Graduate Spotlight: PINKSALT's Chanced Encounter

TaF.tc graduates Belinda and Su May never foresaw how their lives would change upon their chanced meeting during their Diploma programme at TaF.tc. The girls, although years apart in age, bonded remarkably over their love for Fashion. Today, the unbeatable duo are successful owners of their homegrown swimwear label, PINKSALT.

We got the chance to speak to Su May this week, and she shed a bit of light on the PINKSALT story.

1. Tell me the story of how PINKSALT was born. What inspired you to take the leap and how did you decide on swimwear?

Belinda approached me with the idea of starting a modern swimwear line after we graduated from TaF.tc. She had just moved back to Singapore from London and could not find any good options for swimwear here. I thought it would be a good business opportunity as I felt that the market only offered string bikinis with very little coverage or sporty speedo swimsuits. There weren't really any stylish options for swimwear at that time.

2. Which programmes did you take at TaF.tc and how did it play a part in starting and growing your brand?

Belinda was pursuing TaF.tc's Diploma in Apparel Design and Product Development while I took TaF.tc's Merchandising and Marketing (rebranded to Fashion Business), however there were some modules that crossed over and we met during those classes. There were a lot of practical things that we learnt like drawing digital silhouettes, crafting press releases, and learning about technical specification sheets for manufacturing, which were all really important for starting the brand.

3. Being a local Fashion brand, what are the challenges you faced breaking into the local fashion scene? How did you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges was not having our own retail space but we overcome this by stocking our products in Design Orchard, focusing more on our online store, and participating in pop-up events like Boutiques Fair.

4. What motivates your creative vision? What are you inspired by?

Almost anything can ignite a creative spark but I am mostly inspired by nature and varied landscapes in all forms, captured through time. My creative process is typically to design a collage using graphic elements and illustrations that is centered around a theme. The creative vision is usually a journey that begins with an intent that will move in unexpected directions to reveal a visual story within the print.

5. What do you think makes PINKSALT stand out from other local fashion brands?

I think our original prints coupled with the unique silhouettes and a focus on more coverage and versatility for swimwear makes our brand stand out from the rest.

6. What are the challenges of keeping a fashion business thriving during COVID-19?

The main challenge for us was the lack of pop-up events, especially for fashion labels without a retail presence. This made it very difficult for customers to check out our new collections and we could not meet and engage with them as well.

7. What are your hopes for PINKSALT in the next 5 years or so?

We hope to grow the brand beyond Singapore and expand our range to active wear and swimwear for kids as well.

8. What would be one advice you’d give to budding entrepreneurs who would want to start their own fashion brand as well?

My advice would be to get involved in a growing community within the industry for support, communal knowledge and shared experiences. I think it is key to survival in this local thriving industry.

Thank you Su May and Belinda; we're excited about what's in store in 2021! Check PINKSALT out at pinksaltswim.co, and if you're interested in the Fashion Diploma Programmes the girls took during their time at TaF.tc, contact us at 6011 8066 or drop us a WhatsApp!