Hit this up for: Party-ready sexy cut out dresses and structured tops.

Who’s behind it: Saxophonist-turned-fashion entrepreneur Michelle Su founded the slow-fashion brand and runs the studio with her four-man team that comprises creative director Edison Wong, the head of production who prefers to be known as Fiona, and designers Jane Teo and Rebecca Ng.

Check out: The label’s current Spring/Summer collection comprises 36 looks which Wong describes as “subversive and enticing”. Key pieces include a shirt dress with an exposed mid-riff, a crystal-festooned tube dress and draped bustier top. “One of the challenges to develop this collection was the complexity of how each of the garments were cut and constructed,” shares Wong.

What’s next: As of press time, the Michmika team is working on its Fall/Winter 2022 collection which is set to launch at the end of this year. The collection, in a bid to “expand and engage in the conversation on gender inclusivity”, will also see the debut of its menswear collection. Expect utility-inspired pieces and modular designs that explores the concept of utility and the duality of gender expressions.

Hit this up for: Unconventional, edgy, punk-inspired pieces.

Who’s behind it: The collective includes founding members Taufyq Iskandar, Spencer Yeo and Long Yi Chen. If you’re unfamiliar with the brand, Youths In Balaclava (or YIB for short) was started in 2015. Their creations go against the grain of rigidity that exists in Singapore and have created a growing cult following in the +65. And it seems it’s not just the folks of Singapore – the label has weaved their way into the outfits of BTS’ J-hope and Jimin, rapper Offset and Winner’s Mino, just to name a few.

Check out: Earlier in August, the brand dropped its Spring/Summer 2023 collection Merah Kaiser, which took inspiration from the seafaring folks of Nusantara a.k.a the Malay archipelago. Details like batik-inspired prints (a technique originating from Java), shank buttons and aged silver coins (made specifically for this collection) are infused into the pieces – harking back to the rich maritime history and culture of the region.

What’s next:In more exciting news, a possible physical store seems to be in the works for the YIB team (stay tuned for updates).

Hit this up for: Affordable denim and closet essentials with old-Western influences.

Who’s behind it: Jeremiah Low and Joash Thum are the 26-year-old duo behind the slow-fashion brand that launched in 2020. The former oversees everything from conceptualising designs to overseeing the product creation, while the latter takes the helm for the branding and overall creative direction of the brand. Prior to starting Mobius Mise, Low freelanced as a fashion photographer and Low had a position as art director in an advertising agency (which he still holds).

Check out: Being a quality-driven, sustainable label, the process to creating their latest collection, titled The Settler, underwent a long and arduous process. The four-piece collection consists of a denim jacket, a pair of denim pants with embroidery details, a graphic T-shirt and leather cross body satchel and draws on the journey of the nomad toward metamorphosis and becoming a settler. In line with their dedication to reducing waste, the duo spent four months perfecting a dye called Terra Black made from byproducts of organic waste such as wood.

What’s next: The brand is currently in the midst of developing a pouch, shorts and paneled hoodies – all with its signature fraying and stitching details. At the same time, it is working on expanding production capabilities and offerings, in the hopes of opening up a store in the future.

Hit this up for: Thoughtfully made, naturally-dyed shirts. Its dying process (making a single garment can take days to complete) incorporates ice which helps to diffuse colour pigments in erratic Rorschach-like patterns.

Who’s behind it: Ethan Lee, 26, started the brand in 2019 after attending a dyeing workshop four years prior.

Check out: Its collaboration with multidisciplinary studio Diabardo which reworks old-stock Hanes’ Beefy T-shirts with ink, bleach and paint. The T-shirts come in a choice of a short-sleeved and long-sleeved design and can be pre-ordered on Fassbender & Mellon Collie’s website. Additionally, it recently produced a series of three artworks for local cafe The Plain Jane, making use of dye, cotton, paint and wax to showcase resistance in the face of adversity during the pandemic. The artworks are available for sale at the cafe which is situated in Serangoon.

What’s next: Lee shares that the brand is currently working on a capsule collection with an aspiring traditional menswear tailor; refining their dyeing methods and searching for new patterns to use in the products, though no official date has been set.

Hit this up for: Artisanal menswear and unisex denim designs.

Who’s behind it: Textile aficionados and brothers Kenghow and Kage Chong set up menswear label Biro in 2013 to provide top quality tailoring and materials by way of vintage-meets-utilitarian fits to a local audience.

Check out: Customers can expect a sleek curation of items such as 100 per cent premium Japanese denim drawstring trousers, patchwork shirts and denim jackets – most of which are sewn together with vintage appliances adding to the brand’s affinity for raw and sometimes frayed finishes. While Biro is primarily a menswear label, some items – such as the denim drawstring trousers – are also unisex and can be worn by women. Its most recent drop? The Samsui Women shirt from the F.Classic line of linen shirt which features an original print of the iconic female labourer that helped build some of our nation’s infrastructures from the ’20s to the ’40s. Biro brought in local artist Tan Zi Xi to come up with the original print, which is a first for the brand.

