The 30 Singapore designers you need to know about: Part 2

My 30th birthday (or 29A as one of my friends would call it) celebrations went very well for those of you who are interested.

But onto the more serious business of part 2 of my 30 at 30. That's my list of the 30 singaporean labels you really should know.

You can see part one of the 30 Singapore designers you need to know about here but below you'll find 10 more of the hottest labels from the little red dot. I will post the final part on Friday so you all have something to digest over the weekend :-).

Enjoy. And don't forget to let me know which labels you love the most in the comments section.

UPDATE: Here is a link to part three of the 30 Singapore designers you need to know about.

I was delighted to be the first to get my hands on these KAE HANA
pixel floral leggings before they officially went on sale!
 (Photo by Franz from lilreddotfolks.com)

The 30 Singapore designers you need to know about: Part 1

Today is a huge (and depressing day) for me.

It’s my 30^th birthday, and to help me officially mourn the passing of my youth I thought I’d do some shameless promotion of my favourite Singaporean labels and designers.

So here it is. 30 at 30 if you like. My guide to 30 labels from Singapore that you really should be paying attention to. I’ve added links to those who have websites so you can find out more about each one.

I hope this little birthday gift from me to you gives you as much joy as discovering these talented designers has (and if anyone wants to buy me a birthday gift, they can find some hints in there haha).

But as 30 is a bit much to digest in one go (not to mention very tiring to post!!), I’ll split it into three posts over days. Here is part one of three - in no particular order. Enjoy!

PS – I have avoided putting in the Singapore fashion giants like Charles and Keith, so don’t email me asking where they are :-)

PPS - Here is a link to part two of the 30 Singapore designers you need to know about, and this link will take you to the final 10 in the list.

Yes I'm 30! and can't get enough of the awesome Singapore labels
like this MAE PANG top which I love! (Thx again to John Tan for the pic!)

Bonjour Beirut: Mira Hayek's year round summer fun

One of the best things about living in Singapore (although I’m sure plenty will disagree) is the fact that it’s pretty much summer all year round.

And that means one thing. Summery clothes 365 days a year too!

I’m talking vibrant colours, colour blocking galore and generally embracing that wonderful mood you have when the sun is shining and life is good.

Mira Hayek's dresses are anything but dull

Flower Power: Jakarta-based Nikicio does floral prints with an edge

While all kinds of prints are a big trend this season, I’m a little skeptic when it comes to florals.

I love colouful clothes but florals are just too girly most of the time, which for me is not exactly a good thing. It risks feeling a little too country and amateurish.

In order for floral prints to work, they have to have a slight edge or at least the cut has to add an contrasting or complementing  dimention to prevent you from looking like a walking garden.

Luckily one particular Asian label is doing florals this season and is doing it well. This is Jakarta-based Nikicio whose collection for this summer is exploding with prints – but in a good way.

Florals head-to-toe don't mean country - at least not with these
tailored ad edgy Nikicio pieces!

Weekend Want: 6 top picks from Future Fashion Now

If you’ve ever shopped online then you probably know how much of a bittersweet experience it can be.

Unlike the real thing, there is no instant pleasure when you click the button or the thrill of browsing and luxuriating in the touch of a beautiful fabric.

But when your purchases are on the way, nothing beats the anticipation of waiting for that box to arrive and opening that package to see and feel it for the first time. It has that Christmassy feeling all over.

And even though e-commerce sites selling Asian designers are springing up faster than pop-up shops these days, most of them are still operating under more or less the same concept. However the newest kid in town tries to make it as interactive an experience as possible, allowing you to watch catwalk shows live and pre-order the pieces you like straight after they showed on the runway.

Future Fashion Now is making it possible to pre-order pieces from
emerging designers like MAE PANG's latest collection

Bonjour Beirut: Azzi and Osta and the battle against bling!

If the national dress in Singapore is hotpants and t-shirt, Beirut’s is a ball gown!

It’s a nation where one popular saying is ‘borrow money to dress up’, seeing someone dressed up to the nines just to cross the road to the grocery shop is not an uncommon sight. In some places you have to see it to believe your eyes!

It’s no surprise that there are dozens of designers specializing in evening wear and glamorous dresses. From  Elie Saab, to Rabih Kayrouz and Georges Chakra.

