I like to delude myself into thinking I’m some sort of ‘fashion maven’, but let’s be real here: ‘fashion victim’ would be closer to the mark. Most days, I’m stuck in an uninspired t-shirt-and-jeans rut and if my closet could speak, it’d ask “What were you thinking?”.
That said, I’m not a total fashion philistine – I promise. I do know how to pronounce notoriously-unpronounceable labels like Hervé Léger and Hermès (the ‘H’ is silent, okay?), I regard French editrix Emanuelle Alt as the ultimate high priestess of fashion, and most tellingly, I’ve developed a newfound appreciation for local fashion.
With the plethora of high street fast-fashion brands (H&M, ZARA, Topshop, you know ‘em all), it’s easy to overlook the pool of amazing homegrown design talents we have right here on our sunny isle: from rising stars like Priscilla Shunmugam of Ong Shunmugam to avant-garde talents like Sabrina Goh and MAX.TAN. However, given our small stature, some cynics and naysayers argue that Singapore fashion pales in comparison to our more fashion-forward Asian contemporaries in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Japan.
Way harsh, I know. But for the sake of playing devil’s advocate, here are some reasons why I believe we’ve got something good goin’ on in Singapore’s fashion scene – and why it could use our support, not scorn. So put aside your scepticism for just a moment and hear me out.
A slider with the ID of 424 doesn't exist.We just keep getting bigger and better
Oh, look how far we’ve come from a mere ten/twenty years ago. Back then, forward-thinking talents were the exception with only a handful like veteran designers Thomas Wee and Frederick Lee. And it was only in 2001 when Singapore Fashion Festival made its tentative debut – and even then, it favoured big-time international labels such as Christian Dior and Kenzo over local designers.
Fast-forward to today: the local fashion landscape couldn’t be more different. Case in point? Asian Fashion Exchange (AFX), comprising of key events like Singapore Fashion Week and BLUEPRINT, is a highly anticipated annual affair that champions local and regional fashion talents. And the numbers? They keep growing too. Maybe it’s because Singapore is finally experiencing a fashion (re)naissance. Or maybe it’s because of #SG50, where everything local is considered “the new cool”. Whatever the reason may be, you can’t deny that our design scene (be it fashion or lifestyle) is finally coming into its own with the likes of NAIISE, Supermama, and Ong Shunmugam leading the patriotic charge.
A slider with the ID of 422 doesn't exist.Singapore fashion is going global
Watch out, world: we’re coming for ya. Some of Singapore’s fashion talents have proven that as difficult as it may be, making it big in the international scene is no pipedream – just look at London-based Ashley Isham (he has dressed celebs and royalty alike such as Kylie Minogue and Princess Zara Phillips) and Paris-based Andrew Gn, who’s best known for his sumptuous eveningwear and use of luxe fabrics.
Need more proof that local designers have international appeal? Just ask the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Just last year, the council handpicked local labels Dzojchen, Sabrina Goh and Ong Shunmugam for the inaugural Fashion Futures, a programme aimed at grooming Singapore’s fashion talents to help them make the leap to the global stage. Watch this space, folks: these three labels might just become the next Proenza Schouler or Prabal Gurung.
A slider with the ID of 423 doesn't exist.It’s not just fashion anymore – it’s a lifestyle
Ok, I’ll admit: the local retail scene is a tough nut for designers to crack. The market is small, competitive, and Singapore consumers are one helluva picky bunch. For a while there, the situation looked bleak: M)phosis recently folded all its local and regional stores due to “severe cash-flow problems”, and designer Jo Soh’s label hansel was discontinued after 12 years.
It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly is the problem. But if I could hazard a guess, maybe it’s because fashion is often considered an über-exclusive field that only caters to the 1% (thereby alienating the other 99%) – not a smart move in a market as small and price-conscious as Singapore. But local designers and retailers are proving to be quick on the uptake: shoppers don’t want just fashion anymore, they want a lifestyle.
The evolution of fashion into a more accessible lifestyle vibe is evident everywhere: kapok, which first found its success in Hong Kong, is winning the hearts of local hipsters with its multi-label boutique cum café in National Design Centre; local label In Good Company shares the space in its flagship boutique in ION Orchard with Plain Vanilla bakery for a winning combo of cupcakes and cashmere; and most recently, designer Sabrina Goh opened her eponymous fashion and lifestyle hybrid flagship store in Capitol Piazza (offering a mix of fashion, beauty, home, and F&B brands) in a bid to remain relevant in Singapore’s competitive retail landscape.
Like every one of Aesop’s fables, there’s a moral to this story: #supportlocal. Singapore fashion may have a long way to go before we can find ourselves in the big leagues of Paris, New York, Milan, etc…but don’t count it out just yet. History has already shown that we’re capable of metamorphosing from a sleepy, backwater state to the global powerhouse we are today – so world domination in fashion might just be next on our agenda. So call me an (idiot) savant or a hopeless optimist, it doesn’t matter really: I’ll be too busy shopping to care.