HUMANS OF RV (HoRV): Passion for Fashion
"When I first wore what I wore, my friends said it was very special and they wouldn't have thought of that style."
Gucci, Prada, Dorothy Perkins. Increasingly, in today’s world, fashion has been screaming for more attention. People pay greater attention to trending styles, emphasizing and putting more effort into the way they dress. Amongst these is Shen XingYun from 6S, a young aspiring fashion designer, one of the many students with different dreams in RV. She is undaunted by Singapore's weather, which unlike other countries, does not allow seasonal styles in accordance to the weather. Shen feels that there are other alternatives besides Singapore's most common style: T-shirts, shorts and slippers. Fashion is a form of art that she is passionate about and Shen is willing to devote the rest of her life to the fashion industry. For her birthday, she would request for fashion-related materials such as books and magazines. The aspiring fashion designer prefers street wear to the loud and abstract runway fashion. Not wanting to restrict herself, Shen XingYun is willing to dabble in fashion marketing or journalism. For her, as long as she gets to be in the fashion industry, she is adaptable. SEC spoke to her to find out more about her
dreams and this was what she had to say…
Question: Where did this desire to be a fashion designer spring from? Answer: I found myself drawing
inspiration from beauty gurus on YouTube, existing fashion designers and even the people I see around me daily. For example, YouTuber Jenn Im, who founded the fashion brand "ClothesNCounters", is one of the many YouTubers that I admire. I marvel at the way Jenn Im is able to mix bold styles impeccably, such as fur and Greek prints, which most people cannot pull off so perfectly. "It takes a special certain thing for someone to pull off a bold style."
Question: Who is your favorite designer and why? Answer: One of my favourite designers would be the UK model Jessie who is in her early twenties (she is better known as SunBeamsJess on YouTube and Instagram). She has been a great inspiration to me. I feel that she has great fashion sense and she is able to pull off any outfits very well. Besides that, she has been sponsored by TopShop and I guess she must be really good to receive a sponsorship from such a successful brand. Question: We have seen several of your #OOTDs (Outfits of the Day) on your Instagram account @faxingnista. How would you describe your style? Answer: I would say that I don't have a specific style yet as I don't want to restrict myself to a particular way of dressing. I enjoy being unique and trying new styles. However, one thing is for sure – I like to be individualistic and nothing turns me off more than having the same outfit pieces as others. Hence, I do not shop at Cotton On and recently stopped patronizing Bugis Street to avoid having outfit clashes. Question: What have you done so far to achieve your dream? Answer: I have been working on a book, where I have a collection of cut outs from fashion magazines or printed photos. The book is a compilation of different styles that I like, though it hasn't been completed yet. Last year, I wasn't as serious about being a fashion designer so I did not take actions to be a step closer to my dream. This year, I am determined to be a part of the fashion industry and would put in effort to obtain the chance to attend the annual Audi fashion show. Question: What are some characteristics or values that a fashion designer should have? Answer: In my opinion, I believe that creativity and personality are important as personality can be translated through the designer's clothes. Integrity and originality are also important because a designer should not plagiarize ideas. Question: Is there any specific trend that you fancy? Answer: I really fancy the Qi Pao trend which was a rage in the past and I would like to bring it back. Also, I think that denim on denim is a nice combination; however most people today are afraid of wearing it. If one is able to pull off the style and influence others to wear it too, I would say that the person has successfully brought back the trend.
"People think that fashion is a superficial thing; they do not find it necessary."
Question: Do your friends and family support you?
Answer: Well, I have my friends' full support but I haven't told my family about my aspiration yet.
In ten years' time, Shen XingYun sees herself working in the fashion industry after graduating from the London College of Arts. She also hopes that she would have founded her own brand and published her book by then. SEC’s interview with Shen was undoubtedly enjoyable and insightful. In Singapore's overly realistic society, more people like her are needed to remind us that it is okay to take a risk and deviate from the "mainstream" aspirations that are perceived to guarantee success in life. Hopefully, her courage in working towards her dream will inspire those with similarly unconventional ambitions but are too afraid of failure to take the road not often trodden. To those with a dream, Shen declares, "Come and join me; we can do it together!"