Find fashion, lifestyle and art pieces from established and up-and-coming Asian designers at MPORIUM, a stylish new multi-label boutique.
Find fashion, lifestyle and art pieces from established and up-and-coming Asian designers at MPORIUM, a stylish new multi-label boutique.
Too often, Asian designers are overlooked in favour of their international counterparts. But not at MPORIUM, where CEO Jennifer Yii and consultant David Wang give local and regional labels pride of place in the 5,000 sq ft space. This multil-abel lifestyle store features a mix of established and under-the- radar designers who, according to David, “have a strong voice and message that echo our store’s identity”.
It has new-to-market fashion brands like Singapore’s Mae Pang (wearable yet avant-garde pieces), Thailand’s Asava (the garments are hand-painted, so no two pieces are alike), and Korea’s D-antidote (the go-to brand for K-pop and K-drama celebs looking for hip casuals). Alongside these are accessories, lifestyle products, and art like ceramics and sculptures that bring a multi-dimensional flair to the store. Noteworthy names are Danaiya Konglapamnuay from Thailand, who handmakes bags from unwanted plastic from her father’s foundry; FERN, which revives traditional batik as contemporary womenswear; and Hazel Wong, who moulds clay and glass into art pieces.
MPORIUM eschews the traditional store layout. The work was done by two Dutch designers who used the hexagonal Chinese ba gua symbol as an inspiration for the mobile fixtures and flooring, to allow space and flexibility for creative collaborations. Every month, a new designer will be given a pop-up space. “It’s to give young talents an opportunity to showcase their works, as well as to ensure that there’s always something fresh to offer,” says David. The store plans to engage the fashion community too, by inviting fashion-show producers or fashion editors to express their creativity with MPORIUM merchandise. David, along with Stevv Kong, MPORIUM’s store manager, will also offer personal-styling services in the exclusive VIP rooms, strictly by appointment.
