RafflesEducationCorp Receives International Star Award For Quality In Geneva
Singapore - Raffles Education Corporation Limited (“RafflesEducationCorp”) was awarded the International Star Award for Quality (ISAQ) in the Gold Category by Business Initiative Directions (B.I.D.) for its commitment to Quality, Leadership, Technology and Innovation at the International B.I.D. Quality Convention held at the InterContinental Geneva Convention Hall in Switzerland on 21 September 2014.
The International Quality Awards are presented annually to recognise outstanding companies from around the world with commendable performance on its business quality and excellence.
Mr Ong Kai How, Director of Human Resource, received the prestigious Award on behalf of RafflesEducationCorp from the President of B.I.D., Mr Jose E. Prieto. He also shared the achievements and future goals of RafflesEducationCorp with leaders and representatives from 51 countries.
“The award recipients are icons of commitment to leadership, technology and innovation, making them models for others in their sectors.” said Mr Jose E. Prieto. They were not only recognised for their entrepreneurial achievements, but also for their dedication to continuous improvements and innovation based on the key concepts of QC100 Total Quality Management (TQM) Model. The model seeks to increase customer satisfaction and optimise efficiency, as well as to promote an organisation culture of engagement and a proactive approach to improving processes.
The ISAQ Award for RafflesEducationCorp is a testament to our relentless pursuit of academic excellence in providing a quality education across our global network of institutions, and our commitment to innovation through the use of cutting-edge facial recognition system to enhance our overall operations and security.
Click here to watch the video of the Awards Presentation ceremony.
FUZE: The Men's Show 2014 By Raffles Fashion Marketers
Singapore - A group of Raffles Singapore’s Fashion Marketers and Creative Practitioner had a roaring success in organising a mega fashion event themed “FUZE: The Men's Show 2014” at the Theatreworks on 4 September 2014. The theme aimed to redefine and celebrate the significance of aspiring fashion designers across Asia by bringing them together to create a spectacular men’s fashion collective. Raffles Fashion Marketers also made a difference to the Yellow Ribbon Project, a community initiative that reintegrates ex-prisoners into society, by donating proceeds collected through the event.
As part of the course module, the event enabled Raffles Fashion Marketers to put their events management skills to the test. Indeed, it was not an easy feat as the group spent a gruelling 10 weeks for the preparation. The key to their remarkable success was determination, perseverance and teamwork. The event showcased a collection of menswear by Raffles Fashion Designers and Marketers, such as Joe Chia’s label ‘JOE CHIA’, Tsai Ming Hung’s label ‘MR. HOWARD’, Cynthia Fransisca Haryono’s label ‘cynthiafransisca’ and Amos Yeo’s label ‘AMOS ANANDA’.
"It's good to be back at my alma mater to showcase my latest Spring/Summer 2015 collection, inspired by the military which consist of new techniques and fabricated natural materials such as bamboo, silk and linen. I hope to spread a message that the military is not all about war and violence, as we should spread love towards our Earth and the environment. I’m also open to what is coming my way after the event such as future collaborations with stores and buyers," said Joe.
"It was deserving of them to have every accolades because they are not only creative, but also very skilled in combining their creativity with commercial pieces. This differentiates them from the other ordinary designers. Design is not about making clothes but about creating an image for yourself and your brand, and developing the right craftsmanship so that people can stand out in your clothes, feel different and special. Four Raffles Fashion Designers have done it, so design students should learn from these role models." remarked Daniel Boey, Fashion and Lifestyle Event Producer and Fashion Creative Director.
Click here to watch a video and here for the article by Xinhuanet.
Raffles Fashion Designers Mai Takemori and Liau Jia Hui Won First Place at the Eu Yan Sang Design Competition 2014
Singapore – In celebration of Eu Yan Sang (EYS)'s 135 years of success and launch of its new shop, a design competition was organised to challenge young aspiring designers to create new uniforms for male and female. Two Raffles Singapore’s Fashion Designers, Mai Takemori and Liau Jia Hui, emerged as the grand winners with their inspiring creations.
