Yong De Han
BA(Hons) Fashion Media & Industries, Class of 2017

The open call to the brief, “Visions of 2010”, received over 60 submissions and De Han’s collection Siapa Nama Kayu? impressed judges.

Roughly translating to “What is your name?”, the collection was inspired by the multicultural history of Singapore. His designs reflected what our Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian forefathers used to wear. From the cut of the mandarin collar and Malay Kurta, to the silhouette of Indian Dhoti pants and use of silk-screened botanical illustrations reminiscent of Sir Stamford Raffles’ time, Siapa Nama Kayu? is De Han’s hope for Singaporeans to be proud of their Singaporean identity and to prize craftsmanship over fast fashion. Siapa Nama Kayu? was also showcased at Art Stage Singapore 2018 as part of an exhibition that explored the interaction between art and fashion.