Mr Tan Tze Beng (Benz) was a technical officer in the fashion department of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). He helped to maintain the department’s sewing machines so that they are in tip-top condition. When broken, he fixed them. His close encounters with NAFA fashion department and its students ignited his own interest in fashion design. So he applied for the SkillsFuture Study Award (Design) to pursue a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Fashion, at NAFA and in collaboration with the University of East London in UK.
The SkillsFuture Study Awards (Design) is awarded to recipients committed to acquiring new skillsets or deepening their design expertise. The study award enables them to enhance their job competency and contribute to the design sector.
“I want to upgrade myself and improve my skills. I am open to new ideas and hope to express my creativity through fashion design,” said Benz. “I sensed the enthusiasm of the NAFA fashion students when I interacted with them. Their views on designs and construction encouraged me to look at fashion design from a different perspective.”
When he secures his degree in July 2017, Benz hopes to contribute to the fashion studies programme in NAFA. “NAFA’s fashion studies degree has changed the way I look at design,” said Benz, “I look forward to applying my new design philosophy to future projects.” Before pursuing his degree, Benz also designed for Ribbonz, his own fashion brand, which was retailed at lifestyle concept store Egg3.
View Benz’s fashion brand Ribbonz here: http://ribbonsworks.blogspot.sg.
Sign up for the SkillsFuture Study Award (Design) here: https://designsingapore.org/en/what-we-do/designer-for-the-future/skillsfuture.
