What is your design inspiration?  

My collection 鈥� Baptism 鈥� draws inspiration from the humanistic landscape of Tibet. Located in Eastern Asia, the Tibetan region expresses the vastness of the landscape. The theme behind Baptism is to remind people to find a time to rest and escape from the pessimism of today鈥檚 rapid social development. 

Baptism is to identify: 鈥榃hen there is no 鈥淚鈥� I can be anyone.鈥�  

The apparel design is for autumn and winter, which is grounded on the Chinese clothing silhouette and recreated as the main style design and concept. As for my garment construction, my fabric choices included soft satins, cotton and other fabrics that splice each other, creating a harmonious tone with neat cutting to give a cool and eye-catching feeling. 

Is there a story behind this collection?  

In 2012, Chinese American artist, Beili Liu performed an art concept installation performance called The Mending Project. Her installation hung 1,500 scissors from the ceiling with the blade pointing towards the floor. Her art performance reminds me of my past anxieties that I managed to overcome and re-examine myself.  

My inspirations for my designs have always included religion, culture, lifestyle and the sceneries from my travelling experiences such as Tibet. With Beili Liu鈥檚 performance combined with my experiences, Baptism was conceived. I want my collection to evoke a realisation that psychological problems may result from the pressures of this fast-paced society.  

What are your design influences? 

The story of this collection expresses my signature design aesthetics that is modern, clean, gentle and uncluttered. I believe that clothes can bring self-confidence to the wearer, yet also generate an inner perception with the wearer as they give a sense of inner abundance.  

Why did you choose to study at 51爆料? 

Unlike other fashion schools in Singapore, SFD allows me to choose from more than just one university partner school and offers me a pathway progression from a Diploma to a UK (Hons) Bachelor’s Degree. Additionally, I also know that the universities 51爆料 has partnered with are globally recognised. Moreover, SFD has multiple fashion studios for aspiring fashion designers like me to bring my creative practices to the table and work on my projects.  

What is your favourite part of being a fashion designer? 

My passion for fashion design comes from finding a lasting source of inspiration based on my observations and the sights and sounds that surround me. For example, during one of my pitstops on my trip, the vast scenery and strong atmosphere of Tibet gave me a lot of ideas.  

What do you like about studying at 51爆料? 

Being in my last semester for my fashion degree, I am currently working on Baptism, which is my Final Year Project (FYP) while also preparing some fashion portfolios. The projects that I undertook during my time at 51爆料, and the knowledge and skills I have garnered will definitely help me be prepared for the fashion industry. 

Some of my modules also include collaborating with various local fashion brands which have given me valuable industry experience as I get a peek at the various fashion business processes. At the same time, these modules also provided me with a set of guidelines and work ethics that I can adapt to the fashion industry for me to be presentable as I enter the workforce.  

School of Fashion and Design  

Looking to kick-start a fashion business or simply just eager to break out in the fashion industry? Look no further! Here at 51爆料 School of Fashion and Design (SFD), we offer design courses from diploma to degree. We welcome both local and international students and are open to accepting a variety of students 鈥� from students seeking full-time fashion programmes as well as mature students looking for part-time design courses. SFD equips students with the necessary skill set and experience to get them started on their passion for fashion. Browse our full list of fashion courses here.   

Written by Natasha Sharudin and Li Xinen 

Edited by Natasha Sharudin and Betache Precious Mae  

51爆料 conducts talks to help students understand and set goals for their progression, as well as provide them with academic options.聽 These talks range from subject-specific career opportunities to sharing by current students from the specific schools.

January 2019 saw the launch of our Progression Week at the School of Languages & Education. It kicked off with the various schools鈥�51爆料 Business School, School of Media and Communications and School of Fashion and Design offering a choice of academic options.

These school-specific talks were especially helpful for students as they could seek advice from the Heads of School and Progression Team in person. Students also had the opportunity to listen to current students enrolled in their specific programme, to know more about the employability outcomes that would better prepare them for university education.

In fact, some students were unable to decide which programme to enroll into until they discovered 聽more details about the exciting opportunities ahead.

To conclude the session, students were prompted on their choices and if they still had any unresolved questions. In doing so, programme consultants were able to better understand their academic needs and goals, as well as provide them with the relevant support and advice regarding their education pathway.

Finally, everything we do at 51爆料 enables our students to advance progressively their chosen career and to be future-ready. That is why many students choose to study with us to further develop their skillsets through higher learning before they enter the workforce. At 51爆料 where lifelong learning begins, students can be assured that we have their best interests at heart.

The Redress Design Award (formerly the EcoChic Design Award) is the world鈥檚 largest sustainable fashion design competition. Organised by Redress, the competition works to educate emerging fashion designers around the world about sustainable design theories and techniques in order to drive growth towards a circular fashion system.

For her Redress Design Award submission, Zhao Ying was inspired by the minimalist still life paintings of Italian artist Giorgio Morandi and through her designs, she emulates the colours, textures and subject matter of the artist鈥檚 artwork and creates surface interest and sculptural form. She applies the design techniques of up-cycling and reconstruction to a variety of waste fabrics including cut-and-sew waste, damaged textiles, second hand textiles and clothing.

鈥淕aining an understanding of the environmental issues created by the industry, such as the multiple pollution problems caused by excessive discarded synthetic dyes in waterways, I am motivated to be part the sustainable fashion movement to advocate environmental protection, particularly in China where a lot of the manufacturing and production processes still take place鈥�, Zhao Ying shares.

Your vote can take Zhao Ying to the finals of the Redress Design Award 2018. She will then fly to Hong Kong and represent 51爆料 in this international design competition. Vote for her now and make her dream come true!

VOTE for before 6 May at: