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Launching today is Priscilla Tan’s debut collection, Miss Dotti Bow. Priscilla graduated with a degree in Fashion Marketing from Huddersfield University, and holds a diploma in Fashion Design from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

Her collection -released under the Chalk label-  is all about Miss Dotti Bow, an imagery character, whose favorite childhood memory was of the day when she was playing with her dolls, and quite accidentally stumbled upon a box brimming with colorful ribbons, novelty trimmings, and cheerful polka dot fabrics. “That is when I decided to dress in pretty clothes, exactly like my dolls, and started styling and creating my own looks,” Priscilla adds.

Each collection comes with a  limited range of stationery that complements the collection and is individually handmade with love.

Chalk designs are stocked at Soon Lee, 56 Haji Lane Level 2.

Throughout her academic life, Mandy Wu has been trained in Sciences. While pursuing a bachelor degree in Chemistry, she decided she needed a creative outlet. “Going into jewelry design was a natural choice, because I see jewelry as instrumental in telling  stories and evoking emotions,” Mandy explains. “Plus, I have always been intrigued by the amount of detail and personality a single piece of jewelry can add to an outfit.”

For her 09/10 collection, Mandy sought to capture the dark romantic essence of one’s transition from girlhood to womanhood. Mandy: “During this transition, the girl sheds her innocence. She discoveres deep emotions and embraces her sexuality. Hence, I wanted to create something sensual, yet elegant. I used quite a bit of symbolism when designing this collection. For instance, crystals and pearls were used to convey innocence and purity while skulls were made the centerpieces to imply an end. Pink roses were used to represent first love as well as the innocence that disappeares with its end.”

From brown paper, toilet paper and tracing paper to old magazines and newspapers, the pictured outfit, is a nod to the sheer ubiquity of paper in urban life, and an indictment of its wanton waste. But a little imagination and some assistance, go a long way in transforming rubbish into wearable art,  or what the Test Shoot Gallery (TSG) folks like to call, Paper Couture.

TSG founder, Ashburn Eng, and his design assistant, Shanna Matthew, spent two weeks conceptualizing and experimenting with the designs and materials, and another 364 hours to complete the outfits. “Each of the outfits were painstakingly put together through multiple fittings, piece by piece of recycled paper, commanding the attention to detail worthy of fashion’s best,” Ashburn explains. “We got the idea some six months ago. I noticed that there were too many unused materials piling up around the studio from spring cleaning. From the pile of discarded items, it struck me that I could work on something interesting from the cast offs. The fall of the paper as it unrolls, the structural shape of an egg tray, the crisp sound of the newspaper as it is being crushed together; these invoke visions of what the outfits will look like, as excitement flows my mind, energizing the flow of the process.”

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Discover Cheryl Chan, a freelance stylist and recent graduate from the Temasek Design school, with a diploma in Apparel Design & Merchandising. “I am a true maximalist by nature,” Cheryl remarks. “It lies in all facets of my life; from the way I dress, think and ultimately look, to the way I design. I always believe in creating a presence with my work, using design to form a statement.”

Cheryl takes simple, common materials, and transforms them into something complex. With humble materials, she creates beautiful pieces. All painstakingly hand made, as a tribute to the artisan craft.

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Pictured is an outfit taken from Sifr’s 2009 lookbook. As well as their contemporary clothing line, Suraj Melwani and Chris John Fussner are also the duo behind the Know It Nothing store on Haji Lane.

A graduate from Parsons School of Design, Suraj took on the conceptualization of the store in 2007. After two years behind the venture, he teamed up with another like-minded individual to showcase their perception of what a clothing label should resonate. 2009 brought about the birth of Sifr; a contemporary clothing label with end users in mind. Chris -the other half of this duo- has a passion for design and global culture that stems from his exposure while studying Communications at Boston University. The label’s design procedure starts at the hands of Chris and Suraj and then filters on down to the graphic expertise of Daryl Chan.

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It started in May, with four friends from the Temasek Design School — Aaron, Donson, Kaysee and Joanna. The four were really keen to introduce a different approach to fashion, and so Sigeren was born. Own designs, affordable pieces,  body type customizations and reinterpretations of local and old-school icons, are at the essence of the brand.

Aaron about Sigeren: “We were inspired by Vivienne Westwood’s quote in the AFF 2009 show video — To be a good designer, you must appreciate the past to understand the future. I think this aptly describes our design standpoint: taking what we know and what is a part of the history of our surroundings, and making it new and refreshing. Fashion always comes in a full cycle, so while everyone is trying to join the race to become the most groundbreaking designer, we are taking the road less traveled and looking to our past, for our future.”

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I’ve been meaning to post up reckless ericka’s wicked cool designs for a little while now. Pictured is a look from their first collection, “Brit Kid goes to India”, featuring cut-out tops, layered cropped jackets, Union-Jack inspired multi-wearable garments, silk-screened leggings and a mad mix of checked outfits with turban-like headgear and  zany accessories.

“It is a mish-mash of multi-layering and colors, fusing the spirit of naturalness and grunginess,” Afton explains. “Playing with tactile qualities and cut, the tailored jackets, draped tops, and layered silhouette, emphasizes the beautiful facets of the human body. Though adaptable to whomever wears our collection, it bears our strong and impertinent style.”

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I recently came across 20-year-old Leong Minyi’s collection of utterly feminine frocks in muted oranges and subtle nudes. “The designs are from my 2008 graduation collection entitled Back To Nature,” Minyi beams. “The collection landed me second prize at the graduation show and a short feature in the Urban section of The Straits Times.”

Minyi takes an interesting approach to her collection by infusing her love for Andy Goldsworthy’s work and her love for nature. Minyi explains: “Andy Goldsworthy is a sculptor of land art, a photographer and an environmentalist. I wanted to make something that was fluid and soft. So I draped, pleated and dyed the fabrics -like stretch net and chiffon- to create textures that are reminiscent of Andy’s work and highly reflective of nature.”

Minyi is currently pursuing a BA (Hons) Fashion Design at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. “My philosophy is to design garments which make a woman feel beautiful, free and easy,” she says. “The designs, at a glance, may seem conventional. However, on closer inspection of the details of the designs and fabrics, one will find new discoveries within the garments. I like to create textures on fabrics, either through heat treatment, embroidery, felting or dyeing. I think it’s all in the details.”