Imagine wearing or displaying a piece of Singapore’s heritage in your home. Well, now you can.
The National Heritage Board (NHB) and Abry, a homegrown fashion and lifestyle retailer and distributor, have collaborated for the first time to launch a capsule collection of contemporary merchandise inspired by Singapore’s National Collection. Called Fabrics Of Society: Prints & Motifs, it was designed by Singaporean artist and print matter designer, Theseus Chan.
The idea, according to Chan, was to “capture the spirit of the past and infuse it with the energy of today.” He shares that the bold, modern colour palette contrasts and complements the collection’s traditional roots. This not only revitalises the imagery but also aligns it with current artistic trends, appealing to a diverse audience.
The 14 categories of merchandise reflect the kaleidoscopic patterns and prints found in the artefacts. They include patterned card holders, plates, totes, linen wall hangings, trays, mini baskets, and clutches.
Each piece incorporates elements from fabrics, traditional garments, and photographs found in the National Collection. They include Peranakan wedding cloud collars, batik reinterpreting a classic European fairy-tale, traditional saris, and a dragon robe from the Qing dynasty.
Some items in the National Collection that inspired the designs include Kantha embroidery with floral motifs from 20th century West Bengal (Collection of Indian Heritage Centre); Indonesian batik skirt cloth from the 1960s with bird, boat and aeroplane motifs from Pekalongan, Java (Collection of Asian Civilisations Museum); and Malay batik sarong from mid-late 20th century Singapore (Collection of the National Museum of Singapore).
Here are more lifestyle products from the collection.
Tea towels, pure linen, $38.90 each
Tote bags, $79.90 each
Round Trays, $180 (available in April)
Postcard Box Set, $39 (available in April)
The Fabrics Of Society: Prints & Motifs collection is available online at National Collection by Museum Market (some items will be available at a later date, and customers can request to be notified when they become available.)
All photos courtesy of Abry.