Mai Takemori’s uniform theme, Rejuvenate Me, was designed in line with EYS's brand image that aims to shape better lifestyles for customers. Her design consisted of a contemporary element to help EYS to reach out to younger consumers, and at the same time, kept a refreshing and modern style to suit their majority of elderly consumers. "Through this competition, I hope to challenge myself outside of school environment, to juggle between my industrial attachment and this competition. And I’m very grateful to my mentors who have encouraged and assisted me. It would also be fulfilling if my designs were worn by local and regional Eu Yan Sang staff, enhancing my personal portfolio." Said Mai.
Liau Jia Hui’s uniform design was inspired by healthcare uniform. She kept it simple yet functional and chose a colour that instills a sense of psychological serenity. "As it's my final year in Raffles, this is a good opportunity to apply my acquired skills to good use. Emerging as the grand winner is a great sense of achievement for me as I feel that my skills have matured. To everyone out there, be passionate and always show the best in whatever you do." said Jia Hui.
Guest of Honour Mr Marcus AC, Director of Style Etc and FlipTV Asia remarked, "It's no surprise that the winners come from Raffles as they are creative individuals. All participants should maintain a level of professionalism during presentations such as styling the models, noting how the models walk and present the outfits. Be more confident and vocal in expressing your design concepts. Keep your passions going because if you have passion and talent, you will go a lot further."
Raffles Designers Outshone Industry Professionals at the International Media Festival for Prevention
Singapore – Four Raffles Designers from Raffles Singapore's Animation and Games Design disciplines, Jonathan Christopher Dana, Flores Alexis Gabrielle Protacio, Lau Sin Fatt and Vincent Chandra outshone the industry professionals and emerged among the top 33 with its Safety@Work video at the International Media Festival for Prevention (IMFP) held at the Congress Center Frankfurt in Germany in August 2014.
As part of the World Congress, the IMFP aims to showcase films and multimedia productions on Occupational Safety and Health to a group of influential international safety and health professionals. This year recorded the highest number of submissions from participants across 33 countries, with a total of 290 films and multimedia productions.
"I am honoured that my students' work won top 33 amidst the strong competition with the industry professionals. This is a good platform to expose my students to the industry standards and put into practice what they have learned. Attending the Congress was a good experience as my student and I gained a comprehensive overview of prevention media from around the world. The Congress not only allows exchange of ideas, but it also offers opportunity for us to network with creative professionals," said Kenji Choo, Raffles Creative Practitioner.
The Safety@Work video also won the Commendation prize in the “Safety Starts With Me Competition” organised by the Workplace Safety and Health Council in 2012.
Click here to watch the video.
Raffles Luminary Fashion Designer Joe Chia Showcased His Creation at the Malaysian Official Designers’ Association’s 24th Anniversary
Singapore – In collaboration with Samsung Malaysia Electronics, the Malaysian Official Designers’ Association (MODA) celebrated its 24th anniversary with a special fashion show themed “Celebrate Innovation” where 45 local designers including Joe Chia, Raffles Singapore’s Luminary Fashion Designer, exhibited their creations at Publika in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 15 August 2014.
MODA is a non-profit association that provides a platform for Malaysia’s foremost fashion designers to promote Malaysian made Fashion wear in an International arena. At the fashion show, Joe showcased his creation made of bamboo fibre, an eco-friendly and recyclable material. Inspired by the military, he seeks to send a message that the military does not equate to war and violence but about spreading the love towards earth and the environment.
"The event was great. Young designers nowadays are more fortunate as they have lots of opportunities to gain exposure and showcase their collections. This event definitely serves as a good platform for these young aspiring designers." said Joe.
Joe was also nominated as a member of MODA after clinching second runner-up in the Mercedes-Benz STYLO Young Designer Award 2009.
Raffles Luminary Fashion Designer Paul Nathaphol Featured at Toronto Men’s Fashion Week 2014
Singapore – The Toronto Men's Fashion Week (TOM*) offers an exciting platform to showcase the best in established and emerging Canadian menswear design at the Evergreen Brick Works in Toronto, Canada from 11 to 15 August 2014. Fashion designers from around the world including Raffles Luminary Fashion Designer Paul Nathaphol were invited to showcase his collection, Existence precedes Essence.
A daring yet classic thrill is what Paul described his collection. It also displayed a combination of Paul’s sharp tailoring with draping skills, thus creating an interesting equation of sexiness with classiness. His label “PAUL NATHAPHOL” aims to be the premium menswear and women's wear brand that provides intricate designs with a modern touch.
