What fuels the creative spirit? Passion – that’s right! Through Passion Pursuits, our short-form documentary series, we’re celebrating the diverse talents of Singaporeans who have overcome challenges and forged their own paths in the creative industry. This time, we’re focusing on Sherrysicle, a Singaporean fashion designer fulfilling her dreams, one stitch at a time!
Sherry Ho always knew she wanted to be a fashion designer. It wasn’t just a childhood fantasy – it was something deeply innate, something that had been woven into the very fabric of her upbringing – no pun intended.
“My mother studied fashion and my father works as an art dealer, so I’ve always been surrounded by art,” she shares in an interview with FEMALE. “Ever since I could hold a pencil, I was drawing. My mother taught me how to sew before I even started primary school. I’d make tiny clothes for my Barbie dolls, and I remember being seven years old, standing in front of my class during show-and-tell, declaring that I was going to be a fashion designer when I grew up.”
Now, at just 20 years old, Sherrysicle is doing exactly that.
Sherry – better known online as Sherrysicle – is living her dream, becoming a rising name in the digital fashion space and amassing over 77.4K followers and 5.8 million likes on TikTok. Her content provides a raw, behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be a fashion student, a creator, and a young designer navigating an industry that can be equal parts inspiring and unforgiving.
Her journey gained traction when she started documenting the process of creating her final-year project for her diploma in Apparel Design and Merchandising at Temasek Polytechnic. What began as a personal archive quickly turned into something much bigger—an honest, unfiltered glimpse into an industry that’s notoriously gatekept.
“I think my page appeals to people because going into fashion design is a dream for many, but it can feel inaccessible,” she says in one of her TikToks. “What I provide is a real, behind-the-scenes look at it.”
But while TikTok propelled her into the spotlight, it also came with its own set of challenges. For every aspiring fashion student who finds inspiration in her content, there’s an industry professional who doesn’t take her seriously.
“I actually haven’t gotten many fashion-related opportunities from TikTok,” she admits. “In fact, I find that some people in the industry look down on me for doing TikTok, which is why I’m trying to be more active on Instagram.”
It’s a frustrating reality – especially considering how much TikTok has helped her career in other ways. Through the platform, Sherrysicle has been able to find models for her school fashion shows – something that would have been far more difficult through traditional channels.
“I’m really grateful for my audience volunteering themselves,” she says. “I wouldn’t have been able to assemble such a diverse cast otherwise.” Despite the stigma, she embraces TikTok’s global reach. “The best thing about TikTok is the algorithm…I’ve been able to reach people from all over the world.”
But that global reach also meant that when she made the decision to leave Singapore and pursue further studies in New York, people were watching.
Fashion in Singapore, according to Sherry, is complicated. “Singapore is a judgy country,” she says bluntly in one of her TikToks. While talent exists, the creative industry isn’t always the most sustainable path, especially in fashion.
However, when she moved to New York to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) things started to shift! She’s a straight-A student, thriving in an environment where her creativity is allowed to bloom! The people she meets, the experiences she’s had, the sheer possibilities that come with being in one of the world’s fashion capitals – it’s a stark contrast to her time in Singapore. However, that doesn’t mean it’s been smooth sailing.
One harsh lesson Sherrysicle learnt was getting her work taken advantage of during New York Fashion Week. She had loaned some of her designs to someone who had promised her NYFW tickets in return – but they never came. When she finally got her clothes back, they were damaged.
Additionally, she faces hate comments online, but she deals with it by laughing them off. “The funniest comments are actually hate comments…honestly, when you receive a hate comment that’s when you know you’ve made it,” she shared.
Building a Community
Through it all, what keeps Sherrysicle going is the community she’s built online.
She’s inspired by creators like Raynecorp, a writer who shares essays; Madeline Pendleton , a content creator who gives life advice; and Rian, a fashion creator whose insights Sherry deeply admires. In turn, she’s received messages from young designers who see themselves in her journey and who feel less alone in their struggles because of her content.
She’s even used her skills to create for others, like the time she made a prom dress for her sister, a moment that resonated deeply with her audience! Her work has been described as “Shushu Tong-esque”, a nod to one of her biggest inspirations. She also cites Dilara Findikoglu, Alexander McQueen, Simone Rocha, John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, and Mimi Wade as some of her favourite designers. (Mimi even once gave her an interview for a school project!)
With 2024 already filled with accomplishments, the future looks bright for Sherrysicle! She’s thriving at FIT, connecting with people she never could have met in Singapore, and proving that there’s more than one path to success in fashion.
While many fashion students struggle to get their work noticed, Sherrysicle’s designs have already made it onto a runway in FIT! She was even featured in MEN’S FOLIO Singapore, a testament to just how far she’s come since her Barbie-doll-dressing days.
Once a student at Temasek Polytechnic, making fashion TikToks, just trying to figure things out. Now, she’s living the life she once dreamed of – one stitch, one sketch, one TikTok at a time.
For every young designer watching her journey, she’s proof that fashion isn’t just for the privileged few, it’s for anyone with the passion to make it happen!
Waiting for More?
Want to get to know Sherrysicle a little better? Watch the full episode on the Passion Pursuits YouTube channel, where she packs for her move to FIT while talking about her fashion journey online!
For more inspiring stories from Singapore’s creative scene, subscribe to Passion Pursuits and follow Passion Pursuits on Instagram!
Cover image by Passion Pursuits
