S’pore designer spotlight: Hansel’s Jo Soh is dressed for success

SINGAPORE — There’s one word we can think off to describe homegrown fashion designer Jo Soh’s womenswear brand Hansel. From signature designs of quirky versatility to fabric prints of HDB flats and local desserts to a palette range of happy colours, every collection simply exudes fun.

And it’s this whimsical and sassy point of view that has made the Central St Martins alum one of Singapore’s most prolific and popular fashion designers. And yes, why everyone seems to love donning a Hansel original — from actress and former Nominated Member of Parliament Janice Koh to pop superstar Katy Perry, who was once spotted wearing a Hansel sequined bustier dress on a night out in Melbourne.

Named after her beloved late Jack Russell (and not Owen Wilson’s character in Zoolander), Soh’s label has steadily grown ever since she broke into the scene by back in 2003, with a small collection of 12 outfits that was selected to show in Melbourne at the Mercedes Australian fashion week.

But Soh will be the first to acknowledge that the journey of a Singaporean fashion designer is a challenging one.

“First of all, there isn’t a fashion design industry here, and that means that there is very limited resources and support to grow a business in Singapore,” shared the 39-year-old. “Generally speaking, the Asian consumer tends to be focused on acquiring the big famous international brands for the prestige and status that their products give them, or the cheap throwaway fashion that can be bought online. My brand sits in-between.”

That said, Soh is optimistic about the future of our homegrown designers — especially this year.

“I would say that it is an opportune time for Singaporean designers to get their work noticed because everyone is focused on our nation’s fiftieth year,” she said. “Lots of companies are also interested to tap into local designers’ skills and abilities, and I hope this would lead to increased work for, collaborations with and respect for our Singaporean designers from across the different industries.”

(You can stand a chance to win $500 worth of apparel from Hansel. Check out http://tdy.sg/hanselgiveaway and follow @tdy_t on Instagram. Contest ends on April 2. Terms and conditions apply.)

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Q: How did you get into fashion?

A: I was a very introverted creative child, always reading, drawing and making crafts by myself. My mother was a real fashionista and had a big wardrobe of clothes, shoes, accessories — even wigs! I would help her pick out complete outfits and I would feel proud and pleased that she would wear them to events.

At 12 years old, I decided to consciously choose design — and fashion in particular — over fine art as a career to pursue. I came to the conclusion that I must use my natural talents to help others and make a living from doing that. So I joined art club throughout primary and secondary school. I took up dressmaking classes on weekends when I was 16 and made my own clothes. As soon as I finished my O-Levels, I took art and design foundation at LASALLE and afterwards, spent seven years living in the UK to study fashion design.

Q: You’re as Singaporean as designers come, especially with your whimsical collections like Heartland, with its HDB prints, and Tiers Of Joy’s kueh kuehs Are you conscious about using Singapore motifs whenever you conceptualise your pieces?

A: I think about when and where the collection will be realised and consider the appropriateness. Over 11 years and 22 collections, I’ve actually only done two that have local themes, but those have been picked up by media much more and stayed in people’s minds a lot more because they have never been done before. They work well locally but not everyone in overseas markets will “get” them. I don’t consciously try to work local themes into my work but I understand that for the local market, my collections stand out even more when I do.

Q: How much does being Singaporean and female influence your designs?

A: Most of my work sells in the local market so the weather influences the designs. I am not sure how being Singaporean influences my designs but I am female and I love to solve problems so that shapes me to create designs that can be worn in different ways to flatter different female body shapes. I am also a very practical person so that influences me to put handy pockets into my clothes whenever I can, and pick easy-to-launder fabrics for my clothes.

Q: Who do you think is the ideal Hansel woman?

A: I admit I use myself as the muse for the label — fun, whimsical, practical and confident. Someone who doesn’t mind laughing at herself.

Q: We live in times of instant gratification and online shopping. How do you accommodate the needs of different women who have different fashion sensibilities?

A: I don’t confess to being able to satisfy every woman’s fashion preferences, so I do what I do best. Besides, unless you’re Uniqlo or H&M, it’s important that small indie fashion labels like mine are known for something we do well. This way, you stand out amongst the competition.

Q: What is the one thing you love most about being a fashion designer?

A: I love it when ladies come to me and tell me their Hansel dress is their happy dress! And also that the dress is comfortable, practical and easy to wear. That would tick a lot of boxes in my goals of being a fashion designer.

Q: You’ve collaborated with so many people. Who has been your favourite?

A: Each collaboration has been different and that variety has added a fun, unexpected element to the brand. The Little Drom Store and Hansel had a great brand synergy and the enamel jewellery that came out from that collaboration was very successful.

Q: In such a competitive and crowded market, how does a local fashion designer make it in Singapore?

A: Having a distinctive voice and identity definitely helps!

Q: What about overseas?

A: Having the business support to grow and expand the brand and to help sell to new markets.

Q: What are the difficulties of running your own label in Singapore?

A: At the moment, I have to wear many hats to run the business, create the products, and run the retail shop! I am actually on the lookout for the right business partners as one person can only do so much!

Q: What kind of support do you feel homegrown labels need?

A: The key thing would be for consumers who buy the products. At the end of the day, these labels are running businesses and businesses need revenue to sustain themselves!

Q: So what more can be done to help the Singapore fashion community?

A: Public and media attention that demonstrate a pride in homegrown labels, local consumers buying local labels — these would be two good ways to create a local market to sustain and grow the Singaporean fashion community

Q: So what’s next for Jo and Hansel?

A: I am simultaneously working on two collections. I have childrenswear in a collaboration ith another babywear label. I have just completed a merchandise design project for Changi Airport, which I am very excited about. There are also opportunities to do some menswear and other product lines, and sell in other markets in the region! Lots of exciting possibilities this year.

Q: What is your SG50 birthday wish for Singapore?

A: I wish Singapore continues to be prosperous, be a safe nation to live in, and, as our society matures and diversifies, become a more open, inclusive and tolerant society to live in.

Q: And what about for your wish for the Singapore fashion industry for the next 50 years?

A: I wish that local shoppers would be proud to buy local labels and local labels also become international labels, selling globally.

Q: Finally, any advice you’d like to give the young Singaporean designer?

A: Think big.