Top 3 Runway Trends

Here I am again, giving you the cure to your Singapore Fashion Week hangover. If you’re on the lookout for new pieces to refresh your wardrobe and put some more pizzazz into your personal style, look no further than the runways of the recently concluded, wildly successful Singapore Fashion Week 2015. This year’s crop of designers was brimming with so much talent and we have definitely taken notice of their designs and their inspirations as well. There was so much creativity and great ideas on the runway this season, we’ve definitely got more than enough to last us until the next fashion week.

Trendspotting during Singapore Fashion Week was so much fun! It was an amazing experience to see how different minds translated and interpreted the trends of our time. Here’s my quick rundown of the top 3 trends on the Singapore Fashion Week runway:

1. Bohemian with an Edge

Can I really do a trend roundup without including Thakoon? This international design superstar definitely lives up to his stellar reputation with his collection. The 70s bohemian fashion movement has certainly been a major trend player lately, and Thakoon presented his own take on the boho style and spirit.

Knee-high gogo-inspired boots in bright red, lightweight mock turtlenecks, and vintage frame bags sashayed down the catwalk. With an earthy color palette of burnt orange, navy blue, brown, and beige, Thakoon stayed true to the decade but put his own twist, of course. Embellishments, flowing pleated skirts, and athletic stripes were modern details that elevated his 70s look.

Photos: Singapore Fashion Week

2. Japanese Inspired

Inspired by one of the ancient cultures of Asia, there were lots of Japanese inspiration on the runway. Textiles from the region and obi belts abound. Ong Shunmugam’s cruise collection featured intricate Japanese textiles beside menswear-inspired pinstripes. Styled with super trendy white sneaks, the juxtaposition of the stripes with Japanese prints and patterns is the new go-to print on print for stylish it girls. This is definitely an ensemble that you should cop, it’ll make for a double tap worthy #OOTD.

Silvia Teh, the winner of the Harper’s Bazaar New Gen Design Award, also took a cue from Japanese culture and fashion. Teh also used stripes, but in a different way. Graphic, solid and thick stripes adorned her creations with girly schoolgirl skirts and elegant satin fabric finishes.

Ong Shunmugam

Photos: Harper’s Bazaar

Silvia Teh

Photo: Singapore Fashion Week 

3. Tailored Minimalism

The minimalist trend has been going strong for years now. Two designers made standout collections featuring this trend, Dion Lee and Velda Tan’s Collate The Label.

Dion Lee’s ultra chic and slightly futuristic netting details beautifully offset his stark and forward thinking designs. With a neutral palette accented with jewel tones, Dion Lee showed off his incredible tailoring skills with an array of curved sleeve cuffs, structured shoulders, and strategic cut-outs.

Velda Tan’s Collate The Label cemented her place in the Singaporean fashion scene with her collection of sporty yet luxe wear. I loved her black, white, and pastel color palette. It was so on-trend, and it is so perfect for dressing stylishly in the tropics. The curves and sharp angles interspersed within each of her pieces is a beautiful sight to behold.

Dion Lee

Photos: Singapore Fashion Week 

Collate The Label

 Photos: Singapore Fashion Week

What other trends did you spot on the runway? Which trends are you thinking of snapping up for your wardrobe? I got my heart set on these 3 trends! It’s definitely going to make shopping for the next season easier when I know which trends to integrate into my look.

Best of Singapore Fashion Week 2015

Singapore Fashion Week may be over, but there’s still a lot of inspiration we can draw from it. There were so many exceptional shows and I met so many amazing people. You’ve probably seen a lot of runway reviews by now, but here are the best of the best. It’s quite a tough task given all the talented designers and stunning shows we witnessed. Read on for my picks for the best shows during this year’s Singapore Fashion Week.

Best New Designer: Collate The Label by Velda Tan

What’s great about Singapore Fashion Week is getting to know new labels and seeing the great work of up-and-coming designers. Velda Tan, the creative and innovative mind behind Collate The Label, certainly distinguished herself during Singapore Fashion Week with her modern, minimalistic, and luxurious approach to women’s wear. The Collate The Label runway show generated a lot of well-deserved buzz and earned itself a loyal fashion fan following. Here are some snaps from the show:

The amazing crowd turnout during Collate The Label’s Pre-Fall 2015 show.

