WAITING IN THE WINGS

BAZAAR NewGen 2022 finalist Joe Kean embarked on an internship with CHARLES & KEITH in March this year. We find out all about his learning journey and what it takes to succeed in the world of fashion accessories.

- Renée Batchelor

CHARLES & KEITH is probably one of the most well-known and well-loved Singapore brands with a truly global presence. Specialising in footwear, handbags and fashion accessories, the brand boasts over 640 stores in 35 retail markets, along with 55 online markets. To design and create for CHARLES & KEITH means that a young designer has a chance to not only learn from established designers and a large and successful company, but also to possibly make their design imprint on a global scale.

For Joe Kean, one of the six finalists for the BAZAAR NewGen 2022 edition, the chance to do a six month internship with the brand was an unparalleled learning opportunity. Kean, a Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts graduate, was the crowd favourite in the NewGen competition. He won the BAZAAR Academy Choice Award 2022 (as voted for by the BAZAAR Academy) with his collection, "Shapes Of Human, Human Of Shapes," which took inspiration from the human form.

Says Kean on his internship, "The experience has been amazing. It has opened up my knowledge about the industry by being exposed to a new part of fashion-shoe design." Another important skill he picked up was the importance of marrying functionality with design aesthetics. "It is important to keep the target consumer in mind while designing," shares Kean.