"I am excited and honoured to be part of this show. Not only is the show the first Men's Fashion Week in Toronto, but it is also the 8th Men's Fashion Week in the world." said Paul, the Best Collection Award Winner at Raffles Graduation Fashion Showcase in December 2010.
On a separate occasion in February and April 2014, Paul also showcased his Spring/Summer 2014 collection at the Mercedes Benz Australia Fashion Week and the Myanmar International Fashion Week.
Celebrating 8X8 FORM’s Eighth Anniversary at Raffles Singapore Campus
Singapore - FORM celebrated its eighth anniversary of being Singapore's beloved interior design and architectural bi-monthly magazine on 28 August 2014 at the Raffles Singapore campus. Over 150 of the interior designers and architectural industry's top influencers and professionals were invited to a celebratory showcase of eight iconic lighting designs by eight designers. The event also pledged its commitment to continue providing its readers with the latest industry-leading news and trends.
Guests gazed in awe at the eight iconic lightings as brand representatives shared about the design concepts. The eight iconic lighting were Vibia from Gamut, Foscarini Anisha table lamps from XTRA, Louis Poulsen and Flos from Space Furniture, and Baker from Proof Living.
Raffles Interior Designers Go Green in a Collaborative Project with Jason Pomeroy
Singapore – In conjunction with the Singapore Green Building Week 2014, 35 Raffles Interior Designers showcased 17 scaled model in a three-week ‘Design Green! Skycourts & Skygardens’ exhibition held at the National Design Centre in September 2014.
In the prestigious collaboration, Raffles Interior Designers were given an opportunity to ‘bring to life’ several elements of Jason Pomeroy’s latest published title, ‘Skycourts and Skygardens: Greening the Urban Habitat’. Jason Pomeroy is an award winning architect, master planner and academic at the forefront of the sustainable built environment agenda, as well as the founding Principal of Pomeroy Studio.
“Raffles Interior Designers effectively learned how to handle a project with collective collaboration with an award-winning architectural firm. Also during the research, they learned about sustainable design issues such as green roof, solar panels and energy saving designs, which is very good exposure. With their sustainable building models being exhibited to the public, the Raffles Interior Designers have gained confidence and they are ready to face the future.” said Franz Gonzales, Raffles Interior Design Creative Practitioner.
Raffles Singapore’s Second Exclusive Collaboration With Hotel Clover
Singapore - In celebration of the launch of CloveRedi2Art and Hotel Clover's first anniversary, five Raffles Fashion Designers organised a mini fashion show at the Hotel Clover The Arts on 28 August 2014. The aim was to build a vibrant, creative and artistic image for Singapore through CloveRedi2Art programme.
Raffles Fashion Designers, Marcella Jessica Chandra, Dora Photina, Sriruanthong Witchaya, Bernike Aimee Prananto and Rattana Jitsattayakul from Raffles Singapore showcased their creativity and talent by creating wearable apparels using recycled and sustainable materials with themes adapted from the hotel rooms. Each room was painted with selected works by Raffles Interior Designers who clinched the grand prize and 2nd runner-up at the Hotel Clover The Arts Wall Mural Competition 2013 in January 2014.
"Collaboration with Raffles industry partner is more than just fun, it is essential as it serves as a platform for students to gain hands-on experiences, applying what they’ve been learning at school into the real industry world. It was not easy juggling between regular scheduled classes, project and this collaboration as the timeline was tight. Because of their diligence and perseverance, they overcame all challenges and I feel really proud of them. And I believe the challenges faced throughout this process and the recognition gained at the debut of their designs, boosted their confidence as fashion designers.
Don’t be afraid of the amount of work and effort required for your creative projects. If you have to go all the way, then do so. Take pride in your work and be thankful for the opportunity you are given. There’re no great designers who have smooth journey to their successes. I am not saying it's easy but it's worth it." said Yasitha De Silva, Raffles Creative Practitioner.
Raffles Singapore's Collaboration With Health Promotion Board
Singapore – Raffles Psychologists and Fashion Marketers collaborated with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to organise a health literacy seminar to raise awareness of the harms of tobacco and alcohol at Raffles Singapore campus on 20 August 2014.
