5 questions with Thomas Tait

SINGAPORE — With Thomas Tait’s abstract colour sense — which inspires him to playfully combining splashes of teal and mustard yellow for example — it’s no wonder the Canadian-born designer and his harlequin-inspired designs have been nominated for LVMH’s inaugural Young Designer Prize.

“Obviously I have a one-in-12 chance of winning,” he drawled. “There are 12 finalists of different ages from all over the world with different backgrounds.”

Tait doesn’t necessarily identify as a minimalist designer but, with his Autumn/Winter 2014 collection, he said he wants things to feel “more out of control”, adding that his work had “always been about control” and “trying to hone what the initial feeling was meant to be, creating as much clarity as possible”. “I didn’t want to look at the collection and make immediate logic out of it. It was the first time that I was drawn to more colour and texture.”

The youngest-ever graduate of Central Saint Martin’s Masters programme, the 26-year-old designer claimed he doesn’t work with specific inspirations in mind, opting instead to go with what feels natural. “If I went on a trip to Morocco, my collection wouldn’t be Moroccan. It doesn’t work that way.

“Most of the time when I’m designing my collection, I’m not even entirely sure what the inspiration is,” said Tait. “It’s only when I look back, and it makes more sense in hindsight. I guess you could call it a natural diary for me.”

Q: Should one wear bright colours — even in the cold season?

A: If wearing bright colours is something you feel confident about, go for it. It’s really about going with what you feel comfortable wearing and what suits you. It’s a shame when people get into the habit of wearing black all the time and not playing with colour, because I think they’re missing a good opportunity.

Q: How would you define your personal style?

A: My personal style is “lazy”. Really lazy! To be honest, I wear jeans and sweatshirts all the time, which makes it hypocritical of me to design these collections when I’m just in T-shirts and jeans.

Q: What are the fashion staples in a woman’s closet?

A: Jeans, because they’re acceptable everywhere and are a good level ground, as everything matches with them. Definitely a comfortable pair of trainers, or just comfortable shoes in general. Next would be a coat, but maybe not in this weather. You can get a really fun summer coat and that is good because, if you have a crap outfit, you can just put the coat on and no one can tell! (laughs) Lastly, a really nice dress. I’m so tired of seeing women run around like slobs! It’s so good seeing women dress like women.

Q: What about men?

A: A parka or rain jacket for men and a good pair of jeans and trainers. Also, a well-fitted shirt is rare on a man, especially buttoned-up shirts. Some guys wear shirts that are way too fitted and I think taking the time to get one made is a really good investment. (Also) there are many situations where you can wear a suit — you can tone it down with a T-shirt underneath or dress it up with a buttoned-up shirt. It’s very versatile.

Q: What’s the best fashion advice you can give?

A: Going with your instinct is key. I remember when I was younger, I was very particular with the way I wanted to dress. (But) instead of listening to specific advice, like “Thomas Tait says to go with flats this season”, you should listen to yourself and what you’re instinctively drawn to. Trust yourself to have your own eye and vision, understand your body and dress it to feel comfortable with yourself. Laetitia Wong