New Zealander Tessa is the creative director and founder of Lontessa, her own fashion company based in Singapore. So, how do you go about being an international fashion designer? Everyone’s story will be different, and Tessa’s own journey started with studying industrial design in Wellington. She then took that knowledge and went to Portugal to work. But, on her return to New Zealand, she found that the available jobs in industrial design were lacking the creative flair she was craving.
Tessa had always loved drawing; she drew all the time from when she was a small child – it was what had led her to industrial design in the first place. She’d also drawn clothes and asked her grandmother, a seamstress for an iconic Kiwi brand called Swandri, to make them up. Then, in 2009, her grandmother booked her to showcase an art collection in the local gallery. This progressed to Tessa showing a collection of woven fabrics, and then to a fashion show at Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum.
But she still couldn’t sew. So, she went back to college – to the Academy of Fashion in Auckland – where she learnt sewing and how to make patterns. Tessa initially focused on lingerie, and actually ended up making costumes for dancers and performers. Working with stretch fabrics is a very different technique – quite specialised – and she found she had a real connection to this. Then she went on to making other fashion items, working both at a wedding couture shop and a men’s clothing franchise to learn about the business side of fashion.
Once she felt she had enough knowledge to get started, she opened her own shop in her home town in Taranaki.
The move to Singapore
This story is from the September 2020 edition of EL Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2020 edition of EL Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Do You Know What You're Breathing?
From air purifiers to mould remediation, there are ways you can help create a healthier home environment for yourself and your family. We asked the team from Initial Hygiene and Rentokil in Singapore about how to breathe better air indoors.
Start the Day Right
Rise and shine! From a trendy neighbourhood café and bistro to a brunch option that lets you still have a lie-in, Singapore's breakfast scene is buzzing. Here are a couple of our favourite tables!
A Magical FOREST
Expat Living's MELANIE LAM heads to a small Japanese island for hiking and forest bathing in an exquisite setting.
Cool & Classy
Chic looks from Silk Walk's different collections that will keep you feeling breezy, whether it's in the Singapore sun or on a tropical holiday.
Ankle Agony!
Our ankles are heavy lifters when it comes to keeping us up and about. So sufferers of ankle osteoarthritis know only too well how debilitating it can be when this joint is affected. Here, consultant orthopaedic surgeon DR KEVIN KOO gives advice on symptoms, causes and treatments to ease this painful condition.
Smiles for Miles!
Early intervention dental care is in demand, and treatment options now go well beyond traditional braces.
Harnessing Art for Therapy & Growth
A look at a non-verbal therapy that helps patients navigate the complexities of trauma and aids in personal development.
Profile: Danielle Van de Velde
Tapping into Singapore's spiritual side.
Walking to Help: The MacRitchie Challenge
Since early 2023, British expat TOM PLATTS has been doing a great job raising money for the Singapore charity Dementia Singapore. What's even more impressive is that he's done it in a healthy, social and fun way!
WHAT'S YOUR HYDRATION SITUATION?
When it comes to the elixir of life, the debate between spring and filtered water has long been a topic of discussion.