It’s always exciting when we hear of a new local fashion brand as we always want to be ready to support them. And we know that many Singaporeans do want to go local, it’s just that sometimes it may be difficult to know about them in the first place. That’s why we’re here to tell you about 2 new local fashion labels that are the newest additions to the local fashion scene.
AKINN
When we think of pioneers in the local fashion scene, we might think of brands like Charles & Keith which started in the ‘90s or even Love, Bonito which has come a long way since it started as a blog shop in 2006 (in the infant stages of e-commerce). However, have you heard of Song+Kelly?
The label was co-founded veteran Singaporean fashion designer Wykidd Song and British graphic designer Ann Kelly in 1995. It is known for being a homegrown brand which put our little red dot on the global fashion map. It was the first Singaporean RTW brand to be sold internationally in luxury stores such as Harrods, Selfridges, and Barneys. Not only that, but the brand was also the first from Singapore to show at New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week and to be featured in US Elle and British Vogue. Talk about #SingaporePride.
AKINN is Wykidd Song’s latest project. The brand just launched in May of this year and they are currently preparing for their first collection, Protraction 1.1, which is set to be released in a few days.
AKINN is for women who appreciate understated elegance. The fabric acts as a neutral backdrop to highlight the interesting cuts and silhouette in the dresses. Expect asymmetrical hemlines, cut-away sleeves and a variety of necklines that bring attention to the dresses in a subtle yet compelling manner. Very classy and sleek, if you ask us.
That is not to say the fabric doesn’t hold its own though; the brand a mixture of durable and wrinkle-resistant polyester fabric and cupro which is born from cotton, but is much better. It has great breathability and a smooth and shiny silk-like texture that makes it perfect for Singapore’s weather. Not to mention, it is very eco-friendly and vegan as it’s a cruelty-free alternative to silk. Also, it minimises fabric waste as it is simply a by-product of the cotton production process.
These are all very much in line with the brand’s aims to combine exceptional craftsmanship, timeless designs, and captivating stories to create clothes that cultivate responsible consumption. Although there are many other brands that have similar missions, we feel that AKINN maintains that balance between wearable styles and unique design just perfectly; a breath of fresh air amongst the more common, avant-garde local labels.
Protraction 1.1 available on 15 September 2019 on akinn.com.
h h e r
Similar to AKINN, h h e r is also another ready-to-wear fashion brand with a focus on design, comfort and quality (anyone else realised they both a repeated letter to an otherwise proper word?). With clean lines, soft shapes and subtle details, h h e r has a refined yet playful taste with similar silhouettes to AKINN.
Where h h e r differs is in the bright colours and more youthful styles. AKINN experiments with the body and cuts of the dress to create distinctive and sophisticated pieces. Whereas, h h e r plays with prints and bold colours like bright red and sky blue to portray a feminine style that juxtaposes the more androgynous cuts of the pieces.
h h e r’s founder and Creative Director, Sihui Chua, left the corporate world (having worked for beauty brands like Lancôme and Parfums Christian Dior) to pursue a Diploma in FashionTechnology (Apparel Design and Product Development) before launching the ready-to-wear brand also in May this year. h h e r’s first collection, Get To Know h h e r, just released earlier last month and it really highlights the label’s ethos and brand identity.
The h h e r woman is modern, confident and boldly unconventional. Drawing inspiration from her everyday life, the collection is defined by a minimalistic, feminine yet androgynous style with an emphasis on tailoring, material, and construction.
Meant for everyday and regular wear, the pieces are versatile and made of durable fabric from Europe, Japan, and Korea. Perfect for a capsule wardrobe, we’ve got to say. Most importantly, almost every single piece has pockets as the brand is big on functionality. And we’re not talking about tiny pockets or fake pockets, the clothes have large, deep pockets that you can actually use. Yes, please!
The brand is also worth supporting not only because they have a female founder and designer, but the pieces are also fully made by female workers in Singapore. So you can be assured that they’re more ethical and environmentally-friendly as they have a smaller carbon footprint. Additionally, the prices are pretty affordable too so they’re wallet-friendly as well.
Available at Kapok Singapore at National Design Centre, and Re:store at 120 Maiden Lane, San Francisco, CA 94105, and online at hherstudios.com.
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