Olivia Lee is the multifaceted design expert now at the helm of her own eponymous practice

A graduate of Central Saint Martins BA (Hons) Product Design, Olivia Lee is a multi-hyphenate that combines her experiences in London with her Singaporean roots to establish a culturally nuanced design practice in the heart of South-east Asia.

What elements do you believe are essential for Singapore to establish a distinct and recognisable identity?

We already have a very distinct and recognisable creative identity. It is in the quality, intensity and rigour of our most talented designers and artists here. The best of us are already world- class, and our creative signatures go beyond  visual shorthand and national codes.

I believe that Singapore creatives inherently carry the country’s flag as they push the boundaries of their own practice, so there is no need to be overt about it. We are not a homogeneous bloc of creatives with a unified visual brand identity. 

How can Singapore leverage its unique multicultural heritage and blend it with technology to create a truly Singaporean aesthetic in art and design?

One only needs to take stock of the state of  the world, to appreciate that Singapore by- and-large has done an incredible job fostering  diversity and multiculturalism. The best examples of work expressing our unique Singaporean circumstances have been organic and authentic. One is Govindharaj Muthiah’s bespoke chair for Pope Francis during his 2024 visit to Singapore. Govindharaj, a carpenter and  practising Hindu, approached temples and mosques for leftover lumber. He then designed and handmade a chair repurposed from all this material.

Work like this makes my heart sing, and I’m super proud to be Singaporean.

Another example is a project by NUS Division of Industrial Design graduate Nazurah Rohayat, who trained an AI model on hundreds of images of heritage prints to create new iconic fabric patterns that embody our cultural diversity. Her prints were turned into garments and worn by a politician during National Day last year.

What is the relationship between education and the development of a unique design identity?

We need a serious rethink on what education should look like in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), auto-complete and automation. Our education system focuses on developing kids who are good at providing answers. This has been important and valuable for a long time. However, things will change with prompt engineering and the race towards General Artificial Intelligence. There will be thinking machines who can generate answers much faster than we can. So, what then?

If you had unlimited resources, how would you cultivate a unique and thriving fashion ecosystem in Singapore?

I would establish an independent creative fund that provides grants and residencies for emerging and mature talent. It would cover the areas of creative development that are beyond limits for publicly-funded programmes. The nomination and awarding process would function similarly to the MacArthur Fellows Program in America, with a confidential and anonymous selection committee composed of international creative leaders and practitioners. There would be no bonds, and no restrictions on creative outcomes, apart from doing no harm. Successful recipients would receive mentorship and residency support from a separate known network of established creatives.  

Brought to you in partnership with Singtel, the inspiring Innovators featured in our SG60 issue are women who are driving Singapore’s progress through their bold choices and achievements. With their stories of resilience, reinvention and selflessness, we hope to inspire and empower the next generation of women to take charge of their paths and turn possibilities into reality. Singtel wishes all women a Happy International Women’s Day and Happy SG60.

To learn more about the 60 women who have shaped Singapore as we know it today, click here.