5Qs with: Latika Alok, clothing designer

Is it safe to say that Glitterateen is targetting the pre-teen crowd?

Actually, it’s for seven- to 16-year olds. We’re going to fill that niche where you’ve got the girls who’ve grown out of the Barbie stage but don’t have the physique to shop in the adult section. You can’t do bustiers, because they don’t have boobs yet to hold it up, so you have to use elastic [bands], things like that.

Tell me about these dresses? [Points to a rack of gowns.]

Oh, these [pulls out two sheer organza dresses, one adult and one kid-sized], are what I call our ‘minicouture’ dresses for both mum and daughter. The whole boutique is set up to be a mum-and-daughter shopping and bonding experience.

Wait – is this one a shirt or a skirt? [Pulls out very small, slinky piece of material.]

It’s actually a dress, can you believe it? But when you pull it down [demonstrates how stretchy it is], it’s really quite lovely.

And it’s for daughter or mum?

Well, I suppose a mum could wear it if, you know, she was small enough…

Do you think that these clothes might make the girls look sexy beyond their years?

No, no, that’s not what I’m out to do. We’re going to be very conscious of making sure our designs are suitable for that age group. And, actually it would defeat the purpose, because the mums wouldn’t let them buy it. I would never let my daughter wear something too sexy or revealing. But I think we need to be aware that dresses for these young girls are really changing. They want nice colours, nice fabrics and to look sexy, and we’ll be there to fill that gap.

From $35-$300.

Get it from Glitterati (Add: 310 Phoenix Park off Tanglin Road; Tel: 6235 7151)