Design for life

Students at Raffles LaSalle Design School, Bangkok show off their own tailored garments. Early work is experimental but later they will go on to display their own creations at fashion shows and exhibitions, culminating in their own special Graduation Show at the end of the two year course.— COURTESY OF RAFFLES LASALLE

Cheng Kwek Loong, Executive Vice Dean of Raffles LaSalle, Bangkok hopes to see the school attract students from all over Thailand and beyond.

As Thailand struts its stuff with an increasing presence on the international catwalk, there has perhaps never been a more exciting time to enter the frenzied and exotic world of the design industry.

But where do you start? There are plenty of courses out there that cover a variety of artistic disciplines. Few, however, are as hands-on or as closely industry related as the courses on offer at Raffles LaSalle.

“It’s a one-stop school for all types of design courses such as Fashion, Graphics, Multimedia, Interior and Product Design,” explains Cheng Kwek Loong, Executive Vice Dean of the school’s newest branch in Silom Road. “We also teach marketing. You can be a good designer but if you don’t have the marketing skills to present yourselves to clients, you are not maximising your potential.”

The school is housed on the top floor of a department store, which is rarely an awe-inspiring place to be. But, as you step into the plush reception area, there is an immediate sense you are somewhere special. The space has been designed with sophistication in mind and the banks of black computers and minimalist wooden facades suggest you have entered a modern, forward-looking environment.

A walk through the school impresses at every corner. Brand new classrooms and studios are decked out with state-of-the-art technology, from multimedia workstations to sewing machines and mannequins, and there is surely nothing else that today’s design student, equipping him or herself for work in the twenty-first century, could wish for.

The curriculum is taught exclusively in English, which helps Raffles LaSalle attract students from the international community as well as Thais, who make up a large proportion of student numbers. There are many other Raffles LaSalle schools in countries throughout Asia, including China, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia and students can opt to continue their course abroad if they wish.

Loong believes that being based in a country as culturally rich as Thailand is of great benefit and he is keen to exploit the country’s potential in a positive way.

“We would like our fashion students to be able to appreciate Thai textiles such as silk and cotton fabrics that are manufactured in the north and northeastern part of Thailand,” he says. “These are a good source for materials and we want to be able to tell the makers in advance which colours and patterns will be trendy in the coming year. This will give Thailand a maximum competitive advantage and we hope to see teenagers in Siam Square eventually wearing traditional fabrics designed in a chic style.”

The main criteria for becoming a Raffles student, apart from a good grasp of the English language, is an interest and an eye for design. Artistic talent is not necessarily a pre-requisite as basic drawing skills are part of the syllabus. Slackers need not apply, however, since the two-year courses are deliberately designed to be intensive and prepare students for the harsh realities of the industry itself.

“We teach them very early how to accept criticism,” says Loong. “We do this in a controlled environment and students as well as teachers are encouraged to criticise each other’s work in a constructive way.”

Fashion design student Kwan, 20, says she has grown more independent as a result of the course.

The students are, by all accounts, a very happy group of people. Kwan, a 20-year-old Fashion Design student, left her Visual Arts course at one of Thailand’s more prestigious universities to study at Raffles LaSalle and has never looked back.

“A lot of what we studied at my old university was quite boring and I soon realised that I didn’t really like the environment there,” she says. “Many of the students were part of the ‘wannabe culture’ and just acted like artists most of the time. Here, it’s a lot more fun. Everyone is open-minded and I’m learning how to experiment with my ideas. I’ve also become a lot more independent.”

Just as it is in the tough world of media and fashion, there are deadlines to meet and excuses for lateness are given short shrift. Bemas Chan, a fashion design teacher, thinks it is important to instill a sense of self-discipline in his students.

“We are usually quite lenient in the first term in what we call the ‘baby phase’,” he explains. “But it is important to implement a professional attitude so, from the second term, there’s no room for excuses.”

Unless there are genuinely good reasons, students who hand work in late are deducted ten percent of their marks a day. The rationale behind this being that, when students eventually begin work, the result of a missed deadline won’t be quite so painless and they will have already learnt that a lazy attitude will come at a price.

