In January, we wrote a piece on how the Asian fashion scene is heating up now, so we’re mighty pleased to hear that there are more initiatives to grow and nurture local labels coming up. Take five-year-old womenswear label Gin Lee, one of six brands that are part of a new mentoring and development programme dubbed Fashion Futures 1.0. The mentors involved – like Walid Zaazaa, the Frenchman behind achingly cool concept store Manifesto, and design consultant Thomas Tan from fashion school Taf.tc – will impart skills and knowledge in everything from buying to sales and distribution.
Lee, a Central Saint Martin graduate, specialises in clean, modern designs Cos fans will love, and her just-launched Spring Summer 2016 collection – silk, cotton, viscose and polyester dresses and tops in muted pastel hues ($148-$348) – is ideal for Singapore’s humid weather and versatile enough to be styled for work and play. See the looks in our gallery below and snag them from the brand’s new shopping site or at stockists Kapok (#01-05 National Design Centre) and Threadbare & Squirrel (#02-20 Wheelock Place) before they sell out. By Isabel Ong.