In the world of independent businesses, adaptability is a lifeline. Just ask Fern Teo (preferred pronouns: they/them), a 26-year-old who bravely launched Shrub in October 2022 – right when the Covid-19 pandemic was raging.
Occupying their grandparents’ cosy old locksmith store on the ground oor of Golden Mile Tower, Shrub oozes neighbourly conviviality and a quirky, underground charm. With its ever-changing inventory numbering between 100 and 200 items at any one time, it’s a treasure trove of eclectic wares and tchotchkes designed by local and international creatives that has drawn a cult following among the artistic community and Gen Zers in Singapore.
Close to two years on, though, the reality of running a DIY-spirited business has sunk in. Teo admits the operation has yet to turn a pro t. “It’s all about day-to-day survival month to month,” they tell us. But quitting is out of the question. Says Teo: “If Shrub can prove its sustainability as a business, it might inspire others in Singapore’s creative community to pursue their passions full-time. Many local artists we collaborate with juggle day jobs and I want to demonstrate that pursuing what you love can be a viable career choice here. It’s both a personal and communal aspiration.”
Denne historien er fra August 2024-utgaven av Female Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra August 2024-utgaven av Female Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Glam Rocks
Lying At The Heart Of Celine Beaute, The First Cosmetics Line From The House Of Celine, Is A Decidedly Romantic Notion: That Makeup Should Be A Luxurious Ritual.
mother!
FOR AN EDITION CENTRED AROUND NOSTALGIA, HOW COULD WE NOT HEAR FROM THE ONES WHO'VE SEEN THEIR RESPECTIVE INDUSTRIES CHANGE OVER TIME? SIX RENOWNED AND BELOVED CULTURAL AUTHORITIES IN FASHION, DESIGN AND CULTURE IN SINGAPORE SHARE WHAT THEY'VE LEARNT, WHAT THEY MISS AND WHAT WHAT KEEPS THEM GOING.
the art of reflection
DICTIONARY.COM DEFINES NOSTALGIA AS \"A WISTFUL DESIRE TO RETURN IN THOUGHT OR IN FACT TO A FORMER TIME IN ONE'S LIFE, TO ONE'S HOME OR HOMELAND, OR TO ONE'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS\". KENG YANG SHUEN ZEROES IN ON FIVE SINGAPORE ARTISTS INTERPRETING THIS OFTEN-INTANGIBLE QUALITY AS WELL AS THE NOTION OF TIME AND MEMORY ONLY TO EVOKE POIGNANCY, CURIOSITY AND EVEN PLENTY OF LAUGHS.
thank you for the memories
GEN Z IS OFTEN SAID TO BE A NOSTALGIA-INFATUATED BUNCH. THE SIX DIGITAL NATIVES FEATURED HERE LIVE UP TO THAT REPUTATION WITH THEIR COLLECTION OF CLOTHES, ACCESSORIES, TOYS, OBJECTS AND MORE THAT DATE BACK TO A TIME IN WHICH THEY WERE GROWING UP OR IN SOME CASES HAVE NEVER EVEN LIVED THROUGH. PAIGE BOON GETS THEM TO OPEN UP THEIR ARCHIVES AND ABOUT THEIR LOVE OF YESTERYEAR.
Super Natural
Who Better To Tell Us More About The N°1 De Chanel Revitalising Eye Serum - The Latest Addition To Chanel's N°1 De Chanel Skincare Collection That Promises To Give Peepers A Fresh, "Wide Awake" Look-than The Maison's Doe-eyed Ambassador And Face Of The Line, Minji Of Newjeans?
THE INITIATIVE: new bahru
EVEN BEFORE IT'S SET TO OPEN OFFICIALLY NEXT YEAR, NEW BAHRU HAS BECOME THE MOST TALKED-ABOUT AND VISITED NEW LIFESTYLE DESTINATION WE'VE HAD IN DECADES FOR ITS AMBITIOUS CONCEPT: A SOPHISTICATED CULTURAL PLAYGROUND TO DISCOVER AND SUPPORT MADE-IN-SINGAPORE CREATIVE BUSINESSES SPANNING F&B TO FASHION. HERE'S WHY ITS SUCCESS MEANS A WIN FOR ALL.
THE INITIATIVE: proud spaces
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN SINGAPORE HAS A PERMANENT, PHYSICAL SPACE WHERE ITS MEMBERS CAN HEAD TO ANYTIME OF THE YEAR TO SEEK BOTH ADVICE AND SOLACE, NETWORK, ATTEND ACTIVITIES THAT EDUCATE AND EMPOWER THEM, AND EVEN STAGE THEIR OWN.
THE INITIATIVE: lucky hall
FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS OR SO, THIS UNUSUAL SET-UP HAS BEEN GIVING YOUNG CREATIVES A LEG UP IN ORGANISING THEIR OWN EVENTS (INDUSTRY ADVICE, SERVICES AT CONCESSION RATES, ZERO RENT). SOON, THE CURTAINS WILL COME DOWN ON IT. HERE'S WHY IT REMAINS THE MAIN EVENT.
THE INITIATIVE: alt-gps
ZACHARY DESKER BELIEVES THAT SINGAPORE'S UNDERGROUND MUSIC SCENE SHOULD BE A TOURIST ATTRACTION. HE TELLS US WHY AND HOW HE'S MAKING THIS HAPPEN ON HIS OWN TIME AND DIME.
THE INITIATIVE: the fruit basket
DRAG AS AN ART FORM HAS BEEN UNDERGOING A CULTURAL RENAISSANCE IN SINGAPORE RECENTLY.
