Raffles Bangkok’s Fashion Designers Shone at a French-inspired Runway Show
Bangkok – It was a rare opportunity for three Raffles Bangkok's Fashion Designers to showcase their work to distinguished guests, mainly celebrities and well-known personalities, from the fashion industry in Thailand. Held on 19 and 20 July 2014, the three Raffles Fashion Designers presented their French-inspired fashion wear at the runway show.
The runway show was part of a global campaign, “Celebrate All Things French”, organised by the Peninsula Group so as to raise awareness of its new prestigious properties “The Peninsula Bangkok” and “The Peninsula Paris”. Set to promote French culture and lifestyle, the campaign also enabled aspiring Fashion Designers from leading institutions in Thailand to showcase their finest work.
Representing Raffles Bangkok's were three Raffles Fashion Designers - Piyanuch Stickler, Ropuma Manandhar and Hnin Yee Wint, who showcased their masterpiece and explained their concepts during the runway show. A word from them: “The show was very challenging because working on the French couture style really needs high design skills and exceptional sewing techniques. We also dedicated time and attention on every process to complete the work within a short time.”
Raffles Singapore Participated in the 28th International Congress of Applied Psychology at Paris
Singapore - In yet another rare opportunity, Raffles Creative Practitioner Dr. Monica Walet and three of her Applied Psychology students from Raffles Singapore, Aldo Conti, Linda Van Laer and Justin Koch, were selected to present on the theme “From Crisis to Sustainable Well-Being” at the 28th International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP) in Paris. The Congress, sponsored by the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP) once every four years, serves as a review of the advances in Applied Psychology and brings together practitioners from around the world.
Dr. Monica Walet said, "I am honoured to share my research on the ‘Validation of a competency-based assessment centre for non-profit leaders in Singapore’ to international researchers who shared similar field of interest. I am even prouder because my students, Linda Van Laer and Toh Sin Yi, were part of the research as they assisted me in data gathering and analysis."
Dr. Monica’s research reported the procedures for the development of COM+PASS, a leadership competency assessment centre that is culturally sensitive towards local scenarios in non-profit organisations. It also aims to establish the validity and reliability evidences of the tools, particularly for-profit leaders.
"I am honoured and excited to be selected to present at the Congress for the very first time. I met and networked with psychologists and students from various countries that could benefit my future career and research. Through the presentations, I have also acquired new knowledge about various topics such as Psychology of Law, one of my favourite topics." said Aldo Conti.
Raffles Designers’ Self-Designed T-shirts Sold at Bossini Stores in Singapore
Singapore - In celebration of Singapore’s National Day and in support of young budding designers, Bossini launched the “Singapore and Be Happy Graphic T-shirt Collections” in July 2014. 10 Raffles Designers’ self-designed T-shirts were sold in all Bossini outlets.
Prior to the launch, 10 Raffles Designers did a special photo-shoot with their self-designed t-shirts at Raffles Singapore’s campus to prepare for a feature in TODAY newspaper, 8 Days and i-Weekly Magazine. 10 of them who participated in the Bossini’s Design A Tee Competition last year were Adela Andrea Tannara, Agnes Angelin Tjioe, Denise Claire Phua Mun-Yi, Hoang Thi Binh An, Jessica Poliman Ng, Kao Chih Han, Nakamura Takateru, Vu Thu Hoai, Wang Luxi, and Wu Haoran. Agnes and Denise were the grand winners who did a one-week industrial attachment with Bossini Hong Kong in April 2014.
Raffles Singapore also showcased the self-designed t-shirts in a dedicated space at the Raffles concierge.
Raffles Fashion Designers Shortlisted in Japan Creative Centre Sustainable Fashion Design Contest
Singapore – 11 Raffles Fashion Designers from Raffles Singapore were shortlisted as the Top 15 finalists in the 2014 Japan Creative Centre (JCC) Sustainable Fashion Design Contest, a contest which capitalises on the notion of designing products that are durable and minimises wastage.
