PERFECT CUT

Androgyny, according to Max Tan, is a state of mind, rather than simply dressing in the dress codes of the other gender. “I feel that androgyny goes beyond the visual outlook,” says the Singaporean designer. “It is not a woman in a suit, or a man in a dress. It needs to inform the persona; it is the way one carries themselves in an authentic manner.”

Having celebrated his namesake brand’s 10th anniversary last year, the designer is currently embarking on a creative hiatus to re-evaluate his mission as a designer based in Southeast Asia. He explains: “As a brand based in Singapore, the studio questions its position and contribution to the region’s fashion landscape. Our cuts are informed by Southeast Asian garment archetypes and I pay special attention to silhouettes and construction strategies.”

Many love his designs for their strong masculine influence and austere aesthetics that have attracted men as well, but the brand, Tan says, “remains a womenswear label today”.

Tan’s creative process is intriguing. Even as he designs for women, he explains that he does not think about the female body at all. “I like exploring the space between the garment and wearer. I guess this belief and methodology helps in providing a less gender-specific outlook to my designs.”

Having said that, the accomplished designer believes that gender still remains essential when it comes to practical decisions such as sizing and proportions. “Deconstruction, reconstruction, quiet sophistication and a focus on form is what we believe in. As different genders have extremely different body types, sizing is something that designers cannot neglect. The proportions simply do not work that way.”

Today, shoppers can find his brand at multi-label boutiques in the Middle East and Scandinavian cities. In Singapore, they can head to retail spaces such as Design Orchard and Society A to check out his works.