The Secret To Creating Fashion That Stands The Test Of Time

The secret to creating fashion that stands the test of time? A punk rock attitude and flirting with the past, according to Earn Chen and Nicolette Yip of The Salvages

- Coco Marett 

From ever-changing trends to the barrage of style content on social media platforms, fashion can be a fickle beast. But Singapore-based fashion label The Salvages has done what many brands can only hope to do: remain relevant and respected in an ever-evolving scene. According to its co-founders Earn Chen and Nicolette Yip, it all comes down to knowing who you are, who you want to connect with, and having something to say—“Not just making noise,” says Yip.

“Fashion is a cycle. What goes up has to come down, and we’re more focused on a slow growth,” adds Chen. “To us, that’s more meaningful and sustainable. We don’t have to constantly be in a rat race or be the most famous brand. We just do authentic things and our tribe will find us.”

Yip elaborates: “It’s great to keep your eyes open to what’s around you, but you also have to put on your blinders and focus on your story, your journey. It’s good to have a clear vision of your work, but it’s also necessary to understand that it’s a constantly evolving process. I liken it to building and envisioning a character’s personality. How will this character grow and change over a lifetime, but still have its core values and habits? It’s about learning to adapt for the right reasons and remembering those principles.”

When asked to describe The Salvages as a character, Yip does so without missing a beat. “I see [this character] as androgynous … a non-gender person who loves music, [who is] edgy and opinionated. It’s neither young nor old, but always young at heart. It has lots of spirit and is very bold,” she says. “And also very romantic,” Chen chimes in.