While some designers go seriously OTT and bling it like there is no tomorrow, others, namely the new generation, have stuck to a much more modern and stylish approach to glamour – understated elegance.

The perfect example of such designers and probably the forerunners for such style are Georges Azzi and Assaad Osta, whose label Azzi & Osta is gaining popularity and changing people’s views on what is glamorous in Beirut.

A breath-taking bridal creation from Azzi and Osta

Quirky and edgy Singapore label? AMEN to that!

It takes a lot of courage for new labels in Singapore to throw out the populist rulebook and decide to go their own way from the off.

Well, one such label is AMEN, traditionally accessories label that has branched out and released their  first clothing line, Femme with the debut  collection called Transmission.

Clinton Leicester and Nicole Wong, the couple behind AMEN, are not your average Singaporean label, and only one of them comes from fashion design background.

One look at their bold personal look followed by a glance at their quirky designs is enough to tell you that they basically design stuff they would actually wear.

Suited for Success: unusual and quirky, I'm loving this look which sadly
I could never pull off!

Blueprint Singapore: 7 emerging labels to lust after

And so it’s over in flash. Singapore’s biggest week of fashion was over far too soon.

And despite the AFF shows stealing the spotlight last week, there was one event which I was very keen on attending: The Blueprint tradeshow.

Unlike the emporium, the tradeshow is not a place to shop but it’s a closed exhibition for labels and buyers to interact; and for emerging designers to bag some regional or international stockists which would help their labels grow.

As a member of the media (who got selected invites), I was present on Thursday and Friday and it was one of the most interesting events I’ve been to in Singapore so far. I got to discover and spot some amazing Asian and emerging labels which have all what it takes to be the next big thing.

New Indonesian label TOTON simply blew me away at Blueprint...
From clothes to accessories and shoes, every piece looked stunning!

Audi Fashion Festival: Singapore designers dress and impress

 Apart from the Parco next NEXT designers’ show, (yup the one I was in!), Singaporean designers had a fair share of spotlight this year at Audi Fashion Festival.

Of course I would have loved to see more of the local labels represented but the turnout and the vibe was good start – and hopefully a platform for what is an incredibly strong bunch of labels this year.

The main show I went to was Singapore designers showcase which featured 3 labels: Saturday, Depression and a.w.o.l. – I also made it to see alldressedup’s show after label owners Lionel Leo and Tina Tan-Leo kindly invited me.

alldressedup provided one of the highlights of the show with their elegant,
wearable but slightly edgy collection

Max Tan fashion film Crane Wife wins award

You may remember a while back that I wrote about Singapore label Max Tan's releasing a short fashion film to accompany their latest collection.

Well I'm pleased to report that 'Crane Wife' has already won an award.

The Allysa Sing directed short won the originality prize at the Very Short International Film Festival held here in Singapore.


Crane Wife from strangexperiments on Vimeo.

Threadbare & Squirrel: Haven for Singapore Designers

From the strapline of my blog, you would have guessed that Haji Lane is one of my favourite parts of town. No, not because of the sheesha cafes but the cool independent shophouse-boutiques which give this tiny alley its quirky and laid-back atmosphere – unlike lookalike malls-infested Orchard Road.

But despite the street’s unique indie character, I was disappointed on a recent visit when I saw more boutiques selling generic blogshop-type clothes than the local designers and unique finds, which made this street popular in the first place.

Only a handful of shops remain true to what this independent shopping heaven stands for – one of them is Threadbare and Squirrel, a multi-label boutique which has recently relocated to the adjacent Bali Lane to distinguish itself from the clone shops which are increasing day by day on the stretch of Haji and everywhere else in the city.

Display of the newly-stocked local labels at Threadbare & Squirrel: A.K.A. Wayward,
LION EARL, Primary and ZAAK.

Bonjour Beirut: Introducing Singapore to Lebanese labels

Bonjour my Singapore friends!


As you know I have been back home in Lebanon for the past fortnight. But that doesn't mean the fashion wheel stopped turning.


As well as updating my blog, I've been catching up on the latest labels and trends from back home. Once I'm back I'll post a weekly series on Beirut's hottest labels. Hopefully it will be of interest to you all!

