Andrew Gn: Fashioning Singapore and the World
Special Exhibition
All Galleries
Level 3
Materials & Design
Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) presents Andrew Gn: Fashioning Singapore and the World, tracing the fashion journey of Andrew Gn, one of Singapore’s most prolific designers, and celebrates his major gift to ACM’s collection.
This is ACM’s largest showcase celebrating a contemporary Singapore fashion designer. Through five sections and over 100 representative works, this extraordinary retrospective exhibition explores Gn’s roots in Asia, cross-cultural expressions of Asian and Western art, and celebrates his distinctive aesthetics, craftsmanship, and global impact.
27 May 2023 - 17 September 2023
Daily - 10am - 7pm
Fridays - 10am - 9pm
Special Exhibitions Gallery, Level 2
Shaw Foyer, Level 2
Contemporary Gallery, Level 1
Ticketed
27 May 2023 - 17 September 2023
Daily - 10am - 7pm
Fridays - 10am - 9pm
Special Exhibitions Gallery, Level 2
Shaw Foyer, Level 2
Contemporary Gallery, Level 1
Ticketed
Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) presents Andrew Gn: Fashioning Singapore and the World, tracing the fashion journey of Andrew Gn, one of Singapore’s most prolific designers, and celebrates his major gift to ACM’s collection.
This is ACM’s largest showcase celebrating a contemporary Singapore fashion designer. Through five sections and over 100 representative works, this extraordinary retrospective exhibition explores Gn’s roots in Asia, cross-cultural expressions of Asian and Western art, and celebrates his distinctive aesthetics, craftsmanship, and global impact.
Cross-cultural inspirations and influences
The exhibition takes a closer look at Gn’s diverse sources of inspiration including art,
fashion, literature, film, and his Singaporean roots, and how they offer a wealth of
access points for audiences to diverse cultures and discourses surrounding Asia.
Echoing Singapore’s history as a cross-cultural port city, Gn’s works display a
convergence of Asian and Western influences, and features reinterpretations of Asian
cultures including Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian, and his Peranakan heritage.
Gn’s inspirations include imperial and export porcelain, textiles, batik, iznik and other
forms of hybrid design material culture. Traditional motifs and textile-making techniques
also feature in his contemporary creations.
Gn has also been inspired by vibrant themes of nature, from corals and florals to his
signature butterflies, often meticulously hand-painted and printed on garments.
With these more inclusive and contemporary representations of Asia and fashion, the
exhibition looks to inspire the next generation to preserve their design legacies.
Inside the designer’s mind and studio
At the Contemporary Gallery, the exhibition features an almost-exact replica of Gn’s
atelier in Paris, where his designs are birthed, experimented and materialised. Often
called “demi-couture”, Gn’s ready-to-wear designs bear the quality and essence of
couture, with many elements done in-house – from designing fabrics, embroideries,
buttons and trimmings. This holistic design process reveals the exceptional artistry and
craftsmanship that define the House of Andrew Gn. This section of the exhibition is free
for all ACM visitors.
Empowering influential women globally through fashion
From Asia, Europe, Middle East to North America, Gn’s exquisite high-end, ready to
wear creations have adorned powerful women in politics, high society, and the
entertainment industry, such as Emma Stone, Fan Bing Bing, Maggie Cheung, Kareena
Kapoor, Kit Chan, Lady Gaga, Lily Collins, Princess Alessandra of Hannover, Queen
Rania of Jordan and Yang Mi.
Delve into the world of design and fashion
Continuing efforts to engage contemporary audiences using digital initiatives, this
exhibition introduces “Fashion Try-On”, an interactive, multimedia experience that
provides a personalised touch for visitors discovering Andrew Gn’s fashion journey.
Using RFID technology, visitors can collect motifs that are iconic of the House of
Andrew Gn, such as the butterfly and coral. These motifs are scattered throughout the
various exhibition spaces, and a paper sculpture feature wall by paper artist Dawn Koh
at the Take Flight interpretive space.
At the end of their journey, motifs collected can be
used to create personalised outfits that visitors can model at multimedia augmented
reality kiosks situated at the Contemporary Gallery. Visitors may keep their self-
designed outfits through printed and digital photographs.
Alongside this in-exhibition interactive RFID experience, ACM will also organise a series
of complementary family-friendly programmes, guided tours, lectures and weekend
festivals. This includes a special lecture by the designer Andrew Gn himself, in
conversation with Senior Curator, Fashion and Textiles, ACM and Peranakan Museum
Jackie Yoong, and Fashion Curator and Head of School of Fashion at LASALLE College of the Arts, Circe Henestrosa.
