Here’s How Singaporean Fashion Designer Lisa Von Tang Keeps Her Business Afloat Amidst Pandemic
The second episode of Digital Fashion Week Conversations put the spotlight on Singaporean fashion designer Lisa Von Tang, or also famously known as LVT.
If there’s one thing remarkable about style visionary Lisa Von Tang, it is definitely her effortless aesthetic gearing towards a fresh take in luxury loungewear and premium laidback fashion. Aside from that, this designer embraces the fusion of cultures that go with her background, a sea of colorful influences that you can totally see and feel in all of her creations.
“My mom is Chinese, and my dad is German. My mom actually lived through the Cultural Revolution in China as she was from Xiamen,” she narrated at the virtual event. “Some of our family went to Singapore, some in America and in Canada. My grandfather was actually a political editor, a poet, and a watercolor painter, so I grew up exposed to Asian design and arts. I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. But I was always surrounded with multi-colored culturalism, particularly with Asian identities.”
Such colorful and diverse cultural influences can certainly be seen in her aesthetic. “People who know our brand know that we do not shy away from colors, embroideries, and (our designs are) almost bordering on the ‘camp’ style,” the designer said.
“Twelve years ago, I decided to be based here in Singapore. I fell in love with Singapore right away because it instantly felt like home. It represents me– a fusion of Asian identities, yet it has that Westernized, globalized aspects as well. I feel good in places where there is a cultural fusion.”
Lisa recalled how she started in the business of fashion design. “I began this brand because I’ve always been passionate about creating beautiful, unique things. I really love designing for the human form and it is really a fun thing for me to do,” she shared. “When I started, I was really loud about this ‘East meets West’ aspect in my designs. I’ve always wanted to do statement casual fashion. Like, a bomber jacket that’s so rich in colors and embroideries, but you can still pair it with a nice pair of jeans and go.”
“We actually started the brand with statement bomber jackets back in 2015, before everyone started making Oriental bomber jackets. We started with really vibrant colors as a celebration of mixed heritage. The collection was about pride, about not shying away from your fire or your warrior spirit,” she said.
Later on, the Lisa Von Tang brand was getting a lot of attention with its premier statement bomber jackets and blazers already when the designer decided to make a little shift in the brand’s direction.
“We decided to go towards luxury loungewear, pieces that you wear on a daily basis but with premium, opulent quality. Today, one of our main categories is our high-end robes and kimonos, with exquisite patterns and embroideries, inspired by diverse cultures, and made of limited edition batiks. I still love adding fusion from different cultures, particularly from across Southeast Asia,” Lisa said.
This best-selling LVT Kimono Robe below in Dustry Rose color ($520.00 USD) is the designer’s favorite:
“I love the versatility of this,” she shared. This stunning luminescent silk cotton kimono can be worn in the morning while getting ready, as a coverup at the pool or left open over a tank and jeans while grabbing drinks with friends. The fabric is the highest quality batik you can find in the market. (Fashion trivia: Batik is a method of designing, printing, dying fabric in a traditional way, and originated from Indonesia and Malaysia!). LVT customizes its batik for her every kimono creation. “It also comes with a thick Obi Belt,” the designer said. You may shop this fab kimono here.
The Singaporean designer has introduced her newest luxury loungewear collection dubbed as “Lords of Leisure” virtually at the Digital Fashion Week Conversations. The designer explained that the collection is actually inspired by the ‘work from home lifestyle’ we are all having now due to the global pandemic.
“Most of us are working from home now, and naturally you would be in yoga pants and tops. But we still wanna give that feeling of delight and opulence even when you are just at home. That’s why we created the ‘Lord of Leisure’ luxury loungewear collection.”
The new LVT collection is comprised of delicate silk pieces and basics made from natural fibers. One can feel and look at “comfy-best all day, every day” with its luxurious materials. This collection is poised to be the new go-to for well-made, long-lasting, quality loungewear.
“Our leisurewear is all about premium quality pieces that you can invest in because you can wear them for a very long time,” Lisa said.
Here are some of the opulent loungewear pieces from the collection:
Shadow Queen Cocktail Dress ($660.00 USD)
“This is the only dress in this collection and this is an absoloute favorite,” Lisa mentioned. Made with dark teal silk, this dress oozes that decadent yet laid-back style. The pleated wrap-tie detail at the front covers the belly in a flattering way, and the stretch in the silk allows you to sit, eat and dance comfortably. This is a sensual dress that you can keep as a forever classic in your wardrobe. Shop it here.
