JUNE 2018 FEATURE:

If you have been to SingaPlural 2018 this year, you would not have missed Chan Wai Lim’s steel rockers designed for Indian steel giant, JSL Lifestyle Ltd, at the “Steal Play” installation.

The impressive animal figures were a draw for adults and kids alike and will soon be making their way to London in September for the designjunction show during the London Design Festival. JSL has since commissioned five more product categories to be added to the lineup, rounding up to a total of over 15 pieces in the collection.

Ms Rajshree Pathy, Diector of IDF SINGAPORE, has played a key role in facilitating the collaboration: “Pairing a talented designer like Wai Lim with JSL has been a great experience – we are excited to exhibit their new range during the London Design Festival’s DESIGN JUNCTION in September.”

The one-woman design studio has been a familiar face at past editions of the annual SingaPlural and for good reason – each participation  has helped to raise her profile as a designer and generated the business leads to match.

Visitor traffic for the 2018 edition has been encouraging, with over 28,000 making their way to the National Design Centre (NDC) over the two-week period. NDC’s status as the HQ of Singapore Design Week and central location certainly has its appeal.

Material exploration took centrestage at SingaPlural 2018, with showcases from textile to acrylics players. Savvy creatives wasted no time in churning out exhibits that answer to the official theme of ‘’A State of Play’’ and visitors were in for a visual treat.

It was a double-win, as it were, for Mr Mark Yong, Ewins’ Director whose Mad Hatter exhibit performed well and as the Chairman of SingaPlural:

“SingaPlural’s DNA is all about collaborations and this year’s edition has been no different with more material players on board. We are very happy to hear that our participants have achieved their desired outcomes as well as the overwhelming response at our master lecture series,’’ he says.

Ms Rajshree Pathy (left) and Ms Chan Wai Lim (centre) explaining to the media their design concept at SingaPlural 2018.

Kudos also goes to the curatorial team, PRODUCE, who has bagged top accolades at the INSIDE Awards for its work for homegrown retailer XTRA’s Marina Square Herman Miller shop-in-shop. The dome-shaped central pavilion Formica for More at SingaPlural 2018 does bear some resemblance to the winning design and is no less impressive; with ingenious techniques deployed to circumvent the brittle nature of laminates.

Age and experience certainly have no monopoly over great ideas when it comes to designing furniture. Barely 20, the Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Product Design & Innovation students have done an excellent job in giving their exhibit Hidden Gems the desired shine, making a deep impression on brand partner, Cellini, and countless visitors alike. Their collection of modern contemporary living space objects using intricate weaving and wicker techniques will soon become a reality, with a production schedule firmly in place.

Designers looking to work with SingaPlural have an array of options – either as a standalone exhibitor or as a design collaborator with a brand partner such as Wai Lim’s collaboration with JSL.

“SingaPlural has been an invaluable platform for me to showcase my work, with each edition offering its own unique experience,’’ quipped Wai Lim now busy preparing for her London showcase.

With the kind support from DesignSingapore Council, SingaPlural will again occupy NDC’s main atrium from 4-17 March next year. Interested brands can submit their applications on the SingaPlural website.