Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) is inviting design, culture, and fashion enthusiasts to visit their first display of contemporary Singapore fashion, #SGFASHIONNOW will be happening on 25th June 2021. The showcase is presented in collaboration with LASALLE College of the Arts’ School of Fashion and the Textile and Fashion Federation (TaFF) – a result of ACM’s first tripartite partnership within Singapore’s fashion ecosystem.
At #SGFASHIONNOW, visitors can encounter cross-cultural works and fashion-forward ideas by Singapore designers organised in two sections: the first is the curtain-raiser display ACM x TaFF, where four ensembles by Singapore-based finalists of fashion design competition Singapore Stories 2020 are on show at the ACM Lobby; the second, ACM x LASALLE, showcases works by eight practising local designers, including established professionals Andrew Gn, Goh Lai Chan, and Priscilla Shunmugam, whose works are mounted alongside Singapore Stories 2020 winner Carol Chen’s debut creation.
#SGFASHIONNOW: ACM x LASALLE highlights:
- Focusing on the craft of making clothes
- Local artisans, attention to eco-friendly materials, etc
- Chosen designers drew from the rich heritage of fashion, craft, and cultural ideas of Singapore and Asia
- Wide range of approaches in craft and ideas taken by diverse designers in imagining Singapore fashion today
- Singapore’s cheongsam maestro Goh Lai Chan, up-and-coming designer Hu Ruixian of Studio HHFZ and Baëlf Design’s 3D printed creation on display
Kennie Ting, Director of ACM and the Peranakan Museum, explains, “As an exhibition, #SGFASHIONNOW is a first for us in many ways. It is our first display of contemporary Singapore fashion, and in typical ACM fashion, we explore creative practice in Singapore within the context of Asia’s cultural heritage. It is made possible by way of a first-time, multi-party collaboration between museum, community and industry – ACM x LASALLE x TaFF x Singaporean and Singapore-based designers. It is also the first time ever that the central task of curating an exhibition has been ceded by ACM curators – in this case to the School of Fashion students, with ACM staff and LASALLE faculty providing mentorship.
#SGFASHIONNOW: ACM x TaFF highlights:
- Presented by 2020 finalists of Singapore Stories
- Designs pay tribute to the heritage of Singapore fashion and envision its future
- Finalists were given the rare opportunity to view exquisite textile pieces from the ACM stores housed at the Heritage Conservation Centre
- Three key areas of focus: Technology and Innovation, Sustainability, and Asian Craftsmanship
In an unprecedented approach by ACM, the curatorial task of putting together this exhibition was largely ceded to five final-year students at LASALLE College of the Art’s School of Fashion: Gabrielle Yeo, Celestine Wong, Jessica Faustine Suwito, Felicia Toh, and Guo Li Le. Among three submissions, their proposal was unanimously selected by a diverse judging panel including Circe Henestrosa (Head, LASALLE School of Fashion), Ho Semun (CEO, TaFF), Tjin Lee (Founder, Mercury Marketing and Communications), and ACM’s director Kennie Ting. In response to TaFF’s winning work and three works in ACM’s collection by Andrew Gn, LAICHAN, and Ong Shunmugam selected by ACM Curator of Fashion and Textiles Jackie Yoong, the students proposed the central exhibition theme of “Craftsmanship” and proposed four designers’ works (Baëlf Design, Stylemart, Studio HHFZ, and Time Taken to Make a Dress) for display. The student curators were given valuable access to ACM’s resources, including curatorial and programmes staff mentorship as well as exhibition expertise, which allowed them to produce a comprehensive experience for the public to enjoy. Their roles included developing their curatorial vision, leading the exhibition design, and proposing programmes to run in conjunction with the exhibition. They will also give tours of the exhibition. An e-publication was produced by the students, consisting of exhibition content, video interviews with the designers, and essays by the LASALLE and ACM project mentorship teams. It serves as a companion resource and a permanent digital record for this project, accessible via QR codes in the exhibition.
#SGFASHIONNOW will start from 25th June and runs through 19th December 2021. In conjunction with the exhibition, members of the public can look forward to a series of student curator tours, interactive activities and workshops focusing on fashion, craft, and design – available online and on-site. Entry is free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents. For more information, please visit www.acm.org.sg | @acm_sg | facebook.com/asiancivilisationsmuseum and follow the hashtags: #SGFASHIONNOW and #INNOVATIONINTRADITION.