The event comprised of a 45-minute seminar and a 15-minute interactive component. Game booths were also set up to challenge the students’ vision and smell as both senses were the main affected areas by alcohol consumption and smoking.
Industry Fashion Veterans Shared Insightful Knowledge with Raffles Fashion Marketers
Singapore - As part of enhancing our students’ knowledge, Raffles Singapore invited two fashion design industry veterans, Rana Wehbe and Thomas Tan, to share their experiences with Raffles Fashion Marketers on 25 August and 1 September 2014.
Rana was born in Beirut, Labanon and her passion is in fashion and journalism. Since she was young, she enjoyed writing stories and sewing dresses for her Barbie dolls. Fuelling her passion, she also landed her dream job as the Editor-in-Chief at Marie France Asia. Her seminar topic was “Blog Loving – Insight into Fashion Journalism’. For more information, visit her blog here!
Another fashion design veteran, Thomas Tan shared the topic on ‘Focus On Fashion – Insight into The Fashion Industry. He is a Senior Design Consultant/Trainer with Taft Training Centre. He has an extensive working experience in the global apparel manufacturing and retail arena such as Gap, Macy’s, Dockers and many more. He also shared the different career paths in the fashion industry.
A Successful Raffles Counselling Psychologist Adelina Chan
Singapore - Raffles Counselling Psychologist Adelina Chan graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Psychology from Raffles Singapore, and a Master of Arts in Contemporary Therapeutic Counselling in the United Kingdom. Today, she is a Centre Director for Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities, Cluster Support @Geylang.
She aspires to make a difference to the lives of Singapore's current ageing population so as to enable them to age-in place within the community. To-date, Adelina has worked with elderly living in private and rental flats, terminally ill and early dementia patients, as well as people with behavioural issues. She also presented a research paper at the 3rd Pacific Rim International Counselling Conference for Counsellors and Psychotherapists at Kuching, Sarawak in August 2013.
"Raffles Creative Practitioners managed lessons in a way that is interactive and interesting. I enjoyed my lessons with Raffles Academic Director Dr. Monica Walet, and I also managed to do well in her subjects such as Psychology in Ageing, Education Psychology and Cross Cultural in Psychology. The delivery of the lessons is relatively important as an innovative and engaging approach can generate 100% attendance." said Adelina.
As a Raffles Counselling Psychologist, students can become Industrial Psychologist to manage a broad range of human resource issues, or even Counselling Psychologist to assess and counsel the children, youths, adults, couples and many more. They can also contribute to the primary healthcare in Singapore by conducting consultations for chronic patients to help them manage their mental health and behavioural issues.
"Be aware of the many learning opportunities available in Singapore. Specialised in areas you are passionate in, and not about earning a four-digit salary or holding a designation as a Psychologist. The utmost importance is your clients, how you can help them to achieve and improve their overall well-being effectively,” as advised by Adelina.
Kudos to Six Raffles Fashion Designers and Marketers For Their Proud Achievements
Singapore – Six Raffles Fashion Designers and Marketers have done us proud once again with their consistent limelight in Singapore’s mainstream media. Amos Yeo, Chiang Xiaojun, Joe Chia, Paul Nathaphol, Sean Loh and Sheila Agatha made headlines in the vibrant fashion industry around the world. Read more about them below:
Amos Yeo
Achievement: Launched his own label “AMOS ANANDA”, whose collection features elements of sports and street style.
Highlight: One of his SUPERNORMAL collection was featured in Lianhe Zaobao. The white T-shirt with red stars sync with Singapore’s national colors which reflects patriotism, calling for the occassion in style. A full-page article profiling him and his label was also featured the second time, as he shared about his acquaintance with a Taiwan artiste, Wu Chun, wearing his collection.
Chiang Xiaojun
Achievement: Launched a unique open space concept store “PLEATATION” at Orchard Central, with attention-grabbing apparel collection. She was also featured on a Channel U programme titled “Style: Check in Episode 11” on 6 August. View it here!
Highlight: Lianhe Wanbao dedicated a full-page editorial on her pleated designs and also tips on how to style them on 11 August 2014.
Sean Loh and Sheila Agatha
The dynamic duo is on the road to fame in the Malaysia’s fashion industry with their label Sean & Sheila featured on several renowned fashion magazines such as ELLE, Marie Claire and Harper’s Bazaar.