As a starter, I'll just do a few introductory sentences - with some photos of course - to show you what's in store and to compel you to keep watching. Kind of like those ads for the terrible movies on Channel 5, but with fewer CGI giant sharks.


I'll start with Sarah's Bag. This label is a phenomenon in the Middle East and I think it would go down a storm in Singapore. It's being carried by all the famous Arab celebs including Queen Rania of Jordan.

Sarah's bag is a Lebanese success story, handmade bags with a wonderful backstory

There is a beautiful story behind the label which I'll share with you when I post. It's certainly not your ordinary fashion brand. In the meantime here is a picture of one of their latest bags inspired by Africa. Hot right?


On the other hand, Azzi and Osta are some of the new hot designers in Lebanon, making custom pieces from pret-a-porter to couture style. They're inspired by vintage cuts and their work is a world away from the Zuhair Murad style of overstated glamour. I've spoken to the designers and will be featuring the label in the blog soon.

As incubators go, Singapore has tonnes of enthusiasm but not quite so much know how. I think the powers that be could learn a lot from Starch, Lebanon's version of ParcoNEXTnext if you like.

Azzi and Osta - I wanted to steal this dress and smuggle it to Singapore!!



With designers Malaika and Dina Khalife at the opening of Starch Boutique



Dina Khalife's printed scarves - even my old classmate is a fashion designer now!

The project was conceived and started by one of Lebanon's most celebrated designers (which I guess gives you a clue as to why it works so well) Rabih Kayrouz. So it's lovely to see that once these guys hit the big time and start dressing A-listers, they don't forget where they came from.


I attended the re-opening of the space last week and it was an eye-opener, I'll be writing about new designers such as Malaika who does amazing contemporary accessories focusing on raw material and unusual technique and Dina Khalife, who was my classmate throughout university and is now producing scarves, tops, dresses and skirts in her amazing original prints.


There will be other things to come to - but I'll leave you with a nice family photo of my beautiful sister Ghenwa. Just to prove that huge hair runs in the family ;-)


It's been wonderful spending time back in Beirut, but I'm really looking forward to getting back to Singapore this week. So many events and so much to write about it seems!! I've missed you!!

Super curly sisters. Me and my sister Ghenwa relaxing at her place in Beirut

Stunning underwater shot from Singapore photographer Cornelyus Tan

You may remember some time back I introduced you to a friend of mine who I billed as an up and coming young photographer.

Well it seems that young Cornelyus Tan has already upped and moved on from doing shoots to help promote bloggers who have zero modelling skills :-)

Take a look at this photo that he shot in the pool in my building over the weekend. The shoot (which was a collaboration with Leonard Chua from Pix Story) wasn't for a label so it has nothing to do with anything that I'd ordinarily be interested in promoting.

I was just amazed at the beautiful picture that emerged from the session and wanted to share it with you all.

A Siamese fighting fish/mermaid hybrid in my swimming pool!

EXCLUSIVE: The clouds are here, but the SS2012 Depression has lifted

I've made no secret of the fact that I think Depression is one of Singapore's best labels.

The design duo of Kenny Lim and Andrew Loh have been making waves both at home and abroad over the past year with their indefinable brand of edgy but cutesy streetwear.


Their current collection made it into the pages of Vogue and saw Black Eyed Peas superstar Taboo become their highest profile customer.

Now the brand is back with their SS2012 collection "CLOUDING OF CONSCIOUSNESS" and I've been lucky enough to have been given an exclusive sneak preview of the entire collection.

There are blue skies ahead for Singapore's Depression label

Why I'm proud to be a B.A.D. girl

I have a confession to make. I'm a B.A.D. girl!

But it’s nothing to be ashamed of, and the reason I'm leaving the country for a couple of weeks has nothing to do with being kicked out. In fact, it's something I'm rather pleased about.

Because being a B.A.D. girl means I'm Backing Asian Designers. It's a new initiative to raise awareness of emerging local talents in the region and encouraging people to go out and shop local. 

B.A.D has been launched by Singapore-based website Shopthemag.com, the luxury e-commerce site bringing you the crème de la crème of Asian designers. From Thailand to Vietnam, India, Hong Kong, Indonesia and of course Singapore - the breadth of coverage is pretty impressive.

