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Hawking heritage or design evolution?

Singapore — From cushions in the shape of old-school gem biscuits to posters, notebooks and tote bags featuring traditional kuehs and retro posters of provision shops, it seems that Singapore’s past is alive and well — at least in the local retail scene.

Singapore — From cushions in the shape of old-school gem biscuits to posters, notebooks and tote bags featuring traditional kuehs and retro posters of provision shops, it seems that Singapore’s past is alive and well — at least in the local retail scene.

Local design labels such as Ang Ku Kueh Girl and Friends, and When I Was 4 are gradually entering the national consciousness, while retailers specialising in locally designed goods such as Naiise, The Little Drom Store and The Farm Store appear to be on an expansion drive.

Naiise has recently opened a sprawling 790sqm flagship store at The Cathay — its sixth brick-and-mortar store — and The Farm Store is set to host the second Singapasar at The National Design Gallery on the last weekend this month. The annual design-centric pasar malam celebrates “all things Singapore” and has 35 food and product vendors this year, up from 22 the year before.

“Singapasar was created last year to celebrate Singapore’s Golden Jubilee, and we noticed an increasing trend of designers and artists creating works that are representative of our local culture and identity. As we are also a player in the local souvenir industry, we decided to gather all these creations under one roof at Singapasar,” explained Mabel Low, brand manager of The Farm Store, Singapasar’s organiser. Last year’s event saw 6,000 visitors over the three-day span, and with the number of vendors and floor space area expanded for this year’s Singapasar, the number of visitors is expected to increase.

All of the local designers and retailers interviewed admitted that last year’s Golden Jubilee celebration was a key factor in igniting interest in Singapore’s national heritage and history. This resulted in a sharp spike in the sales of products that reference these, with novelty party supplies website MTrade (which sells nostalgic games and toys such as inflatable paper balls, chapteh and five stones) observing a 30 per cent increase in demand for these products last year, said Mark Tan, general manager of MTrade.

While this surge in nostalgia for Singapore’s past is undoubtedly linked to the SG50 celebrations, many of the retailers and designers are confident that this nostalgia-inspired demand is here to stay.

“Increased media coverage and overall SG50 sentiments have been big contributors for the nationalistic pride that has brought attention to our local talent, and in return, inspired our local designers to create more products, as well as drive consumer demand for locally oriented products. Nevertheless, we feel that SG50 is not the sole determining factor for the increased interest in nostalgic products,” said Cheryl Yong, PR and buying manager at Naiise.

“One overall factor contributing towards a trend for nostalgia could be Singapore’s rapid growth and modernisation, which has caused locals to begin to yearn and long for the simple and carefree days. Products with a nostalgic theme in our Go Local collection have the ability to bring these memories back to people via cultural icons,” she elaborated.

Yong also cited a growing fatigue with mass consumerism, leading to consumers seeking more unique and artisanal retail options, either for themselves or as gifts to share a piece of Singapore culture with friends and family living overseas. And it’s not only locals who are fuelling this demand. “Corporate buyers and tourists are also always on a lookout for unique and local souvenirs to bring back home,” said Wong.

Although most might think of these quirky items as fun, kitschy souvenirs, retailers such as Yong and designers such as Wang Shijia of local design label Ang Ku Kueh Girl and Friends have design ambitions that go beyond supplying tourists with holiday tokens. Said Yong: “Our local talent are becoming more adventurous in their product design, and are thinking of new and innovative ways to reference our unique local culture to create their own niche as a designer.”

Take the adorable Ang Ku Kueh-inspired cartoon character created by Wang, who wanted a character that has universal appeal while firmly rooted in Singapore’s heritage. She intends to expand the world of Ang Ku Kueh Girl with more characters, and has observed an increase in the number of overseas customers at her online store over the past couple of years. “I’ve spoken to parents who told us that their kids have never eaten ang ku kueh or png kueh before, so they are using our characters to introduce these (traditional snacks) to their kids. So our products and story books are becoming part of the cultural education of the younger generation.”

Tay Ying Hui, a broadcast media professional in her 30s and a regular shopper at local design retailers, agreed that these nostalgia-inflected products have to move beyond the kitsch: “Having one of these nostalgia pieces is like buying a piece of your youth back, or parts of the memories that you want to capture. It also feels good to be able to support local design, which has significantly improved over the years. Although (these products) capture a part of our history, design also requires innovation to stay relevant, or they will end up a passing fad.”

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