Creating products that are environmentally friendly and superior in quality is nothing new to Raffles Fashion Designers. Since the contest started in 2011, Raffles has been producing top finalists and winners each year such as Raffles Fashion Design Alumnus Petrick Sutrisno in 2012; Cheng Zhi Peng, Xu Lingyun, Joy Chiang, Mita Andriani and Iven The in 2013 whereas Zhi Peng is within the Top 3.
The contest provides an opportunity for students who are passionate about fashion to visit the Bunka Gakuen University in Japan for a cultural exchange of ideas on the growing importance of sustainability, and responsible design in the fashion industry. Winners from Singapore and Japan will soon showcase their work to prestigious Japanese designers at the Fide Fashion Week, Japan Couture Night, in October 2014.
Once again, congratulations to Raffles Fashion Designers - Chen Yan Ran, Daniella Grace Krestianto, Franssylvia Harianto, Hyunh Thuc Nghi, Laurensia Salim, Li Jun Shuang, Liau Jia Hui, Nazreena Nisa Bte Aslum Mahmud, Ong Ai wen Natalli, Rachel Abigail Ronadhi and Zhong Haowen.
Raffles Singapore Made Its Name in 2014’s Singapore Jewellery Design Award
Singapore - Raffles Jewellery Designer, Summer Yang Mingyu from Raffles Singapore, was the 1st runner-up for Category B in the 2014 Singapore Jewellery Design Award (SJDA). SJDA is a premier and the only Jewellery award competition in Singapore. Initiated by Singapore Jewellers Association, this competition offers a golden opportunity for aspiring designers to transform their dream design from paper into stunning jewellery pieces to be sold in the market tomorrow.
Summer’s achievement also made a name for Raffles Singapore in the SJDA. Her inspiration came from the galaxy - a design that sets to explore and unveil the adventures of breaking through time and space, jewellery that people would love to wear on their most important day of life for the past, present and future.
"I am honoured to be one of the winners. This achievement encourages me to participate in more competitions and performing better in the future. Through this competition, I have learnt the importance of knowing every single details and gained more experience in drawing and rendering." said Summer.
Raffles Graphic Designer Tay Hui Jie Excelled in an International Competition
Singapore - Raffles Singapore’s Graphic Designer, Tay Hui Jie, was one of the finalists for the Space Nurtures Competition. The task was to conceptualise a repeated graphical pattern contextualised in modern day Singapore that is in the spirit of Vitra’s most illustrious designers - Charles & Ray Eames, Verner Panton or Alexander Girard.
Organised by Space Furniture and Vitra with support from the DesignSingapore Council, the competition selects potential students through a design competition and then expose them to the multi-faceted world of design at an international level. It also equips budding design students with desirable skills to grow into commercially-viable designers of tomorrow.
20 finalists were selected during the preliminary round which they were required to produce actual design prototypes in the final phase. The primary application of the pattern was a fabric cushion cover. Designers were also required to display the versatility of their pattern by conceptualising an accessory of their choice as an extension of their collections.
Hui Jie used owls to represent the vibrant nightlife in Singapore. The pattern was combined with elements of local softscape and hardscape, instilling a right balance in the design. It not only portrays the beauty of urban greenery, but it also captures the diversity cultures of Singapore. "Through this competition, I have learnt to be independent, curious and adventurous. Dare to fail, endure through it and you may succeed." said Hui Jie.
Raffles Singapore Collaborates With Industry Partners in the “Art Meets Fashion” Event
Singapore - To promote the art of living, Raffles Singapore had an exclusive collaboration with Westgate and FLY Entertainment to organise the 'Art Meets Fashion' event. 33 Raffles Fashion Marketers took part in a contest to create visual merchandising concepts and installations for participating tenants such as Kate Spade Saturday, T.M Lewin, New Look and CK Jeans at the Westgate Shopping Mall.
