Designing Possibilities

Nurturing young designers

One of the roles and responsibilities of a DesignSingapore Scholarship recipient is to be an active contributor to the multi-faceted design landscape in Singapore — be it running my own design studio, working across numerous interdisciplinary projects with like-minded individuals and designers, or finding my home at the LASALLE College of the Arts as a design educator. I pride myself as one of the first recipients of the DesignSingapore Scholarship in 2005, and want to pay it forward by sharing my expertise and experience with younger creatives, where I can guide them as they embark on their design journey.

Exposure to networks and developmental opportunities

DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) has been the custodian to my design development journey and I am very grateful for all the help, support and networking opportunities. Dsg connected me with fellow Singaporean fashion designer, Ashley Isham when I was still an undergraduate, taking the BA (Hons) Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. Ashley gave me my first commissioned job — a window display as part of London Fashion Week. One of the most memorable experiences was the opportunity to work with Chris Bangle, who is best known for his work as Chief of Design for BMW Group, where I spent a week in Italy as his studio coordinator for his presentation as part of the ICSID Congress in 2009.

Charge ahead with the DesignSingapore Scholarship

The design landscape is an ever-changing ground, and the DesignSingapore Scholarship, with networking opportunities through the DesignSingapore Associates Network, will help prepare the next generation of designers to equip themselves with the skills to design more sustainable, responsible and inclusive products, systems, organisations and societies.

This article was first published in BrightSparks Designing Possibilities. Republished with permission from CareerBuilder Singapore.