Hansel A/W12: Perfect Puffins!

Perhaps you don’t know but my first piece ever from a Singaporean designer was a gorgeous blouse from Hansel. This was on my first visit to this little red dot and even before I moved here a few months later.

Even then, my mission was simple: To shop only from interesting local labels and boutiques which I could brag about when I went back to Dubai – a place with virtually no local design scene to speak of.

In fact, walking through Haji Lane and later on browsing at Hansel's store in Mandarin Gallery was when I realised this was going to be a great place to live. 

After moving here I had the opportunity to meet and get to know so many other great local labels which I absolutely fell in love with and continue to support and buy, but Hansel remains firmly on my list of favourites.

Cute puffins everywhere at Hansel this season!

Can you see the little puffin brooch on my dress? So adorable!!!

Singapore lounge-wear label Les Affaires: Go to bed and wake up with style

If you ask me, sleepwear is so underrated. I mean just because people on the street don’t get to see us in them, it doesn’t mean that an old t-shirt and a pair of worn out shorts should constitute what we go to bed with.

When I say sleepwear I’m not talking about lingerie though. I’m sure all my female readers will nod their head in agreement when I say that while sexy, lacy underwear is definitely not comfortable enough to drift off in.

So why are we so attached to the 10 year old t-shirt? The argument is always that nightwear is supposed to be comfortable, not fashionable. But what if both were combined?

Luckily, a new Singaporean label, Les Affaires has taken it upon themselves to convert the doubters and is showing us that practical and stylish loungewear does have a place in our closets.

Some of Les Affaires designs can be easily mistaken for daywear
like this gathered dress which I would team with a necklace and
sandals to pop out and run my errands around the neighborhood!

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...