Stingray arm candy from Malaysian label KLutched

If you thought my penchant for eel skin bags was a tad unusual, wait until you know my ultimate leather of choice when it comes to bags… drum roll… Stingray skin!

Yup, again it’s a marine creature that produces the toughest and most durable leather you can ever find which also happens to be so chic, understated and probably the least underrated of all kinds.

Ever since my first encounter with this beautiful textured leather, I fell in love and was curious if I could find any Asian designer using it in their products. On my first visit to Bali I did at one of the coolest boutiques on the island (will be blogging about it after my second visit in a couple of weeks!) but sadly the clutches I wanted were all sold out and I ended up buying my husband a stingray wallet instead.

But I kept looking and finally my search is over! Malaysian handbag label KLutched seems to have read my mind and I think I finally found my perfect stingray leather bags, just across the border!

No kind of leather, in my opinion, comes close to how chic yet understated
Stingray skin is. This KLucthed miniaudiere and iphone cover demonstrate that!

SUNDAY UPDATE - Max Tan at Copenhagen: Exclusive LIVE behind the scenes update

In case you don’t know yet, Singaporean designer Max Tan is taking part in Copenhagen Fashion Week for the coming few days and he’ll be sharing his behind the scenes experience from the VISION tradeshow and his solo fashion show through Bonjour Singapore.

This is going to be a constantly updated post (twice a day at 8pm and 1am Singapore time), where you can follow Max’s journey through his snapshots and words.

You can find out more about Max Tan in Copenhagen Fashion Week and an exclusive look at the SS13 collection he’s showing by reading this story.

Max Tan has arrived in Copenhagen! Check out what he's been up to below...

MAX.TAN Exclusive: SS13 max.tan collection and behind the scenes at fashion shows

Happy National Day!

While a lot of us (including non-Singaporean residents) are celebrating this day on the little red dot itself and enjoying a day off work, one Singaporean is being a busy bee – and all for a good reason.

One of the most known local designers outside Asia is Max Tan. Ever since he emerged on the fashion scene a few years ago, Max has been going from strength to strength and with 2 labels under his belt (max.tan and Liquid), it is safe to say that he’s established a name for himself outside of this island and his designs been shown on international runways (guess what, he’ll even be showing in New York next month!)

So what is Max doing today? Well he’s currently in Copenhagen, taking part in the VISION tradeshow for few days and the debuting his max.tan SS13 collection at his first Solo fashion show on the 12^th as part of the Copenhagen Fashion Week. That’s not all, straight after, Max is flying to Koh Samui  (Thailand) for the prestigious and highly exclusive Nikki Beach Fashion and Lifestyle Weekend where he’s doing another show – this time he’s showing Liquid and will be the opening show (on the 18^th).

With a lot of parties and preparations in between, Max must be a very busy and stressed man – but nonetheless he decided to share his experience with all his fans back home – exclusively through Bonjour Singapore (yay!).

max.tan SS13 collection images, released for the first time here :-)
Keep reading to see them all...

Bangkok Frocks: Five must see labels from Thailand

When it comes to travelling I admit I’m obsessed with planning. Despite the availability of tour guides and internet sources, I always insist on making an hour-by-hour plan which ensures I see everything I came to see on my holiday.

While most of my planning is about sightseeing, I also like to have some sort of plan for the shopping part. Just to save time and make sure I don’t get led by well-meaning taxi drivers to overpriced touristy shops.

My planning skills are about to come to the fore when I go to Bangkok later this month. I’ll be accompanying my husband on a business trip, but he’ll be busy during the days. And that means one thing – a three day long shopathon!

I’ve compiled a list of boutiques and shops which I’m looking forward to visit on my trip. While this is not the full list, it is a snippet of what I’m looking forward to most. And experience taught me that as good as it is to have a pre planned itinerary, it’s always good to leave some time for what I do best – wandering around and discovering even cooler places by accident.

Kloset is high on my list of Thai labels to see when in BKK! Just love the
whimsical details...

Roccoco Kent: Another great addition to the Singapore vintage fashion scene

The key to great vintage shopping is to never stop searching, as the best bargain of your life could be hanging on the next rail.

I didn’t know it until now, but the same rule obviously applies to vintage shops in Singapore.

Just when I thought I had the best old school shopping experiences in the little red dot covered (recording my finds for posterity in Time Out Singapore), I stumbled over yet another little gem which definitely deserves a place on my list: Roccoco Kent.

Stepping into this tiny cubbyhole of a place in a non-descript shop house in the Kampong Glam area is like being transported to another era, with rails of clothes juxtaposed against a backdrop oddities and curiosities (think typewriters, tennis raquets and side-tables) from a bygone era.

It is like you walked into the set of a retro movie, except its real and practically everything on show is actually for sale.

The small narrow Roccoco Kent oozes with charm...

Vintage jewellery anyone?