3-10-2023 (PARIS) On October 2, 1993, Singaporean designer Kavita Thulasidas made her local debut in the fashion industry at the young age of 18. Now, thirty-one years later, the talented creator behind the local Indian fashion label Stylemart has unveiled her collection “Heritage Reinterpreted” on an international stage at Paris Fashion Week.
The showcase featured ten stunning looks, each adorned with hand-embroidered motifs inspired by nature and reflecting a fusion of Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian heritage.
Thulasidas described her collection as a tribute to Singapore’s cultural diversity, a harmonious blend of different cultures coming together as one. She explained that the outfits displayed on the runway were an extension of her award-winning collection, which earned her the Singapore Stories Award. The accolade, presented by the Singapore Fashion Council in collaboration with the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), was bestowed upon her last year.
For the Paris show, Thulasidas created fifteen new designs and carefully selected ten of them to feature on the international platform. She expressed her immense pride in reaching this milestone, stating that for every designer, showcasing their work in Paris is a significant endorsement and a testament to their talent.
While this was her first time making a mark on the global stage, Thulasidas has a special connection with the city often hailed as the fashion capital of the world. She had previously lived in Paris during her younger years and even got married there. Her time spent in the city, surrounded by fashion and immersed in the Musée de la Mode, a fashion book library, greatly influenced her perspective and helped shape her career path.
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Taking over her family’s fashion boutique, Stylemart, at the age of 24, Thulasidas demonstrated her deep passion for the industry. She had already been actively involved in the business since her teenage years, and she described the transition as a natural progression.
Thulasidas expressed her gratitude to the Singapore Fashion Council and the ACM for their support and the opportunities they provided her. She highlighted the Singapore Stories initiative, which invites fashion designers to showcase their craft and interpretations of Singapore-inspired themes, as a valuable platform for local designers to come together, exchange ideas, and grow collectively.
Leonard Choo, the director of industry development at the Singapore Fashion Council, commented on the significance of Singaporean designers being featured at prominent events like Paris Fashion Week. He sees it as the beginning of local brands making their mark on the global stage and views Singapore as a burgeoning fashion city. Choo emphasized the council’s efforts to create a hub for innovative and sustainable fashion brands, providing support and opportunities for designers at every stage of their business growth.
Programs such as The Bridge Fashion Innovator, which bridges the gap between fashion, technology, and sustainability, and the Design Orchard retail store on Orchard Road, which showcases over 100 local brands, are just a couple of examples of the initiatives and partnerships that the council offers to nurture and promote the local fashion industry.
As Thulasidas shines a spotlight on Singaporean fashion in Paris, it serves as a testament to the talent and potential of local designers, while also paving the way for more local brands to achieve global recognition.
