This past Saturday, I dropped by the Public Garden for the first time. It’s a showcase of local and regional independent brands and their work, and I was glad that I finally got a chance to attend after always hearing about it from friends and social media. Here’s my loot from the market. (Coincidentally, all three buys are from brands based in Indonesia!)
The first is a pouch by Kamarasan. They had their clothing collection on display, which featured ethnic-influenced prints. This design concept extends into their pouches that came in different sizes and styles. I got one as a case for my headphones, but I do wish that I got more because there were quite a number of prints that caught my eye. Next time, then!
My next find was a pair of earrings from Ansy Savitri. Their latest collection is inspired by Qashani, which is a form of Persian decorative art used in tile work, and can be found in mosques or buildings in Iran. The blue roses you see on the leather base of the earrings is handpainted, taking cues from the floral motifs that can often be found in their design inspiration. The finishing touch? Beads that take on the shape of leaves and a stem, completing the flowers. They came in several colours, with different finishes on the beads. These stood out the most for me because I love how vibrant they are!
My last buy was a pair of earrings from sadhu. Their brand signature: Woven accessories using rattan handcrafted in Bali. The owners of the store shared that they also source their components from Japan. On top of that, according to the little note that came in the box, they use re-purposed clam shells sourced from local clam farms. I absolutely love that sadhu works together with local businesses and Indonesian craftsman to create these works of art.
On display were rattan earrings in all sorts of shapes and sizes, in both symmetrical and asymmetrical styles. I picked out this pair from the lot, which is from their Chinese New Year collection and named “Purnama”, which refers to the full moon in both Malay and Bahasa.
What are some of your favourite independent fashion brands?
