Hello there, honey
From Melbourne to London, Tokyo and now, Singapore – Tiffany Maughan is one stylish global citizen. As founder of multi-label boutique, Shopping at Tiffany’s (a Honeycombers fave!) and, of late, a fund-raising queen, she’s definitely got her days packed to the rafters. Read on to find out how this busy mum of three juggles work and family life – while remaining down to earth and looking effortlessly fabulous.
Hi Tiffany! Tell us a little bit more about your history.
My family and I have been in Singapore for seven years. My three amazing kids (Mackenzie 13, Cooper 11 and Parker 7) were all born in different cities: London, Melbourne and Tokyo – definitely an international mix.
I have always loved fashion since an early age. I started out as the house model for Sportsgirl in Melbourne before moving on to the role of design room assistant and then partnering with my mother for her five stores. In Tokyo, I opened up a pop-up store, which is where Shopping at Tiffany’s originated.
Share with us something not many people know about you.
Netball is my other passion: I played for Victoria and made the All-Australian seven side team when I was 16 years old. I coach the Australian & New Zealand Association (ANZA) netball team here in Singapore on Saturday mornings and the team at Tanglin Trust School.
You’ve been dressing women in Singapore for seven years now. What prompted you to open a store here?
I wanted to combine my passion of clothing and my skills as a fashion buyer, which is why I went back into retail and haven’t looked back since. I love it when someone comes into the store, I get them to try on something they would never consider wearing and they walk away feeling great about themselves. I love every minute of every day and I find it very rewarding.
Go on then, let us in on an upcoming trend.
I suspect we will see florals, art-inspired prints, offbeat pastel combinations and exaggerated silhouettes. The colours for summer 2014? Dazzling blue, burnt orange, lilac, and cayenne red.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Oh my god, my days are crazy! I get the kids ready for school, walk the dog and try to fit in some exercise. On any given day, I’ll have two to three meetings and go to my stores, which is my favourite part of the day. Then I’m usually running out the door to watch the kids play sports, bring them home for dinner and help them with their homework. It’s always a long day but I’m not complaining.
How do you balance being a mum of three and running a business?
It’s hard sometimes to get the balance right but my foremost priority is my family. This means I’m often up till the wee hours handling paperwork, ordering new stock, and balancing the books once the kids have gone to bed. Luckily I am a night owl!
The Melbourne Cup charity luncheon is a pretty big deal! Tell us a bit about how that came about.
Melbourne Cup is a wonderful Australian tradition, which I want to keep alive while we are here in Singapore. The charity luncheon in Singapore started off small with a few fabulous friends and grew quickly to over 300 people. It’s just like our other baby – something we hold very close to our hearts. Handing over the cheque for $20,500 to the Ronald McDonald House was a very proud moment for us all.
Your favourite spots to eat, drink and shop in Singapore?
For meetings with clients and suppliers, I love going to Common Man Coffee Roasters at Robertson Quay – a great spot for breakfast and those early appointments. At the moment, my favourite restaurant is Chopsuey Cafe at Dempsey, Club Street for drinks with the girls and my best friend Mel’s house for the best margaritas in town. When I have friends in town, I take them to Din Tai Fung – love love love their dumplings.
What advice would you give to your daughter?
I come from a family who told me I could be whatever I wanted to be. I learnt from an early age that the world’s your oyster so that’s what I want to pass on to my daughter, Mackenzie. Also, always be kind to others and to love what you do.
What’s next for you?
I’ve just opened up my second outlet at Great World City and now I’m focusing on an online business and spending more time pushing my label out there. I am also interested in expanding Shopping at Tiffany’s to the East Coast and over the border to Johor. My husband and I are also busy renovating our beach house in Sorrento, Italy, which will be a huge challenge but fun.
Thanks Tiffany! All images taken by Suasti Lye.