What’s next: The brand is stocked at Biro’s new concept boutique MassiveOutfit Store which opened at Great World City in early August which stocks a curation of other brands such as sunglass label Saint Rita Parlor and accessory brand Les Belles Heures.

Hit this up for: Cropped cardigans, baby tees and hand-painted denim jackets.

Who’s behind it: Playhood is the six-year-old streetwear label helmed by 28-year-old London College of Fashion fashion design alumna Sarah Lai.

Check out: If florals-imbued denim and ’90s-inspired threads are your thing, then this kitsch-meets-skater-girl label is definitely worth your time. Lai describes Playhood as a “fun, inclusive and youth-centred” brand that caters to no specific gender (indeed, flowers are for everybody). Its most popular item to date? The Daisy cropped cardigan which features Playhood’s daisy flower mascot embroidered on the back and as buttons. The brand does custom designs too – orders take between one and three months to complete.

What’s next: The brand is amping up on its flower power by expanding into stationery design and an assortment of merchandise that will feature its signature daisy and other floral motifs.

Hit this up for: Sleek, elevated everyday pieces.

Who’s behind it: The homegrown womenswear label was founded by fashion designer Bessie Ye in 2016. Six years on, the label has expanded into lifestyle offerings and opened its first concept store in Cluny Court in July.

Check out: With an emphasis on “less is more”, Rye’s designs veers toward earth tones and silhouettes. Take for instance pieces from its current Summer 2022 collection such as a cocoon strap dress and a cropped oversized button-up shirt with an asymmetrical hemline that plays on design of the classic men’s shirt.

Hit this up for: Colourful and statement-making pleated dresses.

Who’s behind it: Founded in 2011, the womenswear label helmed by husband and wife duo – Singaporean Central Saint Martins graduate Gin Lee and Israeli industrial designer Tamir Niv. Prior to setting up the brand, Lee racked up experience at fashion house Karen Millen and Hong Kong-based supply chain, Li & Fung.

Check out: Though Gin Lee’s designs do veer on the side of minimalist, the brand has upped the ante with its signature pleating technique – the duo attributes this to their eye for 3D detailing – as well as its affinity for colour. The result is a mix of draped dresses, pleated skirts, and lightweight blouses that have found a middle ground between structured and relaxed – a combination that makes the label’s offerings true day-to-night outfit contenders.

What’s new: This Oct, it is opening its biggest store at Raffles City. The brand’s popular Make In Shop pleating workshop – where customers get a 101 lesson on the art of pleating and creating their own bag – will also be housed in the new boutique.

Hit this up for: Eco-friendly and versatile wardrobe staples.

Who’s behind it: Set up in 2017, the label is the brainchild of designer Alicia Tsi who left her full-time job to pursue a ready-to-wear brand that specialises in quality, long-lasting investment pieces that merge conscious design with style.

Check out: As a means of championing sustainability, the brand also practices a seasonless approach to its designs. Known primarily for its versatile separates – most of which can be worn multiple ways – one can expect items like linen cropped tops and overalls, organic cotton maxi dresses and drawstring capris. Other eco-friendly materials used include pro-viscose and Tencel. The label recently launched Foundations; a range of affordable and functional essentials that have been designed for everyday wear. Maxi skirts, button-up jumpsuits, rompers and boxy jackets all made from cotton or viscose make up this line.

What’s new: Earlier this year, it launched Wardrobe Heroes, a made-to-order line offering classics that focuses on refined tailoring. One of the key offerings include a transformable blazer that can be converted into a vest and bolero.

Hit this up for: Artisanal designs that span silk corsets to Chinese knot harnesses.

Who’s behind it: Taiwan-born Singapore-based Shawna Wu first caught our eye in 2018 with her intricate knit creations. Wu, who is a graduate of the fashion programme at Parsons, considers herself an artist over a designer – something that is reflected in the often sensuous and deeply intimate portraits of her designs. Shares Wu: “I am focusing on developing more objects of value that speak to a deeper cultural practice and are made with quality in mind – thoughtful, fun, dreamy, powerful, and hot.”

Check out: Wu’s current edit is small and considered, comprising silk corsets, slip dresses and intricate knot harnesses. All items are made-by-hand and materials used often include sustainably- and ethically-sourced cashmere and mohair, with a focus on minimising waste. Her knit tops, for instance, take up to three weeks to make from start to finish.

Hit this up for: Dressier, structured wardrobe staples.

Who’s behind it: First established in 2013 by Jaclyn Teo, Juliene Aw, Sven Tan and Kane Tan, the four are no strangers to the local fashion scene. They were part of the vanguard of local designers in the Singapore fashion scene in the mid-aughts, working for the now-defunct label Alldressedup.

Check out: The brand differentiates itself by mostly focusing on structured silhouettes. The result is a vibrant-meets-polished line up of blazers, jumpsuits, shirt dresses, Japanese denim jeans and blouses – as well as an accompanying range of structural fashion jewellery.

Additional reporting by Maya Menon