Check out a suit made for 38 deg C heat at free exhibition addressing climate change through fashion

Fun in the sun at Hot Bodies exhibition

Here is a hot take: It is time to get friendly with the sun. Stop avoiding it. This is the premise, and provocation, of Hot Bodies, a fashion exhibition running until end-December that rethinks design in a time of record-breaking heat and air-conditioner dependency.

Organised by locally-based branding firm Anak and done in consultation with researchers like director of the Heat Resilience & Performance Centre at NUS Medicine, Associate Professor Jason Lee, the show commissioned 10 creatives around the world to make heat-fit apparel and accessories, with no cutbacks on style.

Propositions include the 38 deg C suit by Japanese brand Front Office. It uses a custom twill fabric with a 16-count indigo cotton warp. The double-sided twill places cooling silk against the skin, while the indigo exterior maintains the suit’s formal character. Its carefully oversized cut gives room for better airflow.

Singapore and Shanghai-based brand Tanchen Studio suggests a chest-grazing jade collar. After all, the chest, together with the core and upper back, is one of the hottest parts of the body, and the familiar green stone is a fine thermal conductor.

From Vietnamese label The Idiot is a puffy, powder-blue jacket, a “windcatcher” that subverts the function of a windbreaker, with vents in the back, underarms and chest.

Other exhibits include French graphic artist Jean Jullien’s capes for kids that the little ones can try on in a play area within a tent, and a giant inflatable suit worn by a real model floating in a pool that feels like wacky contemporary art.

At the end of the exhibition is a sunscreen “bar” that lets visitors sample over 80 products, and among the cute bits and bobs on sale at the shop is an ultraviolet-reactive keychain that changes colour when the UV index turns dangerous.

For all its playful elements, the show never shies from its urgent context. The very first room simulates the historic 37 deg C heat recorded in Ang Mo Kio in 2023, while teaching visitors about the wet bulb temperature – a more accurate measure of heat stress than the standard air temperature. Talks and workshops are also programmed for the weekends.

Says curator Lee Hanyi: “Climate change is a really ‘cheem’ (Singlish for serious and complex) topic. We wanted to take a fun approach to it.”

Info: The show is at New Bahru, School Hall, 46 Kim Yam Road, until Dec 28. Opening hours are from 10am to 8pm. Admission is free. For information on events and bookings, go to

hotbodies-tmr.com

Maison Margiela opens first Singapore flagship

High-fashion brand Maison Margiela opened its first local boutique in November. Its new 2,200 sq ft base in Paragon presents the full range of the Parisian house’s ready-to-wear lines for men and women, accessories, shoes, small leather goods, jewellery and fragrances.

Travertine defines the space, softened by cream-coloured cushions in the display area and juxtaposed against black epoxy panels in the three fitting rooms.

Fluted panels add flair, while a neon-pink sign of four stitches breaks up the polished cool and nods at fans who will no doubt recognise the cult brand’s discreet “logo”.

The store’s curved mirrors, notched at the edges and reminiscent of fabric, and its pale tonal look also hark to Margiela’s Bruton Street outpost in London, modelled by Dutch architect Anne Holtrop in 2020.

The brand’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection is available at the new store, along with the rebooted seamless sneaker model Future, first introduced in SS2011.

Info: The store is at 02-43/44 Paragon, 290 Orchard Road. Opening hours are 10am to 9pm daily.

The Sophia Label opens shop at Raffles City

Home-grown casual bag brand The Sophia Label opened its first concept store at Raffles City on Nov 29. The 388 sq ft space is bathed in soft neutral tones and guided by a minimalist aesthetic, much like the 10-year-old brand’s sweet but unflashy bags.

The store stocks new arrivals and old fan favourites. Shop the brand’s latest addition to its Signature Pocket Series, a denim tote bag ($98) from its 10th anniversary collection.

The tote comfortably holds a 15-inch laptop. It features double zip compartments, an adjustable buckle strap, a zipped back pocket for quick access to keys or cards and a metallic heart charm.

Its pragmatic Cosy Luxe Utility Backpack ($98) is also back in stock, now available in five colours – Jet Black, Midnight, Pecan, Charcoal and Taupe.

The brand also unveiled an exclusive Christmas collection at the store, including a foldable Rollie Bag ($20), with a built-in keychain, and the Toastlet Blind Bag ($30). The Toastlet comes in five designs: Happy, Cheeky, Innocent, Sleepy and one mystery expression.

Info: The store is at 03-27 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road. Opening hours are 10am to 10pm daily.

Lenskart launches Sweet Bean I Want A Hug glasses

Eyewear chain Lenskart launched its first Sweet Bean I Want A Hug collection on Dec 4 in a tie-up with Pop Mart, the Chinese collectibles brand that owns the Sweet Bean character and the viral Labubu elf.

Thirteen glasses, three sunglasses and six magnetic eyewear charms sold in blind bags – a model popularised by Pop Mart – make up the limited-edition Lenskart collection centred on the foodie toddler Sweet Bean. Prices range from $15 for the Bitz Charm Blind Bag to $200 for a pair of spectacles.

All glasses and sunglasses come with a matching chain, case and microfibre cloth, while every purchase of a Lenskart Bitz frame includes a free pair of Bitz charms to pick from, including the Bitz Charm Blind Bag.

Thai actress Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul, better known as Baifern, will attend the launch of a pop-up for the new collection at Tampines 1 on Dec 15, from 4 to 8.30pm.

Thai actress and TV host Tipnaree Weerawatnodom, or Namtan, will also make an appearance. The first five fans in line at the pop-up will score front-row seats at the event and a chance to play games with the celebrities on stage.

The Tampines 1 pop-up runs from Dec 15 to 21.

Info: The collection is available at Lenskart stores islandwide or online at

www.lenskart.sg

. The pop-up is at Tampines 1 Main Atrium, 10 Tampines Central 1.