For the first time since its inception, local department store BHG hired an in-house fashion designer to draw in a younger, quality-conscious and price-sensitive crowd. BA(Hons) Fashion Design and Textiles alumna Esther Choy stood out from a pool of 12 candidates and was eventually selected for her openness to commercial inputs and vibrant energy.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many galleries closing. In light of this and to continue supporting artists during this time of crisis, the National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum will be spearheading Proposals for Novel Ways of Being, a series of programmes that brings together 170 artists under 12 institutions.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has transformed many industries and for higher arts education institutions, this means migrating graduation shows online.

At LASALLE, the coronavirus served as a catalyst for the College's digitalisation plans by taking its highly anticipated annual graduation exhibition online. Pushing the envelope even further, its upcoming graduate fashion show will be fully virtual for the first time, increasing accessibility for audiences from around the world.

Virtual influencers are on the rise. Created by designers using computer or artificial intelligence technology, they proliferate on social media platforms and their realism makes it hard to tell the difference between them and their human counterparts. Case in point is BA(Hons) Fashion Media and Industries graduand Reyme Husaini’s creation for his final year project, Ava Lee Gram.

Life after a creative education can be productive, fulfilling and equally stable, as reported by four arts graduates in Singapore. It is not without challenges though but as with any other nine-to-five corporate job, these artists persevere with passion.

Is the touted ‘new normal’ world of post-coronavirus one to be excited for? According to Professor Steve Dixon, President of LASALLE College of the Arts, we should not be too quick to embrace full digitisation. While the pandemic has certainly opened up new opportunities in global collaboration, thanks to the democratisation of the digital sphere, it is an inadequate substitute for actual face-to-face, human interaction.

BA(Hons) Design Communication alumnus Chua Jia Xiang is a member of the Kaizen Office at Tan Tock Seng Hospital where he explores ways to improve work processes via service design. An example is his recent project of upgrading the protective goggles of frontline medical workers to a face shield model. Tested by staff currently battling the coronavirus pandemic, the new prototype offers better comfort, safety, ease of wearing and taking off, and is cost-effective to produce.