Insta Style

Hailed as one of Singapore’s Insta It girls (with 334.8k followers at last count), socialitecum-fashion/ media entrepreneur Arissa Cheo has upped her fashion influence by debuting a readyto-wear line called Arissa X Collection No. 1. She tells TRACY LEE more.

Her World (HW): Why did you start the Arissa X clothing line? 

Arissa Cheo (AC): As a consumer, I realised that most of the designs I gravitate towards – which include all the details I like – are usually overpriced, while more affordable versions lack those same details. So I decided to create my own clothing line that encompasses all those elements I would like to see, in pieces I would wear, at a much more reasonable price point. Thanks to social media, I have a good-enough following of girls who constantly ask me where I get my clothes, shoes and accessories from. I thought: Why not create a line based on what I would love to wear to cater to that market, within a price range of $49 to $350?

HW: What went into its creation?

AC: It’s definitely been a learning experience, requiring a lot of thought, research, trial and error, as well as rummaging through my own wardrobe to figure out what works and what doesn’t. I worked with a stylist and pattern-maker, who helped me refine and bring my ideas to life. I also collaborated with artist Jahan Loh to create custom pieces for the runway collection. I spent endless hours on the phone with people on my team as well as manufacturers – the samples and designs were made and finalised in Singapore before we sent them to a factory in China for production. I argued a lot with my creative consultant Gregory, who styles the collection, ha ha. But I think it’s important to not surround yourself with “yes-men” all the time, and I love it when my team gives me constructive criticism. Steel is forged by fire, after all. It’s been a tedious and tiring process, but very rewarding too. It took roughly three months from conception to production, and the starting capital, about a five-figure sum, was self-funded.