Singaporean fashion today is as multifaceted, culturally complex and endlessly compelling as the country itself. In partnership with the ACM, LASALLE College of the Arts BA(Hons) Fashion Media and Industries students were challenged to develop curatorial proposals that defined Singaporean fashion. Image Credit: cntraveler
The exhibition is the first that follows ACM’s 2020 repositioning as Singapore’s National Museum of Asian Antiquities and Decorative Art. The repositioning allows us to champion #InnovationInTradition, and to extend the timeline of our curatorial focus to the contemporary day.
ACM Director Kennie Ting shares, "LASALLE College of the Arts already flirted with exhibiting Asian fashion, most recently contemporary Chinese couture. But it was always my dream to feature Singaporean fashion designers in the context of Asia and the World, and against the backdrop of ACM’s ravishing, cross-cultural, pan-Asian Collection. This being the case, we felt we could only do this together, in strong partnership, with the larger fashion community in Singapore."
The winning proposition is a fascinating exploration of Singapore’s fashion identity through the lenses of craftsmanship and heritage, both tangible and intangible. Singapore-based designers featured in the exhibition include Lai Chan, Kavita Thulasidas from Style Mart, Priscilla Shunmugam of Ong Shunmugam, Letitia Phay and Jade Swee of Time Taken to Make a Dress, Hu Ruixian at Studio HHFZ and Carol Chen. Designers based abroad are also featured, such as Andrew Gn and Baëlf Design by Jamela Law and Lionel Wong.
This exhibition and digital catalogue celebrate the collaborative spirit and efforts between the College and the museum. In it, Circe Henestrosa, Head of LASALLE’s School of Fashion, and Jackie Yoong, Curator at the Asian Civilisations Museum, share an intimate conversation with the student curators of #SGFASHIONNOW.
They give insights into their curatorial journeys and what motivates each of their practices. Barbara Fras, Deputy Director, Audience, Asian Civilisations Museum, highlights the importance of the education and outreach programmes that she and her teams have developed with our students.
The ACM explores the many artistic and cultural influences that have come to define modern-day Singapore. The collection started with mostly ethnological artifacts from the Raffles Library and Museum, but was later combined with Chinese, West Asian, Islamic, and Southeast Asian objects. In 2003, the ACM took over the neoclassical-style Empress Place, overlooking the Singapore River. The two newest wings are glossy and contemporary, with a stunning facade made of glass and titanium.
TICKET INFORMATION
Permanent galleries are free for Singaporeans & PRs. Ticketing charges for special exhibitions apply.
a. 1 Empress Pl, Singapore 179555
s. www.facebook.com/asiancivilisationsmuseum
w. acm.org.sg
