals from a diverse set of backgrounds and cultures by creating a media that not only recognises the differences between those cultures and backgrounds but also helps them to express their identities and histories to the public through a fashion lens.
‘Breathing Bissoe’ by ‘KAMI’, 2023. Image courtesy of Corinne Janita.
Could you talk about the process, from conceptualisation to execution? Please also include challenges you faced and how you overcame them, and maybe even how they ended up serving the project positively.
The process of ‘KAMI’ was heavily inspired by the notion of gender identity in Indonesia. Most Indonesians generally only accept two genders, which are male and female, and this indirectly affects how people should dress according to their genders in which they are still opposed to gender-neutral fashion in this modern era.
When I delved into gender issues in Indonesia, I discovered the bissoe, the fifth gender in Bugis society that is considered neither male nor female but instead, represents the totality of the gender spectrum. After reading more about this community, I decided to adopt their culture as the main inspiration for the first issue of the publication, ‘Breathing Bissoe’.
I had initial doubts about making ‘Breathing Bissoe’ since the Bugis community lives in South Sulawesi, which means that not only I had to travel to a city I have never been to before, but I also did not have any prior contacts or relations that could connect me with the community. I almost abandoned the idea as there were too many risks. Fortunately, I managed to contact a local photography team who had good connection with the Bugis people. In the end, we worked as a team and I flew to Makassar to do the photoshoot in December 2022.
‘Breathing Bissoe’ by ‘KAMI’, 2023. Image courtesy of Corinne Janita.
What would you like to communicate through this project? Are there any specific elements that you would want people to pay attention to, and why?
With ‘Breathing Bissoe’ as the first issue, I would like to communicate to the viewers that currently, the presence of bissoe is dwindling. The decrease in the number is caused by the decline in the local people's interest in becoming a bissoe, which has no economic income. I hope we can bring awareness to the bissoe people of the Bugis community and take action to aid them with their financial issues.
What plans do you have in store for your practice moving forward?
I hope ‘KAMI’ will be a medium to improve cultural awareness and sensitivity with a better understanding of historical and contemporary social issues, especially in today's increasingly globalised world. I believe that diversity helps society to understand different perspectives within the world that we live in.
‘Breathing Bissoe’ by ‘KAMI’, 2023. Video courtesy of Corinne Janita.
Read more about Corinne’s graduation project here.
Diploma in Creative Direction for Fashion
‘The Future of Fashion in Singapore’. Video courtesy of Justin Neo Wei Jun.
Could you describe your final year project, ‘The Future of Fashion in Singapore’? How did you come up with the concept?
My final year project ‘The Future of Fashion in Singapore’ is about shining light on local brands in Singapore. It aims to understand the struggles they face and to motivate Gen Z individuals who wish to start their own brands. I see many Gen Z creative practitioners creating their own businesses, such as establishing small vintage apparel stores, for example.
I came up with the project’s concept because I too thought of starting my own brand but I did not know where to start. I was fortunate to have met Allysha Nila, a Jakarta-based fashion stylist and writer who is also the founder of See You At One. She gave me the opportunity to assist her on one of her freelance styling jobs she took in Singapore, and introduced me to Ari and Leon, who are the two other founders of See You At One. They have been kind and supportive as they listened to my struggles and gave me useful advice based on what they have experienced. Hence, I decided to feature See You At One for my final year project to shine a light on their brand.
‘The Future of Fashion in Singapore’ featuring See You At One, 2023. Image courtesy of Justin Neo Wei Jun.
Could you talk about the process, from conceptualisation to execution? Please also include challenges you faced and how you overcame them, and maybe even how they ended up serving the project positively.
The concept is to motivate, guide and inspire future Gen Zs to establish their own brand. I chose to highlight See You At One because they have community-driven values and they have not hesitated to extend their help to other creative practitioners, even though they might not know them personally.
I wanted to showcase the people behind See You At One while also gaining insight into what it takes to own a brand. ‘The Future of Fashion in Singapore’ is a documentary that encapsulates who they are, what they do, and how they do it. Since the brand manufactures its clothes in Jakarta, the founders would stay there for three weeks to oversee the production. For the project, I went to Jakarta with them to document the manufacturing process. I stayed for two weeks with my classmate Zilhanz Affendi who helped me film the documentary.
I realised that things work differently in Jakarta. It was not as fast-paced as Singapore. The first challenge I faced was getting the project done since I only had a limited time. Another challenge was getting around with the hectic traffic.
I am glad that I went to Jakarta because I got to see the local creative landscape and made many friends who were also creative practitioners. Ari also took me to some garment production houses and fabric stores, which are useful for starting my own brand in the near future.
‘The Future of Fashion in Singapore’ featuring See You At One, 2023. Image courtesy of Justin Neo Wei Jun.
What would you like to communicate through this project? Are there any specific elements that you would want people to pay attention to, and why?
First, what I would like to communicate is that if one ever has a dream to start something of their own, then they should go for it. Tim Grover, a businessman and motivational speaker once said,“If you think the price for winning is too high, wait till you get the bill from regret.” I have friends in the creative industry in their mid-30s who had dreams to start something of their own, but did not pursue it in the end because they were too hesitant to start.
This leads to the next point that I want to convey throughout the project: which is to not settle for anything less. I think we have to work smarter and not give up just because we are faced with adversity. When Allysha, Ari, and Leon started See You At One, they dreamed big and aimed to make a difference in the industry. In the documentary film, one of the questions I asked was if they ever felt like giving up. See You At One has been around for almost four years now and they have definitely faced many challenges along the way. They would not have been where they are today if they did not continue to push on with the brand.
I think that one should stay curious, hungry, and humble. My mentor Jaya Khidir, who is a Singapore-based photographer, once told me that even the most foolish person can teach me something. He advised me to keep my head down, stay in my lane, hone my craft and then I will be on the right track.
‘The Future of Fashion in Singapore’ featuring See You At One, 2023. Image courtesy of Justin Neo Wei Jun.
What plans do you have in store for your practice moving forward?
There are a couple of things that I have wanted to pursue after graduating. I am working as a freelance stylist at the moment and I am also in the midst of curating an exhibition in Jakarta. Additionally, I am planning to start my own brand, which I hope to launch by the end of next year.
Read more about Justin’s graduation project here.
The LASALLE Show opened on 19 May and runs till 31 May 2023 at the college’s McNally campus. More works from the School of Fashion can be viewed online here. ‘Transition’, the fashion show is also available for viewing here.