The teachers come from a variety of backgrounds and many have taught or were trained at highly regarded institutions such as Central St. Martin’s in London. Chan, a Singaporean who trained at the esteemed Parson’s School of Design in New York, has had a wealth of experience as a designer as well as time as an actor and teacher.

“I get a lot of pleasure from ex-students who come up to me after a few years and remember so much of what we did in class,” he beams. “They might remember some of the obscure design phrases or the historical influence on modern designs.”

Indeed, art history plays an important role in the syllabus since it is integral to the understanding of current techniques. Students are also taught the practice of making their designs so that they get a feel for how they impact upon the physical reality.

The hands-on approach and the intensity of the tuition can be gruelling at times but ultimately rewarding.

Win, 24, feels she has adopted a more mature approach to study.

“In the first term I was like a dead man walking,” laughs Kwan. “I was up until 3 o’clock in the morning finishing a painting because I always procrastinated but it’s taught me to be more responsible now.”

Win, a 24 year-old fashion student, has a very mature approach to studying. “Because I have some life experience, I am more focused in what I want to do,” she explains. “When I was 18, I was only interested in going out with friends but now I’m quite ambitious. When I graduate, I want to use my skills to work as a fashion buyer.”

Graduating in style

"From the beginning of the course, students are encouraged to learn the process of turning designs into reality with traditional and modern methods. That way, they can see how their design impacts upon the final product.

Most students have a fair idea of what they want from the course. Once graduating with their diploma some will go to work in the industry whilst others will go on to further study abroad before taking on a full-time job. Interestingly, many Thai parents are reluctant to send their children to design schools as a career in this line of business does not, in their view, fit into the category of ‘respectable’ occupations such as medicine or law. But kids with a passion for creativity often get their way and when the parents visit, they are generally convinced that Raffles LaSalle is decent enough for their offspring. The name in itself is well regarded within the design and marketing industries and alumni are regularly headhunted. Some have even been awarded special industry recognition.

The first graduation show for the Bangkok school will take place mid-2005 as the first intake was not until July of last year. But when it comes, it will be a big occasion with a five star hotel as a venue, professional models and fashion and media luminaries in attendance. All students will chip in to creating the show with interior designers designing the stage, graphic designers working on the programme and multimedia students providing the big-screen graphics.

As is customary at such events, a number of graduates may walk away with more than a certificate in their pocket. As well as a celebration of achievement, the graduation ceremony serves as a shop window of talent and a lucky few will likely land themselves that dream job before they’ve even started on the champagne.

They will also leave the school with that all-important media survival tool — contacts. In the design business it is all about ‘who you know’ as much as ‘what you do’ and one student can always help another on the path to success. Chances are that they will need to call upon each other’s services too. An interior designer, for example, will always need to consult an expert about the latest fashion trends and employ someone to design the graphics for advertisements.

The majority of students come from high-ranking Thai schools or international schools. Others come from abroad or, in the case of older students, are expats with time on their hands who want to brush up their skills. Most students are from wealthy backgrounds as the price of tuition is competitive, although a limited number of partial scholarships are available to those with a special talent who have proved themselves in competitions.

There are four terms a year and students can join at the beginning of any term. This allows for some flexibility, although peak intake will be in July when the high schools graduate. The main requirement is that candidates are reasonably fluent in English and should be able to pass the school’s internal Advanced English Test. Those with a TOEFL score of at least 500 or an IELTS score of 6.0 will also be eligible.

Fashion lecturer, Bemas Chan knows how to spot a winner.

Currently there are just over 40 students on roll but this number is set to increase as word of mouth and further intake will ensure that Raffles LaSalle becomes firmly rooted in Thailand. If demand increases, other schools may eventually be set up in places such as Chiang Mai and Phuket.

Whatever the future holds, everyone at Raffles LaSalle is hoping to achieve something special. After nine years of teaching, Bemas Chan knows how to spot a Raffles student destined for a bright future.

“If I set them one homework, they’ll do it three times and give me the best. If I say something can’t be done, they’ll go away and do it. Students who give it that much extra — they are the winners.”