Fashion label Ans.Ein upcycles SIA life vests
Remember the pre-flight safety demonstrations aboard planes, where the crew members would hold up bright yellow life vests?
The old vests at Singapore Airlines (SIA) have returned in a new form at Singapore womenswear brand Ans.Ein.
It is one of three home-grown brands tasked by SIA to breathe new life into old parts and materials from retired commercial aircraft and in-flight service items as part of an initiative called The Upcycling Project.
The finished fashion and lifestyle products are available on the brands' websites and KrisShop. They can be purchased with Krisflyer miles.
Ans.Ein's co-founder and designer Anseina Eliza picked the airline's nylon life vest as it is a non-biodegradable material and cannot be used after reaching the end of its life span. Life vests do not expire, but can lose their buoyancy over time.
She turned them into three-dimensional ruffles as a decorative element on her outfits - pairing the pop of yellow with navy and white lurik, a traditional hand-woven fabric.
"Life vests are not worn directly on the skin, but over the clothes. Similarly, for this design, we put the life vest ruffles on top of the fabric so the material doesn't touch the skin directly as some people might be sensitive to it," she says.
The collection includes a jumpsuit, dresses, separates and a cape jacket. Prices range from $191 for the Multiway Top or Two-Way Pants (which can be worn as culottes or tulip pants) to $244 for the festive Cheongsam Dress.
The two other brands featured in the upcycling project are furniture maker Ipse Ipsa Ipsum and leather goods brand Tocco Toscano.
Tocco Toscano created quirky leather accessories by fusing apple leather with upcycled life vests and seat belt buckles from retired commercial aircraft.
Info: Ans.Ein's website; KrisShop's website
Anastasia Beverly Hills launches new lipsticks
Looking for new lipstick options for the festive season?
American cosmetics brand Anastasia Beverly Hills has reformulated and launched its line of matte and satin lipsticks ($34), along with a new collection of lip liners ($30).
Both products are available in 18 shades and designed to be complementary, although you can create your own lip colour combinations.
The lipsticks glide on smoothly and are comfortable to wear, while the lip liners deliver precise shaping and contouring with a creamy, velvet-matt finish.
Pair your lipstick with a lip liner two to three shades deeper to create that trendy Y2K pout.
Info: Available at Sephora stores and website.
& Other Stories to launch in Singapore
Swedish clothing brand & Other Stories will open a store here in the later part of this year.
According to a press statement, it is the first time customers here will be able to shop the brand's diverse fashion collections designed by its three ateliers in Paris, Stockholm and Los Angeles.
Known for its urban cool-girl style, the brand offers a wide range of shoes, bags, accessories, beauty products, stationery and ready-to-wear apparel for women.
Acting managing director Sylwia Zinczuk said: "It's always an honour to bring our style-led stories to a new market, and we couldn't be prouder to be launching in fashion-vibrant Singapore."
Launched in 2013, & Other Stories is a brand under the H&M Group - which also owns womenswear labels COS and Monki - and has stores in more than 20 countries. The group recently launched Monki in the Singapore market via e-commerce platform Zalora.
Diamond Industries opens new showroom
Singapore jewellery company Diamond Industries has relocated and opened a new showroom in Telok Blangah Road.
Formerly located at PSA Vista in Harbour Drive for more than 20 years, the fine jewellery brand, established in 1989, moved in December after a four-month renovation.
Its intimate new space has a history of its own, befitting the heritage brand. The shop units that form the showroom today used to house the former Chung Khiaw Bank in the 1980s, which was started by "Tiger Balm King" Aw Boon Haw in the 1950s. The bank became a subsidiary of UOB in the 1970s and the two later merged in 1999.
To commemorate the milestone, Diamond Industries has launched the new Heirlooms Collection featuring one-of-a-kind pieces that spotlight central gems and diamonds, and are adorned with precious stones including tanzanites, rubellites, garnets, emeralds and multi-coloured tourmalines. Prices range from $1,500 to $500,000.
Info: Go to 368/372 Telok Blangah Road or Diamond Industries' website.