Jada Silk Robe Dress in Pine Green ($280.00 USD)
The Jada Silk Robe Dress is made with the most luxurious, heavy-weight, buttery silk, and features dainty carved jade buttons at the wrist and main closure. This also comes in Black Raven and Royal Blue. “This silk robe dress has this gorgeous quality, with jade buttons down the front. I also love the versatility, as you can wear it in so many different ways,” Lisa said. Shop this silk robe dress here.
Best worn with slip-on loafers, boots or brogues, these pants were designed with meditation and relaxation in mind. “You can wear this while doing yoga or meditation. It comes with side splits, and elasticated waist,” the designer described her creation in detail.
“Our pieces for this collection are made of super limited edition fabric and has a beautiful texture to it as well,” she said. “This is the first series of this three-part collection. The second and third ones are gonna be released in the next months.”
The designer noted that she adjusted her price points to cater to the needs of her clientele this pandemic. “You wanna make affordable things. If you are giving very attractive rates, or the entry price point category, you can build the trust, relationship and credibility between you and your customers. This is a great way to introduce the other items to your new clients”.
VOGUE-APPROVED PROTECTIVE FACE MASKS
Just like any other fashion designers, Lisa Von Tang also initially experienced unusual challenges at the beginning of the global pandemic. The designer was “ready to hybernate for six months”, but the fashion creator got an unexpected milestone in her design career.
“It started very dark. I actually told my team to prepare for the worst care scenario, which is focusing on e-commerce and selling just essentials. I started thinking of making face masks as we hybernate for 6 months,” she said.
Her mask creations were made as a backup plan, but they were picked up organically by Vogue US Magazine.
“I sat down on my kitchen table and I started patterning masks. I thought, it has to be sexy– showing enough of the jaw bone, contouring the cheek bone, and kind of like shaping the bridge of the nose. It was really just a small project for when we go to hybernation for months,” she said.
“But it got so huge and viral and we are so thankful. We also decided to make premium, unique and wearable masks made of beautiful, coloful silk on the outer side, and then on the inside, they’re made of Egyptian cotton and Oxford cotton that feel really soft, which are good for sensitive skin.”
The Vogue US coverage of the luxury LVT face masks has increased the traffic of her website by 300% . “Our e-commerce shop now sells coast to coast in the US, Europe and Latin America. We are pleasantly surprised. The masks became the gateway to be introduced to new consumers across the world.”
Here are some of the luxury LVT masks:
This luxuriously comfortable face mask is contoured for a flattering fit and lined with pure Egyptian Cotton from Italy that is incredibly soft on the skin, coming with sixteen colour options. There is a padded nose bridge inside, adding to the designer shaping which makes the mask incredibly comfortable to wear. A fashionable choice for conscientious humans.
The Shinobi Face Mask in Sunrise Silk ($86.00 USD)
A one-of-a-kind coral face mask, made of locally-sourced and rare silk that is incredibly multi-dimensional. Shop here.
This luxuriously comfortable face mask is contoured for a flattering fit and lined with pure Egyptian Cotton from Italy that is incredibly soft on the skin. There is a padded nose bridge inside, adding to the designer shaping which makes the mask incredibly comfortable to wear. A fashionable choice for conscientious humans. This design comes in sixteen colour options. Shop it here.
SUSTAINABLE FASHION
“I am passionate about sustainable fashion for many years,” she said. “We teamed up with Nature’s Society a few collections ago. It is Singapore’s NGO that advocates conservationalism. I believe that as designers we have the responsibility to do sustainable practices as much as possible. Half of the designs that we offer are made on on-demand setting to reduce wastage.”
Due to the brand’s “on-demand practice” or making pieces based on customized order, the brand has made the production of pieces very lean. The designs are made with very limited edition fabrics, biodegradable and not chemically treated materials too, as these break down easily, “..so we can help save our nature,” Lisa said.
“We do source a lot of up-cycled fabrics too, which we get from overrun factory productions,” she said.
“Sustainability is a partnership between the brands and the consumers. They can’t just tell us to go sustainable and then they go on and buy fast fashion pieces. It is important for consumers to demand sustainability from the brands, but as consumers they have to make a conscious decision to only buy for pieces that they will use and keep for a very long time,” she said.
” I am expecting to have a shift from fast fashion to going back to basics– slow fashion, slow living. As fashion entrepreneurs, we should educate ourselves, and then our consumers about sustainability in fashion.”
To learn more of Lisa Von Tang, visit www.lisavontang.com.
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Image Source: LisaVonTang.com
