HOW IT ALL STARTED

“r y e (she prefers to spell the brand’s name in lower case) started in 2016, with the aim of taking fashion at a slower pace through considered designs. We offer perennially stylish, high-quality everyday wear with a focus on reinvented classics, designed for distinctive yet modern women. The brand reflects a sense of ease, timelessness and pared-down elegance.”

ON THE LABEL’S AESTHETIC

“Composed, simple, understated, timelessly elegant. I’ve always been attracted to Japanese and Scandinavian simplicity where less is more and one should buy less, but better. This philosophy is very rooted not just in r y e, but also in the way I think, live, eat and design… Often, people think that simple-looking pieces are easy to make, but they’re usually the most challenging.”

ON WHAT SETS THE BRAND APART

“Consistency – be it our quality of product or design aesthetic, we’ve kept it consistent through the years. We operate from a lean team, hence we can keep things under control. Other than our designs and products, our customer service approach is very down-to-earth too. We are always here for our customers whenever they need us.”

THE BRAND’S SIGNATURE ITEM

“There are a few styles that have sustained demand over the years: our Modal muscle tee, flared Cupro pants and ribbed knit tanks (she’s wearing the last two in the picture we shot). They’re what people can rely on whenever they face what I call ‘wardrobe decision fatigue’.”

ON THE SINGAPORE FASHION DESIGN SCENE

“Overcrowded. Too many cookie-cutter brands that were built with little attention to consumer needs and intention to bring forth something different to the table.”

HOW THE LABEL HAS SHAPED SINGAPORE’S FASHION SCENE

“I hope that people are buying better now and turning to appreciate quality over quantity. We’ve just hit our fifth-year mark in business and couldn’t be more thankful to our customers and the community that have helped us get this far.”

HOW THEY HOPE TO FURTHER THE SINGAPORE FASHION SCENE

“I think one of the biggest challenges in the local design scene or industry as a whole is addressing inclusivity. We hope to build a brand to welcome all sizes, races, genders and sexuality. We want to celebrate our differences and move towards a hopefully more inclusive society. We are all living and learning, aren’t we?”

DEFINING MOMENT IN SINGAPORE FASHION

“The early 2000s when multi-label concept stores carrying niche brands were a big deal. The most memorable was the now-defunct Front Row, which was originally located at Ann Siang Hill and then Raffles Hotel and brought in international cult brands like A.P.C. and Lemaire as well as progressive Thai fashion brands, and was a big supporter of up-and-coming home-grown designers. It was a time when creativity and uniqueness were highly valued.”

ON HOW THE LOCAL FASHION DESIGN SCENE SHOULD GROW

“I feel that there are increasingly more people coming out to start their own fashion labels over the years from different backgrounds which is great– it adds a lot of good competition. It is no longer just people from prestigious fashion schools starting their own label now, and coming up with stunning avant-garde collections.

Fashion in Singapore has evolved so much over the years. In my opinion, in order to survive in such a ruthless and fast-paced environment, fashion brands need to be well-rounded.”

ON BEING LABELLED “SAFE”

“I will always remember why we started r y e in the first place. Being ‘safe’ in the fashion retail world doesn’t have any negative connotation to me. We care about how long we can last and to build a sustainable business model. We want to stay as relevant in modern times as long as possible. Personally, fashion should always celebrate timeless designs and classic silhouettes.”

ON WHAT SINGAPORE CONSUMERS WANT

“Fuss-free pieces that have mileage and friendly price tags.”

ON BEING MORE EXPERIMENTAL

“There are times when we want to create something ‘off the grid’, but whether we ultimately do or not will depend on factors such as budget and demand. If the risk is calculated and justifiable, why not?

That said, being called safe doesn’t have any negative connotations to me. We’re not in a competition to be judged as groundbreaking. I’ll always remember why we started r y e in the first place: to offer perennially stylish, high-quality everyday wear with a focus on reinvented classics for the modern woman.”

HOW LOCAL BRANDS CAN ENGAGE AND EXCITE CONSUMERS

“I think the appreciation for local labels has always been around; Singaporeans have a lot of pride and show a lot of support for local brands and businesses.

Undeniably, the pandemic presented some opportunities for greater awareness of local brands through the #supportlocal movement. However, many brands are still tackling a tremendous amount of stress – there are still many difficulties brought about by the movement restrictions and bleak economic outlook.

During these trying times, it is imperative to build an even stronger emotional connection with our community for deeper engagement. Brands have platforms that they can use to shine light on pertinent social issues, as well as to show their stance and support for subjects their team feels strongly about. Keeping our product range relevant and desirable to cater to the changing consumer sentiment during this retail slump is also equally important.”

A version of this article first appeared in the August 2021 The Great SG Fashion Book edition of FEMALE