What we know of fashion justseems to keep on changing. Who are the new influencers? Whatare the new staples? Do seasonsand gender matter? The designersbehind three labels to watch nowgive their take. By Keng Yang Shuen and Imran Jalal.
"Halpern’s F/W ’18 collection is inspired by the insatiable style of the late New York City socialite Nan Kempner"
Meet fashion’s reigning prince of disco-glamour. With just three full-fl edged collections under his belt since he graduated from Central Saint Martinsin 2016, the American-born, London-based designerhas already sealed his spot as the name to don for maximalist and Studio 54 chic: pieces festooned with glitter, sequins and demi-couture finishes (he consulted for Atelier Versace). Halpern will bestocked exclusively at Club 21 Four Seasons from August.
“I think women want to feel glamorous at times, and I think there is a way to dress in a spectacular way that doesn’t feel dated. Modernity is one of the most important things when it comes to being glamorous. When you wear a sequinned dress or a bustier, pairing it with something more casual is a great way to balance things out – it feels quite modern. A bit of high and low always looks great.”
“Staples for a maximalist wardrobe is anything that stretches you outside your comfort zone a little bit.Pushing yourself a little, and taking a risk is what I think maximalism really comes down to. Our twotone zebra print embroidery from F/W ’18 is a greatway to do that.”
Michael Halpern
Starting the brand in 2014, the Bangkok-born, Central Saint Martins-trained designer is an insider favourite for her glamorous-meetsindustrial aesthetic with her organic-looking pieces. Recently, the label debuted its latest collection at Dover Street Market Singapore.
“I like something that’s versatile, which is why I think transformable jewellery is smart. It’s like having a skirt that you can wear as a tube top, or a men’s shirt that can be worn as a dress. It’s benefi cial for someone to spend a certain amount of money on a piece of jewellery and have the option of wearing it in different ways. For instance, our Polki hoop earrings come with rose-cut sapphire charms that can be detached and worn as pendants.”
“Fact is, these age-old techniques last. A lot of my designs are done by hand and use [techniques such as] age-old four-prong setting, enamelling, and cabochon setting. Our latest Ginkgo Metrics collection features imperfect imprints inspired by the Japanese art of flower pressing. These patterns were developed on the computer, but executed by hand. Mixing the new with the old gives the pieces personality and a richer tactile quality.”
“Gender is generally fl uid in fashion and art. There is no control in what’s right or wrong. You have to be open-minded and accept the fact that a ring can look better on a man than a girl. [This philosophy] comes naturally when I design. Even when I don’t think of the designs as masculine, our male customers show that they can be so.” Gold is more attractive than diamonds “At least in my opinion. Diamonds aren’t that rare, but are something that women want. I like gold more. It can be bent into many designs – you can make a chair out of gold – whereas a diamond can only be cut into a certain silhouette and geometry. My designs feature a type of 18K gold called Siam gold that we create and mould in Thailand, featuring a hue that’s not so yellow.”
