Interview

Esther Choy is a Singapore fashion designer. She graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts. She have established her brand “E S H” that has an aesthetic based upon the duality of gender in clothing.

Esther Choy是一個新加坡的時裝設計師，她畢業於LASALLE設計學院，她辦立了屬於自己的品牌“E S H”，而這個品牌理念是基於兩性美學的。

1. When did your passion for fashion design started?

你對時裝設計的熱情是什麼時候開始的？

The limitless nature of creating was what excited and drew me to design. Also, the element of surprise in the design process is a big part of why I like doing it. As I create, the idea evolves and could morph into something completely different than what I started out with, and this unexpectedness keeps designing fresh and exciting for me. When I was young, I would dream up outfits that I did not have in my closet but would have loved to own, and later drew them out for my paper dolls when I played dress-up with them. In a way, I was able to live out my creative designs through those paper dolls, and this passion grew into something that has shaped my decision to take up Fashion Design as my major in university.

創造的無限性使我興奮，吸引著我去設計。同時，設計過程中發生的驚喜是我喜歡設計的主要原因。當我創作的時候，想法會發展和演變，到最後可能和最初想法完全不一樣。這種意外性讓設計充滿新鮮感，令我振奮。我小的時候，會希望擁有一些自己喜歡的但是衣櫃里沒有的衣服，後來我玩紙皮公仔，會畫出來這些衣服給公仔穿。在某程度上，我的創意設計在這些紙皮公仔身上實現了。這份激情影響我後來的人生決定，最後在大學選擇了時裝設計作為主修。

2. In what way would you describe your designs?

你會如何形容你的設計？

I would describe my designs as something that is very representative of my own personal taste and style, garments that strengthens confidence to the wearer through its sharp shapes but at the same time not detracting from the wearer’s own innate femininity.

我的設計代表了我個人品味和風格。衣服可以增加穿衣人的自信，雖然有強勢的形狀，但它不會減少穿衣人自己內在的女性氣質。

For this collection I was inspired by the tailoring of the military uniforms worn during the second world war. The austerity of the uniforms showed the silhouettes for the collection, making them boxy and slightly oversized, with a lot of emphasis placed on detailings and pockets.

這次系列的靈感來源于第二次世界大戰軍服的剪裁。嚴厲的制服反映了這次系列的輪廓，四四方方和有點大碼，強調了很多細節和口袋。

3. E S H is drawing inspiration from style muse and classical Hollywood star Marlene Dietrich. What made you come up with this idea?

E S H以好萊塢經典女明星 瑪琳·黛得麗 作為設計靈感女神。這個想法是怎麼來的？

I wanted to find a muse that already encapsulated my own design beliefs in her dressing, and I found that in Marlene Dietrich . I was also inspired by Marlene Dietrich and her ability to balance the idea of masculinity and femininity in her dressing. On stage she was sexy, slinky and exotic, however in her daily life she preferred to wear menswear or tailored garments. From there, I decided to deconstruct popular articles of menswear and reinterpret them into womenswear, essentially creating menswear for womenswear, with an emphasis placed on accentuating the waist, while leaving the shoulders oversized. Creating a collection that is both visually arresting and catered to the confident woman.

之前想找一位繆斯女神能在她的衣著里展現我的設計理念，然後我發現了瑪琳·黛得麗。我受到了瑪琳·黛得麗的啟發，她有能力在衣著里平衡男性和女性氣質。在舞台上，她性感時髦充滿異國情調，而在日常生活中她喜歡穿男裝或者定制的衣服。從那時候開始，我決定去解構流行的男裝文章，然後自己重新詮釋它們為女裝。基本上就是為女性創作男裝，強調腰身但讓肩膀寬鬆。創造一個系列能同時在視覺和感覺上吸引迎合自信的女性。

4. Do you think your designs are reflecting of your attitude in life?

你認為你的設計反映了你的生活態度嗎？

Yes, very much so I would think. I think I am an instinctive designer, designing garments for my customers that I myself would want to wear. I believe that all women (and men) should feel comfortable in their own skin and that they should wear something that would enhance the beauty that they already have as a human being.

是的，反映了非常多。我認為自己是一位天生的設計師，為客戶設計的衣服，我自己也想穿。我相信所有女性（和男性）都應該穿得舒服，應該通過穿衣來提高并展示人類之美。

5. Do you have any idea or plan for the brand’s development in the future?

你對品牌未來的發展有什麼想法和計劃？

Right now I am just focusing on getting the name of my brand out there as it is very new and just emerging in the fashion industry, but hopefully in the future I would be able to be stocked not only in my own country Singapore, but also regionally.

現在我只是專注于打響品牌名聲，因為它非常新，才剛入時尚圈。但希望未來，“E S H”不僅能在自己的國家新加坡發展好，還能打入各地市場。

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