LATIKA BALACHANDER
MEN’S FOLIO DESIGNER OF THE YEAR 2020
LASALLE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS, MENSWEAR, TEXTILES AND TAILORING GRADUATE
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGN?
My designs focus extensively on the elimination and addition of structure. Visually, I enjoy creating tension through the juxtaposition of materials and surfaces. My garments begin to eliminate the original personality of the wearer entirely — including demographics of age, race, and gender. Therefore, my design style captures a narrative between an organic form and the personality that it holds within.
WHEN DID YOU REALISE YOU WANTED TO BE A DESIGNER?
When I was 13 years old, I told my parents I wanted to wake up every day and do nothing but draw. Soon enough, I found myself focusing every academic project around the human body and was extremely drawn to distorting it and designing for it. Despite being an indecisive person, with millions of questions about career and education, I knew that studying fashion wasn’t one of them. I moved to Singapore to see if my dreams of drawing every day could end up on a runway one day.
WHAT ARE SOME OBSTACLES BEING A DESIGNER IN SINGAPORE AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?
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