Among the Asian labels on shopthemag.com is the awesome Thai label
Second Issue (remember it here?) from which this gorgeous dress is.

Weekend want(s): HOT picks from Parco next NEXT's 18 new labels – launching tomorrow the 14th of April!

In some places I've lived, supporting local fashion is an act of charity, cheering for uninspired rich kids playing at being designer.
But make no mistake. The scene in Singapore is more like London than Dubai. These new kids on the block have got the talent by the bucket!
From funky streetwear to perfectly-tailored work attire, original prints, and glamorous sharp cut frocks, the third batch of new designers at Parco next NEXT have got it all covered in their maiden collections which launch officially tomorrow, Saturday.
Despite having seen – and shopped – some of the collections this week, I’m looking forward to the launch party which will be the second Parco launch I go to since moving to Singapore (see here my first launch review).

One of my first purchases from the new designers at Parco next NEXT
is this cute t-shirt dress from MASH UP. Totally my style, Love it!!!

The Society of Black Sheep: Bringing a real edge to Singapore's fashion scene

I love edgy fashion. In fact I admire people who wear it so confidently and pull it off so easily. Maybe you don’t see so much in Singapore but if there was anyone to dare, they wouldn’t find a better place to get those cutting edge pieces than The Society of Black Sheep boutique in MBS.

It is the last place you'd expect to find edgy fashion. The kind of boutique that wouldn't look out of place in Notting Hill or Greenwich Village and here it is, next door to the Gucci and Prada superstores in The Shoppes at MBS.

While I am really not edgy by nature, I’m rather adventurous in my sense of style and always up for experimenting and trying different styles on. Boring is definitely not an option here!

Granny's Day Out: Singapore's hidden vintage gem

Despite its recent popularity and return in Vogue (thank you Kate Moss!), vintage is still an enigma for a lot of people who until today are hesitant to try it.

Some flatly refuse the concept and consider vintage no different than any second hand rags (yup back home they do!). 

And despite liking the idea of it, others just simply don’t know how to wear vintage and get confused with all the colours, styles and patterns and shy away to avoid looking like a costume character from an era long gone!

An eternal lover of everything vintage (from my wedding dress to my mom’s frocks, bags and shoes…) I am here to help! And I found just the right place to show you some tips and tricks in rocking vintage. 

Playing Dress Up at Nostalgia Queen Vintage

I’m always happy to hear feedback on my blog and people seem to notice that I do put a lot of work into it i.e. it is not one of those lazy press release publishing blogs, and I do chase content instead of waiting for it to drop in my lately overflowing inbox.

But looking for interesting and fun content is not always easy especially that I’ve been working non-stop these days! So I decided to use my very little free time this week to… just have fun and get inspired!

And what a better place to do that than booking an appointment at my next-door neighbor vintage shop Nostalgia Queen Vintage to try on her newest attainable from Paris and treat myself impulsively to something unique :-)  It’s very cozy  and charming and its owner Michelle is very friendly and welcoming! Plus the price range makes it excellent value for money.

I never know what to expect while vintage shopping... this outfit looks more
avant-garde than vintage! Just love some healthy impulse buys from time to time... 

Weekend Want: TENTWENTYSHOP.com affordable but stylish looks

When updating my closet or shopping in general, I’m almost always guilty of ignoring my casual everyday wardrobe and buying items which catch my attention even if I end up wearing them very little.

But after moving to Singapore, and no more having an office job where a dress code is needed, I realized that I’m missing some key pieces to make my everyday runs as fashionable as my work wardrobe and special occasions’ one.

Change is good sometimes and although not my usual colour, I love this black
dress which would get me through from day to night...

However this doesn’t mean I am convinced yet that the Alexander Wang plain tee is worth the few hundred dollars investment! To me it’s simple. As long as the quality and design is good, casual wear doesn’t need to cost a fortune. Most trends change is a season or two so why invest in a non-classic fast fashion piece as much as you’d do in a timeless handbag for example?

On the other hand, although a good alternative to the overpriced international highstreet chains, blogshops fail to offer a good quality pieces for picky people like me. So is there an in between?

Recently I did find an alternative in form of local e-tailer tentwentyshop.com which stocks casual and fun pieces from young Korean designers, and for great value.