Mission Possible: Local Label Goes to Hollywood

Homegrown jewellery brand State Property is breaking into the international market via Hollywood. Founders Lin Ruiyin and Afzal Imram share the secret to their success and how their “wearable art” ended up on the red carpet.

- Valerie Wong

Leveraging on modern technology, some pieces in the Voyager collection are 3-D-printed to achieve the precise geometric forms that the design required. The raw 3-D-printed form then undergoes more traditional techniques like stone-setting, enameling,hand-polishing etc.

With fans such as A-listers Gwyneth Paltrow, Lady Gaga and Rita Ora, State Property definitely has bragging rights. Even former First Lady Michelle Obama has been seen wearing its designs. Stocked at major department stores in the US and loved by Hollywood, the homegrown contemporary fine jewellery label still calls Singapore home.

Founded by jeweller Lin Ruiyin, 30, and industrial designer Afzal Imram, 31, in 2015, the brand is known for its “wearable art”, by fusing modern design with innovative techniques and traditional craftsmanship. The pair explain the brand’s vision: “Inspired by Art Deco, but brought into the modern day, striking a balance between minimalism and maximalism.”

Their latest collection, entitled Voyager, is inspired by Carl Sagan’s Golden Record phonographs — found in the time capsule aboard 1977’s Voyager 1 and 2 space mission.“ We were listening to a podcast about the Voyager space crafts and were intrigued by the idea of having audio recordings of human civilisation sent out into space to be shared with other beings,” says Ruiyin.