Here's what being part of Singapore’s first digital fashion show is like

How was your experience like at The Front Row?

1/10

GINLEE Studio: It is exciting to be part of this virtual fashion show. We’ve always believed in accessibility in fashion and now with The Front Row, the elusive world of fashion (and fashion shows in general), is now attainable. We’re able to reach out to more audiences, in the comforts of their own space - perfect for the times we’re living in right now.

How was your experience like at The Front Row?

2/10

TRIA THE LABEL: It has been an interesting experience for us! We are very honoured to have been given this opportunity to participate in The Front Row. We were really intrigued by the idea when Daniel Boey, who is a respected figure in Singapore’s fashion landscape, explained the concept to us! We think it is such a great way to connect digitally with a worldwide audience and introduce our brand. It is our first fashion show and we are very excited to do it virtually.

We started out four years ago in the online space, and having an online presence is actually a big part of our business model. As a brand that focuses on quality and production in small batches (largely on a pre-order basis), the move to doing our first virtual fashion show is a natural extension of our approach. This was an opportunity to expand and enhance our presence online.

What are the challenges shifting into a digital landscape?

3/10

GINLEE Studio: We had to strengthen our online presence as that was something that was lacking before. We could not afford to rely on our physical stores so we focused all our efforts on digital marketing during this period. We had to come up with exciting and engaging campaigns to be relevant during this period, in hopes of resonating with our followers and having their support along the way, while aligning with our values and what we believe in as a brand.

The challenge we faced was having to quickly spruce up our online store as soon as the announcement of the circuit breaker came about and having to move operations fully online. As the bulk of our sales came from physical retail, we did not see the online store as a priority for us previously. However as soon as the stores had to shut, we had to quickly resolve any hiccups and find ways to replicate the shopping experience customers appreciated in-store to online and having to bring our loyal in-store customers online.

What are the challenges shifting into a digital landscape?

4/10

TRIA THE LABEL: Customer engagement is different online. In our initial years, we spent a lot of time educating customers via Instagram, Facebook, email and other online channels on our brand, our pieces and our pre-order approach. We have also bolstered our relationships with customers (existing and new) through physical events such as Trunk Shows and by-appointment fitting sessions. This helps to provide customers a change to get to know us as well as the brand better – and offers a ‘see, feel, try, buy’ experience.

Selling almost exclusively online, we have enhanced our product information over time. Through photography and detailed fabric and fit descriptions, we try to bridge the gap between the traditional in-store customer experience and the online one.

With the recent restrictions due to the pandemic, we recognised that customers would spend more time online at home and moved quickly to further enhance the online shopping experience with more founder photos and review videos on Instagram/Facebook. In addition to this, we included more design descriptions for every piece and improved our customer engagement response hours.

What’s the inspiration for the collection you’ve displayed at The Front Row?

5/10

GINLEE Studio: For our SS20 collection entitled Take Root, we delved deeper into our definition of ethnicity. We went back to our roots and picked apart wardrobe classics we’ve come to know. From manipulating fabrics to create pin-tucks, mimicking ribbings on the waist, to paying homage to Israel’s national bird, the Hoopoe, by introducing embroidery back into our collection again. The classic Mandarin collar is given a new lease of life by exaggerating its texture with our signature pleats but still maintains a sense of regality. This collection is a celebration of our intertwined roots.

What’s the inspiration for the collection you’ve displayed at The Front Row?

6/10

TRIA THE LABEL: The TRIA x FRONT ROW collection revisits our classics, including some in new prints and introduces fresh takes on our re-imagined classics. This launch is edited to represent our label’s design aesthetic: feminine silhouettes, statement-making colour combinations and style versatility.

This collection is aimed at introducing our classics and fan favourites to new customers. For long-time followers, we have relaunched new pieces in premium fabric and colourways.

What’s one thing you’ve learned from your experience at The Front Row?

7/10

GINLEE Studio: Creativity. In these trying times, creativity gives us hope and meaning to the work that we do.

What’s one thing you’ve learned from your experience at The Front Row?

8/10

TRIA THE LABEL: We’re learning so much – and we’re very grateful to Daniel who’s been a fantastic guide in the whole experience. We’re learning a lot about how to refine our online presence and grow the business in a sustainable way as well as strengthen our brand for a wider audience.

What do you think the future of fashion, and fashion shows, will be like?

9/10

GINLEE Studio: We don’t know for sure what the future of fashion and fashion shows will look like, but one thing’s for sure is that change is here, and it is up to us as designers to act and create responsibly, for the sake of the environment and future generations to come.

What do you think the future of fashion, and fashion shows, will be like?

10/10

TRIA THE LABEL: We think the future is indeed, online. We hope that this will make fashion more accessible and democratic. This approach will probably mean coming up with new ways of engaging customers. Virtual fashion festivals such as The Front Row are paving the way to show how the future of fashion could look like: rewatchable runways, more detailed looks at collections and the ability to purchase items immediately after launch. This results in better conversions, which works well for smaller businesses like ours. For customers, it means anyone who loves fashion can participate as a viewer.

More significantly, the typical fashion calendar will change. Already, major fashion houses are eschewing seasonal collections, and instead focusing on a more sustainable, thoughtful model of production. This season-less approach is in line with our own philosophy as a small, but growing Singapore womenswear label that advocates ‘slow fashion’.