Lecturer
BA(Hons) Fashion Design and Textiles
School of Fashion
24 June 2016
Tell us a little about yourself – which country do you originate and how did you come to pursue the arts?
I was born in Romania (Eastern Europe). Before pursuing a career in the "realm" of visual expression, I studied, graduated and practised in the field of Pharmacy.
My interest in nature and its wonders from a young age might have been the motor that pushed me to pursue a another degree programme in Design after attaining a Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy. I discovered my interest in fashion and costume design while I was working as a freelance creative for various Romanian and international advertising companies, theatres and cultural organisations. This led me to pursue a Masters in Fashion Design and Technology at London College of Fashion where I learnt garment-making and broadened my knowledge about the Fashion industry.
What made you decide to be an arts educator?
My parents are teachers themselves and I believe this might be my motivating factor subconsciously. Teaching is bidirectional; when sharing their knowledge, the lecturer is also receiving information from his students at the same time.
I believe that an educator should be someone who is constantly striving to learn from and share his knowledge with others; this is why I opted for this career and after years of work I have the same strong motivation.
Briefly describe your experience at LASALLE and share with us a memorable/rewarding experience in your time at LASALLE.
On my first day at LASALLE, I was very happy to discover kind, welcoming and professional people! What’s great is that, even after two years of teaching in the college, I experience the same positive vibes.
The most rewarding experience for me is knowing that my students are always willing to learn and open to feedback.
What are you passionate about besides your work, what keeps you curious?
I have always been keen to explore the world, discover new cultures, try unfamilar cuisines and experience different lifestyles; being in Singapore and Southeast Asia has offered me this amazing opportunity!
I believe that a contemporary designer or educator has to be a "sponge"; to absorb the most from everyday interactions, filter and process in order to respond with the best outcomes.
What's coming up next in your professional practice/research?
In my research, I am looking at fashion and fashion artefacts, along with their close relation to the human body (always perceived as body extensions). I have been using various methods and designing approaches together with investigations of technical manufacture processes to question when will an aesthetic value of a "garment / accessory" becomes detrimental for its acceptance as a functional designed piece by the public.
The current project that I am working on looks at the starting point of the fractal evolution of beings. I have translated this evolution to hats and have designed them with the aim of developing modular pieces.
Some of the following images are example of the project, titled Generations v.
Read more about Dinu here.
