8 Singapore-Based Designers We Need to Know About in 2017

Want a fresh fashion start in 2017? The Style Hawker dishes on 8 homegrown designers who are so hot right now

Singapore fashion has long been about international names and luxury shopping. But little by little, homegrown designers are starting to make some noise, with fresh new ideas that up the ante on what the Singapore fashion scene is all about.

Co-working platform The Hive recently hosted a catwalk show – ‘Runway’ – highlighting an edit of local and locally-produced new talent on the fashion scene. We also shopped the designers at the evening’s ‘market ‘bazaar’, helped along the way with Peroni, Prosecco, and an all-night DJ. Here’s our lowdown of who to look out for in 2017.

Alexis Fong set up her bespoke service just two months ago, and with her avant garde sculptural approach to evening glamour, her designs are bound to get noticed. The spring 2017 collection layers fine chiffon, mesh and tulle to statement making effect. Not for the wallflower.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHT: Dramatic lbds created from flowing strips of fabric.

YOU’LL LOVE IT IF: You want to turn heads with your evening wear.

BUY IT: Contact Alexis directly through the website www.alfyt.com. Dresses start at $200 for a fully bespoke piece.

Pattern cutter and textile design duo Agnes Citto and Cheryl Teo pooled their talents after graduating last year. Using traditional handmade techniques in modern ways, the latest collection teams statement prints with silhouettes inspired by the traditional Balinese sarong tying method.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS: Amazing headscarves, and crop tops with wide leg trouser combos, in swoon-worthy signature prints.

YOU’LL LOVE IT IF: You’re an extrovert fashionista
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BUY IT: Selected pieces from the collection are available online at http://arylctto.wixsite.com, prices between $150 and $400.

Newcomer Camilia Ow showcased her label for the first time at Runway so the brand couldn’t be fresher. The dreamy spring/summer ’17 collection takes inspiration from the mermaid, with reflective fabrics, sequins and pearls teamed with simple silhouettes in jersey, cotton and linen.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHT: Gorgeous babydoll shapes with barely-there straps.

YOU’LL LOVE IT IF: You’re the romantic type
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BUY IT: The collection is not yet officially for sale but if interested contact Camilia through her Instagram @camillia.official

Elizabeth designed for fashion houses and celebrity clients in the UK before shifting base to Singapore. Her collection showcases diverse bridal and eveningwear designs with an emphasis on vintage and romance.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHT: A dreamy beach wedding number worn with a flower headdress.

YOU’LL LOVE IT IF: You’re a vintage glamour puss.

BUY IT: Make an appointment at Elizabeth’s studio via www.elizabeth-gregory.com. Eveningwear prices start at $500 and bespoke bridal wear from $2000.

A fresh new menswear label which aims to create tailored wardrobe essentials for the gentleman with ‘eccentric sartorial style’. The SS17 collection uses graphic print as its central feature with a quirky edge designed to bring the appeal of good tailoring to a young clientele.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHT: Super cool three-piece suits in candy pop prints.

YOU’LL LOVE IT IF: You like classical styling but want to stand out from the crowd.

BUY IT: Email the Hive for more info.

Founded in 2015 by Selma Bamadhaj and Nur Rulhuda, the brand developed from the designers’ mutual desire to provide individual, chic, but modest street style, for design-savvy Muslim women. Using original illustrations as the starting point, the collection is designed with a mix-and-match appeal.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHT: Gorgeous long printed pencil skirts with coordinating capes.

YOU’LL LOVE IT IF: You don’t want to compromise individuality for function.

BUY IT: Online at lullyselb.com, with prices starting at $100.

Maison Zhou is the brainchild of British lawyer-turned-designer Sophie Corlett, who has been based in Asia for the last decade. The vintage-inspired nightwear and lingerie blends European and Chinese influences with an emphasis on quality workmanship at an accessible price point.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHT: Gorgeous men’s style silk pyjamas which could almost be worn as outerwear.

YOU’LL LOVE IT IF: You covet old school boudoir glamour.

BUY IT: Online at maisonzhou.com, or at The Beauty Candy Apothecary in Mandarin Gallery and the W Store at the W Hotel in Sentosa. Prices range from $140 to $495.

Established in 2015 with a clean, modern aesthetic, Thyine is designed for the ‘confident, well-dressed woman’ with a taste for the minimal, focussing on quality detailing at an accessible price. Spring/summer introduces edgier elements, with ruffles, blouson trousers and asymmetric shapes.

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHT: On point ruffled one-shoulder blouses with a nod to the traditional striped shirt.

YOU’LL LOVE IT IF: You’re fond of a modern take on the classic
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BUY IT: From www.thyine.com, at RevolteXSheshops, and at the CATALOG pop up. Prices from $150.