Co-curating the blockbuster exhibition Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up (2018) at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum is something that’s close to the heart of Circe Henestrosa, who considers the Mexican painter an inspiration. Mexican-born Henestrosa is a fashion curator and head of the School of Fashion at the Lasalle College of the Arts. She also curated Appearances Can Be Deceiving: The Dresses of Frida Kahlo (2012) at The Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacán, Mexico.

For her work at Lasalle, Henestrosa has researched contemporary Asian fashion design and conducted research projects between Singapore, the Philippines, Cambodia and Korea. “Singapore is a very diverse country with [a] different mixture of cultures. And I think for the students being here in Singapore, by looking at all these different cultures, how can they mix everything in, and create something new out of that amazing heritage,” she notes.

Before becoming an academic, Henestrosa, who studied in Mexico and the UK, held senior arts management positions at the British Council. She worked on collaborations and co-productions with artists and designers, including Damien Hirst, Mona Hatoum, Jimmy Choo and Vivienne Westwood.