LASALLE students and lecturers at Skechers HQ in Singapore following the presentation of their T-shirt designs to the Skechers team.
While much of the work of an animation student exists only in the digital sphere, LASALLE’s Year 3 Diploma in Animation students received the unique opportunity to have their illustrations mass produced on T-shirts sold in Skechers stores.
In January 2025, the brief from Skechers called for students to work in groups to develop original T-shirt graphics that captured the essence of the ‘Californian vibe’ with a local spin, reflecting the company’s branding and heritage.
For the footwear and apparel company, it was their first foray into collaborating with homegrown creatives and a chance to tap into new young talent to produce wearables that authentically represent the art and perspectives of youth culture. For the students, it was a valuable opportunity to build their professional skills while collaborating with a globally recognised brand.
At stake was a cash prize of $1,500 for the first place design, as well as $800 for the first and second runners-up. All participating groups would also receive $500 worth of Skechers vouchers.
The students took roughly two weeks to develop their proposals, before heading into Skechers SEA headquarters to pitch their designs in-person to Zann Lee, Managing Director, Skechers SEA, Irene Lee, Senior General Manager, Skechers Singapore, Eileen Tan, Director of Marketing, Joey Aw, Product Manager and Serene Wong, Product Centre General Manager.
Animation lecturer Fanny Bratahalim, who oversaw the project, said, “The pitch session was a great success, and the Skechers staff expressed that they were very impressed by the design quality, creativity and professionalism of our students.”
One particular group especially impressed Skechers with their animated presentation, and their initiative to print their designs on T-shirts as proof of concept.
As the collaboration was integrated into the students’ Communication and Public Presentation module, the pitch process provided students with a real-world opportunity to put their communication skills to the test. Furthermore, not only will all three teams see their designs brought to life, but they will also see through the production process with Skechers, gaining a deeper understanding of how designs transition from concept to product.
