Design Lab: Persona Exercise

 


This week, we had to do another in-class exercise for Design Lab with Nur. We basically were given two random cards with different types of occupations written on them. I happened to receive "Photographer" and "Stylist". I was very excited to work with those because photographers and stylists really go hand in hand in the fashion industry. They generally work very closely together in the fashion world and I am very familiar with that. So I could easily picture how these two occupations could work towards the preservation of the Peranakan culture in Singapore. Especially with globalization where the borders between worlds have been broken down. 

Intricate, colorful, and beautiful Peranakan beading that is used in its traditional fashion. By Madam Zozo 


For a stylist, because of the big demand of style and fashion from the fast-paced social media and celebrity culture, it could lead to a more unique/niche demand, because people are constantly looking to be a unique one in the crowd, to stand out, and a stylist could easily look at vintage/traditional influences. And that's when the Peranakan culture could come as an inspiration. Especially because the culture is very rich in patterns, colors, texture, and materials. It could easily be interpreted into different types of styles, and this new design could then be seen on celebrities, TV, magazines, runway shows, which will then lead to awareness and trends that will lead to the preservation of the culture. 

Peranakan shophouses in Joo Chiat. By Madam Zozo. 


As for the photographer, they are constantly looking for inspiration, fueled by curiosity and the accessibility of the internet, they could easily stumble upon the Peranakan culture in South East Asia, especially when Singapore is a major travel destination for a lot of photographers. The Peranakan culture has amazing-looking shophouses around Singapore and not many people are aware that that is a product of the Peranakan culture. A photographer could capture this beautifully, and in the end, has it published and again, leads to awareness of the culture. This is a very interesting exercise and I am looking to see how other types of occupations could help towards my mission to preserve the Peranakan culture in Singapore.

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