Samuel Xun: Young Fashion Designers Spotlight (Part 3)
Congratulations Digital LASALLE Graduate Fashion Show 2020!
Update on life
I’m actually nervous to blog again I’ve put it off to Sunday 2AM when I promised myself I’d write this story “during the weekend”. So many things have happened since I last interviewed someone for this blog. But I’m going to resist listing everything that’s happened to pacify myself that I’m “woke” and I know the backstories of everything that’s been going on. I don’t.
Incidentally, in recent conversations with friends, the word I’ve found myself using a lot is “expert”, in the sentence, “It seems everyone feels the need to be an expert on everything today”. Once I was bothered when someone asked me about my opinion of someone I’d written about and I said “I see both sides”. I don’t think I was copping out. Of course on the flipside I also question the line between philosophy and apathy, a confusion I’ve noticed too.
I’ve not been lazy, but writing a book is requiring isolation that is increasingly making me feel out of touch with reality. (I also just found out I share my book title with a D-grade movie. Should I have a sense of humour about it?) I’m halfway through, at Chapter 5 of 10, 25000 of 50000 words into my first draft.
Update on fashion (or lack thereof)
As best I’ve been keeping up with the global digital fashion shows. I don’t think it’s entirely my fault I haven’t gotten around to seeing everything: (A) there’s just too many shows, of which not many I watched were great (B) I wasn’t going to spend 12 hours staring at a Gucci BTS (the 20-minute end portion was all that counted).
- Prada, beyond proliferating by experimenting with different video creatives, has aesthetically (through her clothes) impressed me the most so far—clothes for sombre-minded liberal arts students.
- Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe and namesake brand have been testaments to his empathy for “the hand” and tactility, ironic yet apropo notions to base off for remote presentations.
- Valentino’s haute couture proportions were stunning, but with ongoing sustainability discussions (in all senses) around dressing “less” I wonder if Pierpaolo Piccioli’s five-storey length dresses sounded any activist’s alarms.
Recently, I was also `lucky to have sat in on the LASALLE Graduate Fashion Show 2020 via Zoom.
As a first and on such short notice, I think the presentation was commendable. I not-so eloquently thought of an Allan Walker music video with the location they’d shot the film in. One of the lecturers over Instagram DM said it was more “Grimes”. During the Q&A session I wanted to ask if and how LASALLE supports their students post-graduation, which is especially crucial in 2020. Moving forward, even before considering production, I’d also love to see LASALLE highlight their students’ work publicly and more often.
Follow LASALLE’s fashion Instagram account and listen to their podcast.
Congratulations to the graduating class of LASALLE fashion students 2020. Before reading my conversation with the Samuel Xun, winning designer of his cohort, check out my other conversations with LASALLE fashion students:
Note: This conversation happened early June.
M: Your collection feels even more interesting because of what’s happening now.
S: I’m taken aback by how fashion brands are responding to Covid-19 and BLM. It’s not connecting with consumers who’re not buying things. Buying can be a joy during this time, but it seems inappropriate to “sell” buying. People are dying, and rioting.
My collection’s not completely ready-to-wear, it’s not “clothes”. It was my way of doing what I wanted to do before I couldn’t anymore. It’s more something to look at, be appreciated.
It’s a positive look at being queer, a minority in Singapore, a rouse to get people to look at issues of clothes and sexuality. Drag queens have a way of infiltrating spaces that’re otherwise unwelcoming of queer people. It’s about being “smarter” than the people you’re trying to convince.
If anything I want to throw more glitter at the situation.
M: I think ecommerce stores like Farfetch are being activists supporting small designers who might otherwise not make it financially through Covid-19.
S: That’s the double-edged sword, it’s their livelihoods too. But I’m thinking more in a post-apocalypse world, is there no need for these material needs? Can they serve more purposes? That’s sustainable.
M: Sustainability not just from an environmental point-of-view.
M: Has this time forced you to do things differently or emboldened you to do what you’ve always wanted?
S: It’s forced me to be more creative to achieve the same outcome, like working from home. It’s pushed me to do things digitally. I’m trying to create an interactive Instagram account because people now can’t see my collection upclose—crystals don’t show as well in photos unless I have direct lighting.
I’m playing with carousel posts to “open” gift boxes.
M: You seem to be taking to circuit breaker quite well. Do you think it’s “unlocked” certain creativities?
S: Creativity comes from limitation, it’s the perfect recipe. Like with influencers, you can tell who’s struggling to create content.
M: Can we still be ironic today or must everything be literal because no one will get what we’re saying otherwise?
S: To be ironic means you can’t assume your audience is stupid. To make something beautiful means even if people don’t get it, they’ll still appreciate it for the quality of the work. That said, there are still people who live in the age when Joan Rivers was alive. Maybe now it’s more about remoulding artifice for a sensitive audience.
M: You said you don’t make “wearable” clothes. Does it have anything to do with social media?
S: Not for likes, but for inspiration.
M: I’m thinking of Tomo Koizumi, whose 2019 New York debut of giant tulle creations sparked conversations of, “What’s the point?” You mentioned having a political message earlier.
S: Different people appreciate things differently. The right people will come, and if they don’t, that’s the point too.
M: Where do you think your clothes are best experienced?
S: I’m trying to delve into the digital experience of clothes. We mostly don’t see fine art in real life either. Physical is definitely a bonus, but I think it’s limiting to only be experienced in one way.
M: We’re in Pride Month. Is there pressure to release things now?
S: It’s perfect. But for Singapore “Pride Month” seems to be July. I don’t want to release stuff too late, but still have time to fine tune stuff.
M: Is it activist?
S: I try to use the visual equivalent of a literary device to portray queerness not-so subtly—deep magenta that’s in-your-face, hearts, bows, flowers that are simplistic, feminine, and highly branded, Barbie, ideas of costume jewellery. Ruffles are in this age somehow only for women, but historically they’ve been used for men too.
M: You’ve mentioned before your work is very inspired by artists.
S: I found a vintage catalogue of balloon sculptures for kids. I looked up balloons, inflatables in art. Someone I referenced but not heavily was Jeff Koons. I was more inspired by his materials’ culture fit, how a shiny chrome finish can make a work more visually impactful.
M: Tell me about the LASALLE Graduate Show 2020 [this was before it launched].
S: I understand things are difficult. I feel like a lot of my classmates have given up. Hamkah and I are still fighting for things. I think there’s still going to be a small runway show in January 2021.
M: How can people who get your work adopt your idea of activism in their lives?
S: Be smart. Sometimes big chunks of words won’t catch as much attention as a visual. The word “activism” seems weird to me. Change yourself a bit? *laughs* A rather conservative person messaged me once saying a broach I’d made with titty tassles was pretty. That’s something.