Joe Chia
Luminary Raffles Fashion Designer has been capturing the media’s attention with his label “JOE CHIA RTW”. His label was featured in Marie Claire Malaysia, GQ magazine and Mint Magazine Malaysia. Joe’s classic, timeless and experimental ideas are launched in sequence of chapters instead of seasons, which makes it truly different from his industry peers.
Paul Nathaphol
Raffles Fashion Designer rose to fame with his showcase at the Toronto Men’s Fashion Week 2014, bringing urban contemporary wear to the next level. The brilliant combination of femininity and masculinity in his new collection garnered a widespread of online coverage on thestar.com and vincent-ko.com.
Raffles Fashion Marketer Lakshmi Kathavi Appointed As Zara’s Assistant Manager
Singapore - Raffles Singapore’s Fashion Marketer Lakshmi Kathavi has been appointed as Assistant Manager of Zara, the world's largest apparel retailer, through a career placement programme called Zara Go! Project. The programme was an exclusive collaboration between Raffles Singapore and Zara to help students venture into the fashion industry.
Lakshmi graduated in June 2014 with a Bachelor of Design, with Major in Fashion Marketing. Out of 100 candidates, she went through several rounds of interview before the appointment. "It feels great to be appointed as the Assistant Manager of Zara, they has always been one of my favourite brands. The fact that Zara is a market leader in the fashion industry also adds to my sense of joy.
At Raffles, I was taught subjects from visual merchandising and product development to textiles, style and trends and fashion communication, which help me in my daily duties at Zara. I also went for an industrial attachment at Club 21 and received commendation for my outstanding performance. Another plus point about Raffles was the Career Fair where I get to network with people from the fashion industry. The Zara Go! project was very exciting and provided opportunities for many students." said Lakshmi.
An advice from Lakshmi to her peers: "Work extremely hard regardless of the industry field because hard work always pays off. Many of us may often get confused about making the right decision, be it educational preferences or job hunting. Be focused and don't let others affect you. Set goals for yourself as it will help you achieve more than what you have targeted. Study and work hard, and the knowledge acquired at Raffles will aid you in your professional working life."
An All-encompassing Approach to Learning for Raffles Students
Singapore - Interactive learning has been an ongoing teaching approach adopted by Raffles Creative Practitioners. In August 2014, students went on an all-encompassing field trip to learn about the online business and a visit to a multi-billion dollar industry.
On 14 August, Raffles English Department brought Raffles Designers and Entrepreneurs to the SingTel Comcenter where they learned about the world’s largest e-Commerce business called Shopify. Students were also introduced to topics such as the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), pop-up stores, merchandising, content marketing and many more. They were also challenged to write a business plan and then present on a product, company or service.
On 28 August, Raffles Marketing Department went on an outdoor trip to the Singapore Philatelic Museum. Five Raffles Marketers learnt about the marketing techniques and the secrets to sustaining a multi-billion dollar business in the digital era.
Happy Teacher’s Day to All Raffles Creative Practitioners
Singapore – “To the world you may just be a teacher, but to the students you are a hero.” A special teacher’s day celebration themed “Rendezvous” was organised by the Raffles EXCO team and students to appreciate all Raffles Creative Practitioners at Raffles Singapore campus on 28 August 2014.
As part of the celebration, a Lecturer’s Award contest for the ‘Best First Impression Award’ and ‘Best Selfie Award’ together with a booth was set up for voting at the Raffles Concierge before the celebration. Students also put in tremendous efforts to rehearse for their performance after lessons.
The highlight of the day was a spread of sumptuous buffet with delicious moon cakes and wine. It was followed by a video showcase of Raffles Creative Practitioners nominated by students for the Lecturer’s Award contest. Queenie Chan, Raffles English Creative Practitioner won the “Best First Impression Award” whose video showcased her amazing dance moves. Pedro Goncalves, Raffles Visual Communication Creative Practitioner won the “Best Selfie Award” with an animated photo of himself.
A plethora of amazing dances and serenades from students kept Raffles Creative Practitioners entertained. The celebrated ended with a cake-cutting session by all Raffles Creative Practitioners.
Relive the memorable moments in the gallery below!
