Western star rising from Daru
COVER STORY
By REBECCA KUKU
SEBASTIAN Sambasivam is a name that is quickly rising in the fashion industry.
The young man from a mixed parentage of Malaysian Indian and Daru in Western is a part-time designer that captivated the public in the 2018 PNG Fashion Week Runway that was held in Port Moresby at the Sir John Guise Indoor Stadium.
He is employed full-time by PNG Tailoring Ltd as sales and marketing manager.
After the, 2018 PNG Fashion Week Runway Sebastian was later invited to showcase his designs in the Melbourne Cup Fashion Show, hosted by Lamana Hotel.
He was recently a guest designer at the 2019 Enga Fashion Show, in Wabag town in conjunction with the Enga Cultural Festival.
And his latest designs themed Cultural Renaissance was a hit in the 2019 Awakening Runway Show held at the Apec Haus, Port Moresby.
In an exclusive interview with The National, Sebastian said that he first started designing when he was 21 years old.
“I entered the fashion industry through recommendations from family and friends. They saw my design sketches on Facebook and Instagram and believed in my potential for fashion design.
“And my current employer registered with PNG Fashion Week Ltd so we could participate in promoting and launch the business into the fashion industry, and in a way it was the break I was waiting for so I stepped in the Fashion Industry and have never looked back,” he said.
Inspiration
“I get my inspiration from just about everything I see around me. When I see something that has a unique color palette, texture or pattern I take notes of the different elements and start designing my dresses and shirts.
“In freshman year, at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Toowoomba, Australia, I would go to the gallery in the creative arts center on campus and get my inspiration from the student’s paintings and sculptures.
“So it was through art that I discovered my love for fashion and design. I also do a lot of research into styles that are trending overseas as a foundation to my designs.
How do you start designing?
“I start of by creating a scrapbook. This is where I get to experiment with different patterns, colors and fabrics after that I find the color palette and prints and then the next step is to research different styles that are trending overseas and finally sketching and reinventing that style in my own creative and unique way.”
“You see fashion design is an art. You have to know how to use colors and prints so that they complement each other. You have to also know about the different fabrics and lastly you must always know how to balance designs.”
How would you describe your designs?
“My designs are all fresh and unique. Every dress captures a different element. This allows it to stand out on its own with meaning and purpose during a showcase. My designs are like a story, there is a natural flow from top to bottom.
“I also believe my designs are a form of cultural appreciation. I love my country’s rich diversity and so I want the world to see it.”
Collections
“As a 2018 emerging designer, I showcased two collections; the first collection was called “Aneru” which means “angel” in the Western (Daru).
“The Aneru collection is dedicated to the late Suzannah Davis (director of PNG Tailoring Ltd). The Aneru collection was entered by PNG Tailoring Ltd and designed by myself as the in-house designer.
“Showcasing quality stitching in garment construction and the second collection is called “Meanimo” which translates to “good looking” in the Daru language.”
Growth in industry
“Yes, I can see myself growing in the fashion industry. I’ve got so many ideas that I want to share with the world.”
“My unique interpretation of art and fashion fused with Traditional elements is forever growing and changing and that’s the fascinating thing about fashion. It grows and changes every single time.
“From my personal observation the PNG Fashion Industry is now starting to gain a lot of interest both local and international. Designers who are fortunate to travel overseas are not only showcasing their collections but are also Fashion and Cultural Ambassadors for our country.
“People in PNG are now seeing fashion as a form of cultural expression but I personally believe it’s a way of telling who you are without speaking.”
What are some of your personal goals as a designer?
“I want to enroll in fashion school in New Zealand, Australia or even Fiji where I can learn more about different stitch techniques and about the methods in creating my own textiles.
“I would also like to travel the world and see where all the best quality fabrics are made and visit famous designer shops and attend training workshops to improve my design sketches and to network with other designers.
“I am also hoping to participate in more Runway shows in PNG and overseas. At the moment, I am employed as the in-house designer for PNG Tailoring Ltd and collaborate my designs into the business but in the long run, I want start my own fashion boutique business with links to corporate attire.”
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
“In 10 years I see myself running my own business with a factory to create fashion garments and have it retailed through major clothing companies in Australia, America, Europe and Asia.
“I also want to create partnerships with other fashion businesses overseas to bring in quality fabric at affordable prices including other products to boost the PNG Fashion and Textile Industry.
“And establish a training program in partnership with the Government or an international aid organisation for aspiring designers and link them directly to an online platform to sell garments to international buyers.”
Challenges and a way forward
But the fashion industry is still young in Papua New Guinea and young designers have challenges.
“Firstly, quality raw materials in PNG are extremely expensive. This in turn affects emerging fashion designers because they don’t have the financial capacity to attain the materials and therefore cannot create garments.”
“Secondly, there are a limited number of fashion platforms currently in the country and the main ones are all based in Port Moresby.
“I believe we have so many talented individuals all around the nation that deserve to be recognised.
“So fashion platforms need to be taken to different major cities and townships. As domestic air travel is quite expensive, most designers cannot afford to travel to attend fashion platforms in Port Moresby and many miss out on this life changing experience.”
Sebastian also says that as a designer he would like to participate in more fashion events, runway shows and also design workshops and apprenticeship programmes locally and internationally.
What are some of the highlight of your designing career?
“Definitely featuring the Aneru collection in the 2018 PNG Fashion Week Runway.
“Others include: Designing a glamour gown and show opening piece for international singer-song writer and producer Lavina Williams for EMTV Vocal Fusion grand final 2018 and 2019; designing performance shirts for EMTV, 2018 Vocal Fusion Season 6 contestants; designing performance shirts for EMTV 2018 Vocal Fusion guest judge Josh Williams,; being selected by EMTV as the official designer for the 2018 Apec gala dinner, under artist Jay Lieasi who was the creative director; showcasing the Aneru Collection at the 2018 Melbourne Cup Fashion Runway; showcasing one of our Aneru gowns at the CHM Gift Shop at the Jacksons International Airport departure lounge for the month of February 2019; being guest designer to showcase at the first ever Enga Fashion Show in conjunction with the 2019 Enga Cultural Festival; and showcasing my latest clothing line, the Meanimo Collection at the 2019 Awakening Fashion Show held at the Apec Haus.”
Acknowledgements
“One of my greatest supporters was my late managing director Suzannah Davis; she believed in me and introduced me to the PNG fashion industry.
“She would invite me to attend special runway events in Port Moresby where her opinion was held highly and I will be forever grateful to her.
“I would also like to thank my family and friends who are and have always been my greatest supporters, they believed in my talent and gave me courage the courage to step into the fashion industry.
