Changes

You'd have noticed that the blog layout is slightly different. After some fiddling with the HTML, I finally achieved the cleaner look that I wanted. I've also set up two other blogs, Painted Vision and Disturbing Muse, for posting inspiring images and my artwork respectively so as not to interfere with my main writing. The links can be found on the sidebar for your viewing pleasure. Cheers!

The new fashion icon

Yeeta

Move over, Barbie. To commemorate Vogue Russia's 10th anniversary, classic Matryoshka Russian dolls received the royal treatment from famed fashion designers. The result? Unique dolls that represent each designer's aesthetic or showcase a signature look of his or her brand. The above are some of my favourites (isn't the Margiela one oh-so-cheeky?). This project is a great example of how fashion and art (or craft as well) can be fused in a creative manner.

Schwing Schwing

I just discovered this awesome newly-established site through the blog Park and Cube. Shini owns one of the pants by the label. The clothes are extremely affordable (seriously, check it out!) and best of all, it's based in Singapore so prices are posted in Singapore dollars and normal local postage is FREE. How convenient! Here are the pieces I like the most:


These flashy gold rings are verging on being Ah Beng-ish (means gangster in local slang). Why do I have a serious lust for them? They look like they could cut through glass. Killer.

Paperbag-waist cropped pants are so fun to style. Looks best with towering heels.


Now a shorts version! These are cute.


What a freaking cool sweater! It's not the most original (almost every fashion blogger who considers herself 'edgy' has one) but it's still pretty rad.

I really like its versatility. The dropped sleeves give it a laid-back vibe and makes it cool enough for our tropical weather, but pairing it with bling will dress it up suitable for a night on the town.


The last dress is only available for backorder til 11pm tomorrow. Unfortunately I'm on a shopping ban so it's nada to all of these for me. I'll be checking back though; the shop updates pretty regularly and stocks sell out fast so you've got to be quick. They ship internationally as well. Their sister label The Scarlet Room is available at equally affordable prices, but Schwing Schwing's aesthetic is much more suited to my taste. Excuse me while I cry over the loss of that badass hole-y sweater and dress.

Minimalist Elegance

I've developed an interest in menswear lately, which is bad news because it means spending time checking out mens' collections. I love the breeziness and casual elegance of these collections, qualities which spell 'SPRING' to me. I also like the details that punctuate the garments and make them special, be it the sewn-on patches and dangling vine cutouts at CDG or the subtle sparkles at Ann D. I've noticed that many aspects of men's clothing can actually be translated into womenswear. Things like brogues, men's shirts and boyfriend blazers come to mind. Is it a wonder that such items are considered classic, since menswear is less 'seasonal' than womenswear? Maybe the old adage that women are more whimsical holds water.

On a personal note, I just purchased a pair of striped men's canvas shoes from Cotton On. At least, I think they're men's as they were found in the male section. The funny thing is that these shoes were being ignored by shoppers in the store, who were mostly female, until I started trying them on. Then one girl spotted me, elbowed her friend, and they came over to look. I guess most people don't think of venturing into the men's section, which can be a treasure trove.

I love the gloriously striking print on this dress. I wore the same outfit to my interview, except with the shirt belted over the dress using a patent blue belt and different bag and shoes (Converse high-tops). Oh, and the dress was longer as well. The good thing about this dress is its adjustable straps. Plus, it has pockets! The shirt is a hand-me-down from my brother's girlfriend and the wedges are my mum's and are really old. Not really fashion-forward but quite comfortable.

While sorting through my jewellery yesterday I realised that I have a lot of great stuff that I'm not wearing. Most of them are nicked from my mum's collection and are pretty much vintage. I'll feel something's missing if I don't wear at least one piece of jewellery when I step out the door. That doesn't include earrings, by the way, as I don't have pierced ears. Pretty weird how some people only wear earrings and I wear everything but earrings.

Portfolio

This is the portfolio I presented at the DesignSingapore interview. Most are works I did recently, the figure drawings and fashion illustrations especially.

I'm glad to say that my skills have improved. The proportion of the figures is more correct and the quality of the lines has increased. I'm also able to do them at a faster speed (each figure drawing took about 10 mins, the shaded one 50 mins). I still need to work on making the lines more expressive though. I've learnt that the trick to getting the proportion right is to chart out the rough areas of the figure first, paying attention to the pivot points, as opposed to drawing one area and moving on to the next. The MRT sketching trip I went on with my art pals really reinforced this idea. In such a short time you've got to capture the gist of the pose; if you just try to draw one area accurately the subject will move and you're left with a fragment of the body. I also tried different materials like pencil, colour pencil, charcoal, fine-tip pen, chalk and chalk pastels as each produces a different feel.

I've also dabbled in fashion illustration, which is really fun. It allows me to play with expressing different moods as dictated by the clothes. I feel inspired to be more adventurous with drawing fashion figures; take more risks and try some stylization. I do want to develop my own style of illustration, which should complement my design aesthetic.

Fingers crossed that I make it to the next round!

Saturated Colour