Velda Tan (pictured in the center), founder and head designer of Collate The label, poses backstage with two of her runway models. She wears a piece from her own collection. This jumpsuit with a mock turtleneck and sheer panels is the picture of modern sophistication and chicness.

Billowy wide leg pants, and matching coats in neutral tones were a hit on the runway. Structured dresses with feminine details like peplum and pastel colors were also key trends.

Photos from Collate The Label Facebook Page

Best Atmosphere: Harper’s Bazaar Asia New Generation Show

I love young talent! There’s just a different energy and an elevated sense of excitement when young talent showcase their distinctive aesthetic on the runway. Harper’s Bazaar certainly provided these designers a great platform to make their creative visions come to life. Fashion designers from all over Asia were represented. Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore all had representatives who showed their designs on the Singapore Fashion Week runway. I absolutely loved everything about Silvia Teh’s designs. She is such a hardworking talent and it is always a pleasure to see such amazing people win. 

Here is Singaporean talent and New Gen Award winner for 2015, Silvia Teh, with the Singapore Fashion Week and Harper’s Bazaar Asia team. Congratulations! Isn’t Silvia Teh so chic? Love that electric blue vest!

One of Silvia Teh’s beautiful origami inspired designs, her collection was filled with obi belts inspired by Japanese and Javanese culture.

Another noteworthy collection was from designer Siripim from Thailand. I really liked her voluminous silhouettes and her use of colorful artistic painterly prints.

Designer Audrey from Indonesia showed off her own take on sporty dressing with a definite haute couture twist.

Photos from Harper’s Bazaar

Best Clothes: Victoria Beckham

Among all the stellar shows, one stands head and shoulders above the rest, and that is the finale Singapore Fashion Week show by Victoria Beckham. The certified style icon and bona fide fashion mogul flew in to Singapore as part of her Asia tour, and her collection definitely didn’t disappoint. Fashion fans got the understated elegance and modern glamour that they were expecting from Posh’s namesake label. Victoria Beckham’s collection showed off beautiful tailoring with impeccable detailing like intricate folding patterns and men’s suiting details. It was to say the least, nothing short of perfection, the ultimate collection for the modern woman who loves and lives fashion.

One of the standout pieces from the show, a structured gray frock with origami-like waist detailing and large buttons and a tailored silhouette.

I love how she integrated a bit of playful prints into the predominantly somber autumnal color palette of the collection.

The designer herself clad in her signature black look. A simple silhouette with more volume on the bottom, this dress is proof of her sartorial prowess.

Who will be there instead of Victoria Beckham next year? Only time will tell…

Singapore Fashion Week 2015

Mark the date on your calendar Singapore fashion lovers, May 13-17 is Singapore Fashion Week. In its 8th year of celebrating Asian and global fashion design talent, Singapore Fashion Week or #SGFW puts the spotlight on current trends and innovative designs.

Carolina Herrera, Roberto Cavalli, Hussein Chalayan, Prabal Gurung, Zac Posen, Peter Pilotto, Erdem, Angela Missoni, Dean and Dan Caten of DSquared and Roland Mouret are some of the names that have graced the catwalk of Singapore Fashion Week, a testament to their great partnership with the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America ). Yes, this is a prestigious event that is a must-attend for anyone and everyone that loves fashion and style. You simply cannot beat the proximity and access to world-class talent and exciting fashion you can get from this event.

This season, Diane Von Furstenberg will be kicking off the fashion festivities for Singapore Fashion Week. Victoria Beckham will be the closing show during this 5-day fashion extravaganza. Aside from these prominent designers, you should also expect a lot of Asian talents sending their creative visions down the runway. Australian designer Dion Lee and established Singapore labels like Dzojchen, Ong Shunmugam, Elohim, Exhibit, ALT by Curated Editions, and Collate The Label are the other illustrious names that will grace the runway. Other noteworthy events to watch out for are: Harper’s Bazaar Asia New Generation Fashion Designer Award 2015, La Salle Graduate Fashion Show 2015,  and the Star Creation Capsule Collection. These last 3 events that I mentioned will showcase up-and-coming talent that is sure to make a mark in the Singapore fashion scene.

Check out the full Singapore Fashion Week Schedule here. 

To check out some of my photos from last years event click here.

Be sure to include the hashtag #SGFW when uploading your fashion week snaps to social media. This will make you a part of the fashion fun! See you there!