The grand winner was a team representing New Look whose concept was about every young girl's dream shopping date. Themed “My Boyfriend Loves me in my NEW LOOK”, the ‘Shopping Bear’ was not only soft and cuddly but it was there to help every girl to find her perfect outfit.
Raffles Creative Practitioner Anisa Johnny said: "This contest was a real-life experience for my students as it was their first time developing and executing their concepts for a particular brand. I’m really proud of their achievements and high standards! The commitment and enthusiasm were maintained throughout the competition despite numerous challenges faced. I was also especially happy with the leadership skills of each team leader. They are now on the track of developing into competent marketers." Raffles Fashion Marketers also learnt the importance of time management, communication and teamwork. Adapting to situations and overcoming challenges were also part and parcel of the learning process.
Raffles Singapore Collaborates with the World Federation for Mental Health
Singapore - Raffles Singapore was the appointed organiser for the Regional Mental Health Congress 2015, one of the largest events in Singapore to be held on 1st to 2nd October 2015.
In collaboration with the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), the first meeting chaired by Raffles Luminary Alumnus Porsche Poh, and Raffles Academic Director Dr. Monica Walet, was held at Raffles Singapore’s campus on 30 July 2014. Porsche who graduated from Specialist Diploma in Applied Psychology holds a double appointment as the Regional Vice President (Asia Pacific) of WFMH, and Executive Director of Silver Ribbon Singapore. A holistic discussion was conducted in conjunction with the theme “Innovations in mental health care through holistic interventions in the Asia-Pacific Region”.
Meet Our New Creative Practitioners for Raffles Singapore's Campus
Singapore - Marie majors in Fashion Design for her Bachelor's Degree, and currently holds a Doctorate (PhD) in Clothing and Textile. During her Doctorate study in Korea, Marie serves as a member of Brain Korea 21 and Functional Textiles Research Group. She also managed several Korean Government projects founded by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and Korea Industrial Technology Foundation. Based on her collaborated works in the science and engineering area, she published several Science Citation Index (SCI) journal articles related to the flexible solar textiles for wearable electronics. She was awarded twice as the Best Presenter from the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles in 2012 and 2014.
Marie possesses rich experiences in the Fashion and Clothing related fields such as fashion design, fabric merchandising and buying technologies. She also contributed to several musical projects for the National Theatre of Korea by designing costumes. In Jim Thompson Korea, she worked on international brand management and research such as the development of new fabric and fabric goods.
Patrick holds a Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of the Witwatersrand, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in the field of psychoanalysis and systems theory at the University of South Africa.
He has extensive experiences in a wide range of consulting activities such as research, programme evaluation, teambuilding, workplace training and trauma debriefing. As a psychologist, he has offered psychotherapy and psychological consultation services for over a decade, both in private practice and community-based psychiatric setting.
The experience encompassed working with a diversity of clients, ranging from sufferers of psychotic and personality disorders to people seeking to develop and understand themselves. Besides working with clients, he has been training and supervising psychotherapists for over eight years, and has taught full time undergraduate and postgraduate psychology subjects, including clinical and research supervision for more than 10 years.
Raffles Creative Practitioner Got His Project Published in Cambodia’s Newspaper
Cambodia - Raffles International College Cambodia’s Raffles Creative Practitioner of Interior Design, Ruben Castillero, was interviewed by Cambodia’s most prestigious newspaper "The Phnom Penh Post", as he had earlier published a fascinating article about the architectural festival 'Our City 2014' in Cambodia.
The article was focused on an urban-architectural project that Ruben developed to solve traffic problems in the Cambodia’s capital city. This project was also taken into consideration by the city’s municipal authorities, which will be unveiled at “Our City 2015 Festival”.
