Your First Look At BAZAAR Academy Alumni Rena Kok And Silvia Teh’s Capsule Collections

Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore is committed to nurturing and supporting the local fashion community—especially during the pandemic. Case in point: The creation of a special 2020 edition of the Harper’s BAZAAR Asia NewGen Fashion Award, titled “A New Slate”. 

Through this new initiative, Rena Kok and Silvia Teh—past winners of the Harper’s BAZAAR Asia NewGen Fashion Award—have spent the past three months working on a capsule collection under the guidance of Editor-in-Chief Kenneth Goh, Creative Director Windy Aulia, and Executive Editor Charmaine Ho. 

The collection will be sold exclusively online at OneOrchard.Store and then at Design Orchard from 18 February 2021, which is made possible through a special collaboration with the Textile and Fashion Federation Singapore (TaFF).

We ask the designers about their creative journey, and the inspirations behind their capsule collections. Read on for an exclusive look at their designs and insights.

Rena Kok

1. Tell us more about the collection.

The theme for this collection is “A New Slate” so I took inspiration from the activities—running, boxing and bungee jumping—I did during Circuit Breaker to recompose and inspire confidence within myself, which also influenced my choice of fabrics. For instance, the micro-pleats signify the free-falling sensation I got from bungee jumping. I want this collection to empower women through unrestrained movement in clothes. 

2. What special features have you included in this collection?

I’ve included slits in some of the garments to allow my customers to move about freely; these slits can also be buttoned up for modesty. I’ve also accentuated certain details such as the cuffs and the shoulders to inspire confidence.

Silvia Teh

1. Tell us more about the collection.

I took the theme “A New Slate” as an opportunity to revamp my brand by taking inspirations from my childhood experiences, such as creating and selling ribbons to friends. In this collection, I want to convey a child-like innocence through the use of materials, colours and patterns.

2. What special features have you included in this collection?

One special feature of this collection is the use of a brocade fabric patterned with green dots. This is the first time I’m employing the use of colour in my collection, and I feel that it adds a sense of lightness and childlike wonder. I’ve also reimagined the ribbons I used to create as a kid into wrap shirts, where the belt can be tied as a ribbon either in the front or back.

Shop both collections here.