What Would Shou Wear? 3 NewGen Alumni Dream Up A Met Gala Look For TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi
Drawing inspiration from ‘The Garden Of Time’ dress code, Singapore, and the man of the hour.
By Shermin Ng and Brandon Chia - published
Fashion’s biggest night is finally upon us. This year’s Met Gala has a special significance for those of us here in Singapore, as TikTok’s CEO Chew Shou Zi becomes the first Singaporean to assume the position of honorary co-chair for the fashion fundraiser. It’s safe to say that all eyes are on the representative of our Garden City, and the ensemble Chew will choose to match this year’s dress code, ’The Garden of Time’, if he attends the gala.
Instead of speculating what the TikTok chief executive might turn up in, we asked three former NewGen contestants, Serina Lee, Guan Yu and Andandika Surasetja, to design a couture garment for Chew to wear to the event—drawing inspiration from the night’s dress code, Singapore, and the man of the hour. Find out more, ahead.
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To Guan Yu
What was your thought process and interpretation of the Met Gala dress code?
I initially visualised a garden full of clocks, but as I dug deeper, I found out that the Met Gala 2024 dress code was actually inspired by a short story by J.G. Ballard. I ultimately went with the garden approach—while time cannot be materialised, it can be shown through texture and meaning.
What inspired your design?
My inspiration was this quote from J.G. Ballard’s short story: “Count Axel and his wife live and listen to Mozart in a magnificent villa, surrounded by a garden of crystal flowers.” I decided to style Chew Shou Zi with a tie (representing Count Axel), wearing extravagant flowers.
Why do you think your design will stand out on the red carpet?
The flowers, crafted out of layers of beautiful chiffon in myriad colours and stacked on each other, would create a beautiful flow when he’s walking; while the tie and the sleeves would be embroidered and embellished with stones—what’s the Met Gala without some bling?
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Serina Lee
What was your thought process and interpretation of the Met Gala dress code?
My thought process and interpretation came from the short story ‘The Garden of Time’ by J.G. Ballard, which inspired the night’s dress code. There’s a phrase at the end that says “lighting up the grey stone so that for a fleeting moment it was indistinguishable from the long-vanished flesh of the statues’ originals.” ‘The Garden of Time’ is seen as a metaphor for the endless cycle of creation and destruction; it talks about how everything beautiful is inevitably destroyed, and the cycle repeats itself.
What inspired your design?
I was inspired to paint based on the above. I was also inspired by the saying ‘Turn back the hands of time’ (which means to recount and return to the past) and attached multiple sleeve patterns to the back bodice.
Why do you think your design will stand out on the red carpet?
I believe that the painting will be well-suited for the red carpet. The black canvas is a reflection of the past, while the white represents the present and future and its endless cycle.
How do you envision your sketch coming to life?
I would use suiting fabrics for the garment as they have a long history; they best represent the past and present. The textiles will be hand-painted and embroidered.
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Andandika Surasetja
What was your thought process and interpretation of the Met Gala theme?
This year’s exhibition theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”, inspired me to seek beauty in everyday life, starting with the bedroom. I realised I already have something fitting from the archive—MORAL / Home from the Fall/Winter 2022/23 collection. I thought about making a special coat from a vintage bed cover, a wedding gift for my parents that was never used because they thought it was too colourful. But colourful is cool, no?
Why do you think your design will stand out on the red carpet?
The bed cover is made from woven material with floral motifs in vibrant yellow and fuschia, and decorated with fringe on its edges, which I applied to the sleeves to add a touch of glam. The look is nostalgic yet eccentric, perfect for an iconic red carpet moment.
How would you style the look?
I’d pair the look with black pants, a white shirt, a bow tie, and black dress shoes.