The article outlined Ruben’s design for the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) that runs along the main avenues and through fares of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The central idea was based on the concept of designing a completely sustainable transportation alternative, such as a rapid transit system covering all Phnom Penh, which would be a significant improvement on the existing individual bus lines that are not integrated as a system and fail to take into consideration the full urban scale of the city. Ruben’s proposal, if adopted, would also be a cheaper alternative than a subway system based on train tracks and underground tunnels.
The drawings created for the Phnom Penh BRT system outlined an architectural project that covers the entire city through a network of lines and stations with the creation of a detailed map system. The research also included the design of a prototype station and analysed its impact within the city, which would minimise the areas occupied by using underground stations where current street sizes are limited and incorporates one platform with two exclusive lanes for buses running in opposite directions.
The design of the stations also incorporates the use of transparency (achieved via the use of extensive glass and openings) to reduce the negative impact of visual obstructions which structures of this kind can generate. Furthermore the project explores the inclusion of landscape architecture to beautify the urban design of the city and in addition integrates sustainability factors (including reflecting pools and green areas in the roof of the stations similar to small urban parks).
Accessibility for persons with mobility problems has also been considered. Ruben’s concept makes for a fresh and interesting architectural proposal encompassing vibrant contemporary design suitable for a fast-developing capital city.
Click here to find out more about the project.
Raffles Fashion Marketer Silvia Salim Started an Online Business
Singapore - Raffles Fashion Marketer, Silvia Salim, recently launched a ‘iheartlace’ label on Instagram and Facebook that sells unique crochet bands with macramé lace - a perfect choice for friendship bands in a more feminine style.
Graduated from the Bachelor of Design with a major in Fashion Marketing, Silvia has been garnering experience from reputable brands like Reebonz and Kwerkee. Her close-knitted relationship with her peers has also gathered her support from other Raffles Graphic Designers in designing her online labels. “I had classmates from different countries and majors that share different ideas and cultures. Through my Degree in Raffles, I’ve gained some contacts that can help me in my business.” said Silvia.
Silvia is also in the midst of establishing another milestone of her career – to set up an e-Commerce website for her own brand Royal Runway which offers exclusive Indonesian batik high heels. “I’m challenged to garner more exposure for ‘iheartlace’ and hope that this can help me gain more e-Commerce experience before launching Royal Runway.” said Silvia.
My advice for fellow Raffles’ peers: “Develop as many connections as possible and participate in opportunities like volunteering, training and internship. Make friends with students from different majors and countries as these will help when you want to start you own business.”
Visit iheartlace online store at:
Instagram: http://instagram.com/iheartlace
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iheartlaceid
Email address: iheartlaceid@gmail.com
Field Trip to Italy
Mumbai - Raffles Designers and Marketers from Raffles Design International Mumbai spent a week in Italy to learn about fashion from one of Europe’s fashion hub. Besides museums, they were also briefed on crafts such as silk weaving. It was an enriching learning trip filled with wonderful moments for all. They also shared their experiences to other course mates and faculties through presentations.
Beyond Classroom Learning for Raffles Interior Designers and Entrepreneurs
Singapore - Field trip, beyond classroom learning, is one of Raffles Singapore's multi-faceted learning approaches. 16 Raffles Interior Designers watched a live drawing by Stephen Wiltshire, a world-renowned British architectural artist who is well-known for his astounding ability to draw detailed landscapes after viewing it once, at Paragon on 17 July 2014.
"This was a good opportunity for students to learn out of the classroom, appreciating and observing how professional artist applies what was taught in the classroom. After the trip, they were tasked to sketch items in Paragon as an exercise on drawing inspiration from Stephen’s talent and determination in completing the massive drawing given a tight deadline." said Jasen Chia, Raffles Creative Practitioner.
