Kavita Thulasidas showcases ‘Heritage Reinterpreted’ collection at Paris Fashion Week

• Singapore’s home grown designer Kavita says debuting at fashion capital of the world was a dream come true

Celebrated Singaporean fashion designer Kavita Thulasidas, recently took the extension of ‘Heritage Reinterpreted’, the winning collection from the Singapore Stories Competition 2022, to Paris, the world’s fashion capital. 

Kavita was the recipient of the prestigious Singapore Stories Award, conferred by the Singapore Fashion Council in collaboration with the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM Singapore), upon her victory at the National Fashion Design competition last year.

‘Heritage Reinterpreted’, her eponymous brand’s Spring Summer 2024 collection, lit up the ramp at Paris Fashion Week on 2 October. 

The stunning 10-look couture capsule was an ode to regional culture and craftsmanship, aesthetically blending the rich tapestry of Asia with a modern interpretation of the designer’s Singaporean identity.

With intricate hand-embroidery as her chosen medium to deck the canvas of contemporary Asian silhouettes, the collection was a tribute to the true but unsung champions of the fashion industry – the artisans – and their exceptional finesse in creating striking visual stories. 

The magnificent motifs were inspired by an amalgamation of Indian, Chinese and Malaysian heritage and are beautifully crafted to convey captivating tales of nature’s scenic bounties – the forest bed,

lakeside, enchantment of animalia and effervescent floral escapes. Compelling cultural symbolism forms the foundation of this much-awaited collection inspired fashionistas and fashion tastemakers alike at Paris.

In a related development, Singapore’s The Straits Times provided apt coverage for Kavita’s milestone with an article titled “Singaporean designer Kavita Thulasidas from heritage brand Stylemart debuts at Paris Fashion Week.” 

It said almost 30 years after her first collection showed at the Grand Hyatt Singapore hotel in 1993, home-grown designer Kavita Thulasidas presented her debut collection at Paris Fashion Week – the fashion capital of the world.

Kavita, 49, who hails from heritage Indian fashion boutique Stylemart in Selegie Road, called the moment a dream come true.

 “Paris is not just the dream, but also an endorsement of having arrived as a designer... to show (everyone) what Singapore’s designers are doing in our part of the world,” she told The Straits Times. “It’s a big graduation for me culminating to this point – a dream come true.”

The 10-piece ready-to-wear Spring/Summer 2024 collection was shown at the Hotel Alfred Sommier to an estimated audience of 200 as part of a collective show of designers from around the world.

Kavita is the first Singaporean designer supported by the Singapore Fashion Council (SFC) to join a collective show held during Paris Fashion Week. As part of her prize, securing a place at the show and production costs were supported by the council. This new collection was an extension of an earlier one, for which she won the Singapore Stories Award 2022. This is a national fashion design competition held by the SFC in collaboration with the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM).

Kavita, who has been a custodian of her family’s brand, which is best known for its Indian bridal and occasion wear since the 1980s, said that being part of Singapore Stories was her “coming out” and showed that her work extended beyond the box of ethnic wear into fusion wear.

 “I make all sorts of garments for red-carpet events and clientele across the region and, this time, I wanted to be bold with my statement of Asian fusion wear,” she said.

Hence, the collection displayed intricate forms of surface embroidery, hand embroidery and a particularly intensive form of thread work from Kashmir, among other techniques.

These traditional techniques were paired with Western and Asian silhouettes like jumpsuits and crop tops, as well as sari gowns and a qipao.

“It’s meant to be very international, and something that people (from all over the world) can see themselves in,” she said.

Kavita is planning to do a showcase here of the collection she presented in Paris at the end of October to thank everyone who has been a part of the journey, “from clients and supporters to the fashion council and ACM”. She also plans to launch a pret-a-porter, or off-the-rack line that she is looking to stock at Design Orchard, which showcases home-grown brands in the heart of Orchard Road.

“This way, (my designs) will be something that people can easily pick up,” she said.

As for Kavita, she said that the experience has “ignited a new fire” in her. “This feels like a new beginning... it’s very inspiring and I feel like I’m on a fresh launchpad,” she added.

(For The Straits Times article see https://www.straitstimes.com/life/style/singaporean-designer-kavita-thulasidas-from-heritage-brand-stylemart-debuts-at-paris-fashion-week)