Ballgown with tulips, carnations and saz leaves Resort 2016
Ballgown with tulips, carnations and saz leaves Resort 2016
Polyester-cotton jacquard, embroidered silk
thread, sequins;
The floral designs on this gown appear to
sway to a gentle breeze, dynamically
wrapping around the body. Embroidered in
bright shades of blue, green, and red, they
resemble those from ceramics, produced in
the town of Iznik, Turkey from the late 15th
to 17th century. Gardens and flowers were
important visual elements in the Islamic arts
of Ottoman Turkey (around 1299–1922),
especially tulips, which symbolised beauty
and paradise. The ballgown was worn by
Fan Bing Bing for the September issue of
Vogue Taiwan in 2015
Sleeveless mini dress, jacket with "pagoda" shoulders
Sleeveless mini dress, jacket with "pagoda" shoulders
Hope and Glory Collection,
Fall-Winter 2021
Dress: acetate, viscose; jacket: wool,
embroidered glass beads, metal
The decorative buttons on this dress were
inspired by jewelled brooches worn by
Peranakans, called kerosang. In sets of
three, the brooches were used to fasten the
sarong kebaya, worn in the Malay-Indonesia world since the 17th century. Both Andrew’s
mother and Peranakan grandmother wore
versions of it during his childhood. Lily
Collins appears in the dress in the eighth
episode of Emily in Paris, noted for its
depictions of fashion.
Shift dress with waterlilies
Shift dress with waterlilies
Nippon and Memphis Collection
Spring-Summer 2015
Silk-polyester, embroidered glass beads,
sequins
This sparkling dress catches the light when
in motion. It was inspired by Claude Monet’s
Water Lilies, a series of almost 250
impressionist paintings that contemplate the
interplay of light, water, colour, sky, and flowers at Monet’s garden in Giverny,
France. As with many impressionist works,
the key motifs become clearer the farther
away they are viewed.
Coat with corals
Coat with corals
Hommage a Tony Duquette Collection
Spring-Summer 2005
Linen, embroidered glass beads, sequins
Fully beaded with sequins and clusters of
pearls and coral, this coat is one of Andrew
Gn’s most elaborately embroidered works. It
represents the intricate workmanship of a
small, highly skilled atelier in northern
France that works with select high fashion
labels. Such ateliers are increasingly rare in
France — this one has since ceased
operations.
Programmes
Look out for upcoming programmes' registration details on our website or at acmevents.peatix.com.
Take Flight
Take Flight
27 May–17 Sep 2023
Museum operating hours
Free admission
Collect Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
bracelet and collect all ten motifs hidden around the galleries. Design and model your own Andrew Gn-
inspired masterpiece. Then, see Andrew Gn’s
watercolour butterflies come to life through the
work of artist Koh Dawn. Make and decorate your
own collar, try your hand at basic darting, and catch
an exclusive video introduction to Andrew Gn.
About Koh Dawn
Koh Dawn is a self-taught paper artist from
Singapore. After graduating from the London College
of Fashion, she experimented with combining her
childhood love of paper art with couture. Dawn
enjoys working with her hands and sustainable,
archival-quality papers and inks. She is fascinated by
the transformative power and timelessness of
nature and symbols, using them as a platform to
weave stories into her art. Her work also explores
human connections and the natural world.
Activity Trail Booklet
Activity Trail Booklet
My Fashion Design Journal
27 May–17 Sep 2023
Recommended for ages 7 and up
Free; available onsite or download here
Pick up an activity trail booklet, learn more about
the design and craftsmanship behind Andrew Gn’s
creations, and complete your very own fashion
design journal.
Suitable for ages 7 and up.
Crossing Cultures: Made by Hand
Crossing Cultures: Made by Hand
2–4 June; 4–9pm
Free admission to most activities
Discounted $10 entry into the Andrew
Gn: Fashioning Singapore and the World
special exhibition.
Fall in love with Asian craftsmanship, with a
weekend dedicated to handmade creations. Dive
deep into traditions and techniques, and pick up
newfound skills from modern-day artisans and
creatives.
Fashion Playground: Andrew Gn Weekend Festival
Fashion Playground: Andrew Gn Weekend Festival
15–16 July; 1–9pm
Free admission to most activities.
Discounted $10 entry into the Andrew
Gn: Fashioning Singapore and the World
special exhibition.
For one weekend only, ACM is rolling out the red
carpet for a festival you can’t miss. Get your hands
busy at craft workshops on pattern-making,
embroidery, and jewellery-making. Then, level up at
our fashion showcase on styling, gem appreciation,
and more!
ACM Adventures: Costume Party
ACM Adventures: Costume Party
Sunday, 25 June; 11am–3pm
Discounted $10 entry into the Andrew
Gn: Fashioning Singapore and the World
special exhibition.
Dress up in fun outfits for this month’s ACM
Adventures! Get creative and design fashionable
clothes inspired by Asian textiles, and join us for a
drama performance and storytelling session in the
galleries!
Andrew Gn: Curator Tours
Andrew Gn: Curator Tours
30 Jun, 25 Aug 2023; 7.30pm
$25 per participant
Join senior curator Jackie Yoong on an exclusive tour
of the Andrew Gn: Fashioning Singapore and the
World special exhibition to discover fascinating facts
about the works on display and get behind-the-
scenes insights into the curating of the exhibition.
ACM and Anima Mundi: Chinese Christian art from the Vatican Museums
Exhibitions In-Museum
From 1 October 2022
ACM welcomes a selection of Chinese Christian art from the Vatican Museums in Rome, in its latest rotation of the Christian Art Gallery. Drawn from the Anima Mundi (meaning “Soul of the World”), these are little-known treasures of Christian art made in Asia.
Textile Masters to the World: the global desire for Indian Cloth
Exhibitions In-Museum
From 24 March 2023
Spotlighting the historic global impact of textile productions in India, and its role as evidence of trade and cultural exchange between India and regions such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe from the 14th to 19th century.