On 4 August 2014, Raffles Entrepreneurs were brought to the Singapore Arts Museum to learn about cross-cultural communication through contemporary Southeast Asian Art. During the trip, they were taught to appreciate cultural values and the impact of art on work ethic, communication and innovation. They also learnt to explore identity, change and intercultural adaptation through art, and improve cross-cultural interaction among multi-national students. "Through this trip, students will be exposed to the Singapore cultures and contemporary arts, bringing the knowledge that they have learnt from the textbooks to an experiential level." said Michael Leong, Raffles Creative Practitioner.
Raffles Indonesia's Open Houses 2014
Indonesia - Raffles Jakarta's Open House featured five interactive workshops - Business Management, Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing & Management, Interior Design, and Visual Communication Design. Led by Raffles Creative Practitioners, potential students had a better idea about the skill sets and future job opportunities that awaits them. Parents were also given a comprehensive presentation on the benefits of studying at Raffles, the academic pathway, and the world of opportunities offered to all Raffles Alumni. A preview of past students’ work and achievements in both design and business were also presented.
Similarly, Raffles Medan organised its inaugural Open House on 30 Aug 2014 with fun-filled activities and workshops. It started with an introduction about Raffles, followed by a career talk and workshops for the participants in Fashion Design, Interior Design and Visual Communication. William Utama, a Raffles Alumnus from Raffles Sydney, also shared his experience at Raffles. Today, William is an adjunct lecturer at Raffles Medan.
Raffles Singapore’s Students Gained Knowledge from Industry Professionals
Singapore - Raffles Singapore's Designers and Entrepreneurs enhanced their knowledge through seminars conducted by various industry professionals. Through these seminars, students can maintain their competitiveness and keep themselves abreast of the latest industry trends. It also helps them to have a smooth entry into their future career paths.
Visual Communication
54 Raffles Visual Communicators and Creative Practitioners attended the “Copyright for Writers and Illustrators” seminar on 18 July 2014. Organised by Intellecutal Property Office of Singapore and Honour Intellectual Property (HIP) in supported by IP Academy Singapore, the seminar also covered copyright and IP-related matters relevant to the writers and illustrators, and the journey of an IP Co-Creator on the process from ideation to publication. The speakers were Kylie Peh, Senior Associate of WongPartnership LLP; and Mr James Suresh, co-creator of noted local works such as "Mr Kiasu" and "On a Street of Singapore". Raffles Creative Practitioner Andrew Tan said: "It is beneficial for our students to learn more about copyright, knowing how to protect their creative works."
Business
HT Zone is a one-stop IT provider that offers a wide range of services from web hosting to IT training for the diverse needs of small and medium sized businesses. The founder, Tan Hai Tat, presented an online entrepreneurship talk on 24 July 2014. Isaac Leung, Raffles Business Programme Coordinator, said: "The talk aims to satisfy learning outcomes on real-time entrepreneurship, and provide updated and current advices to students pertaining to start-ups."
Interior Design
Guest speakers from TAK, a company that sells and produce laminates for furniture and Greenlam who is a dominant player in the laminate industry, conducted two sessions of seminar on 25 July and 1 August 2014 to 60 Raffles Interior Designers and Creative Practitioners.
"As future Interior Designers, students must be familiar with all the materials and finishes and their accompanying characteristics and possibilities of usage. Material sourcing, knowing the market that can provide materials for their future projects is also essential for them." said Jelena.
Guest speakers from TAK provided students with knowledge of a laminate, how it is produced, where it could be applied and the trends. While Greenlam covered topics such as interior lamination, applications, manufacturing process and beneficial properties of laminates such as eco-friendliness, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and fire-resistance.
Jewellery Design
34 Raffles Jewellery Designers attended a talk by jewellery veteran Mrs Achillea Koh, Founder of Caratell Pte Ltd and Serin Tan, Caratell's Jewellery Designer on 1 August 2014. The seminar focused on the aesthetics and customisation of jewellery, and exposed our designers to have a better understanding of designing customised pieces for clients. They covered various factors to consider when customising for clients such as types of stones, types of design styles, facial shapes, ergonomic-comfort and finger types.
