Singapore designs to be given global push with Time partnership

SINGAPORE — Wallpaper’s popular Handmade exhibition will find an Asian “home” in Singapore next year (2018).

Original pieces by Singaporean designers, commissioned by Wallpaper magazine, will take pride of place in the Handmade exhibition here. The exhibition — which made its Singapore debut at Singapore Design Week (SDW) this year with works from overseas artists — will be part of the annual SDW here. The pieces will then travel to Milan as part of that city’s Design Week.

According to Tony Chambers, Wallpaper editor-in-chief, the magazine’s annual exhibition has produced over 400 lifestyle and furniture products in its eight-year run. It is the first time that Handmade will have a large Singapore presence.

“Singapore ... we all know is the economic success story in the last 50 years, and now we would like to help, to assist, to make it the design success story of the next 10 years,” said Chambers, speaking at the second edition of the Innovation by Design Conference (IDC) on Tuesday (March 7). 

The feature conference of Singapore Design Week 2017, IDC is organised by DesignSingapore Council (DSG), in partnership with Time Inc, Wallpaper’s parent company.  

It was also announced on Tuesday that IDC will expand to become a larger conference, Brainstorm Design, in 2018 and 2019 as part of a partnership between Time and DSG. The endeavor will be supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

Led by the editorial teams of Time, Fortune and Wallpaper magazines, Brainstorm Design will debut in March 2018. It aims to bring together global thought leaders in design and business to share insights and strategies for design innovation, according to a press release.

Agnes Kwek, executive director of DSG, said that the new partnership is strategic because it would help to increase awareness of Singapore designers globally.

In an interview with TODAY, she said that “I have to admit, rather shamefully, (that) as an average Singaporean, you don’t (readily) have in mind the names of Singapore designers”.

But the imagination, vision and craft of Singapore designers is just as good as any of their international counterparts, she said. Awareness of their works is the first step in helping them to move forward.

Dr Beh Swan Gin, chairman of the EDB, said that the decision to work with Time stems from the fact that Norman Pearlstine — the company’s vice chairman and former editor in chief of Time magazine — had helped Time magazine introduce its Style supplement in 1990s. The publication was “ahead of its curve” and a “must-read for anyone interested in the world of design, style and luxury”, he said. 

He added that during this time, Time acquired Wallpaper, which has since become the publication that best represents the world of design. Time bought Wallpaper in 1997.

“So, in many ways, we found a really excellent partner to take Singapore Design Week forward,” he said. It is the first time that Time has been part of Singapore Design Week.

Pearlstine, 74, who is known for his exceptional career in journalism which began at The Wall Street Journal, was present at the conference. 

Dr Beh and Pearlstine were at the conference for an In Conversation session, Why Design Matters — And Why Singapore Sees Design as a Strategic Priority.

In an interview with TODAY, Pearlstine said that what Singapore has done in its history is “really unique as a society” and Time partnering with the country shows “the dynamism of Singapore, but also the importance of Asia and particularly the ASEAN community as a driver of innovation”.

Dr Beh has high hopes for the collaboration. 

“Time, with its intellectual assets, is an ideal partner for us,” he said, noting that Time is directly linked to the pulse of popular culture, but also “what matters in society”.

“We hope that Brainstorm Design will also take us (forward), not just in business and design — that will be the focus in the start — but eventually, it can make a difference in society,” he said.