As someone who really goes out of her way to avoid at all costs dressing or using accessories like other high-street clones and trend followers, I felt like I had hit the fashion lottery jackpot when I came across Blueprint Trade Show and Emporium last week.
Moss Srisuwan with both her classic and new collections at Blueprint.
Whether you see Singapore as a shopping mecca or not, all I know is that this event is surely going to become a staple of my yearly shopping spree destinations. Housed in the Pit Building, the layout of the fair is that of a long strip, with some snack and beauty booths thrown into the mix.
As I stepped into zone after zone of designer merchandise, I was ecstatic, but never overwhelmed, by the amount of goodies on every corner. There is a good mix of womenswear, menswear, handbags and carriers, jewellery, accessories and shoes to choose from and most importantly, it was as if the cream of the cool crop was all in one place.
Blueprint felt like products from Siam Center just got crossed with the ones from Siam Square, and also from countless cities around the world. No longer do you need to drag yourself all the way to Hong Kong, South Korea, then France or whatnot to get all your staples and unique picks.
Returning for the fourth time, this year's Blueprint boasted 24 participating countries and over 180 local, regional and emerging designer brands displaying their pre-spring 2014 collections at the trade show. The first two days were for buyers and media while the last two, May 18-19, were when the Emporium took place and the public could shop to their heart's content _ a rare chance when limited edition samples and sales merchandise are sold at attractive prices.
This was the third time Singaporean designer Carolyn Kan's jewellery brand Carrie K. participated in Blueprint and she is very happy with the fair.
"It's evolved and the quality of the designers and also buyers is becoming really, really good," she said. "Blueprint attracts a good amount of concept store buyers and there are also a lot of interesting niche stores. Customers who come here want something unique that has bit of a story to it."
From our own shores, a handful of brands such as Madame Flamingo, Dusk till Dawn, Issue, Lalalove London, Yuna and Mosstories are but a few examples of Thai talent at the fair. Moss Srisuwan, founder of Mosstories, noted how Blueprint is well organised, as opposed to trade fairs at home.
"BIFF and BIL also include manufacturers, textiles and producers, which makes the scope so large that it can be difficult to find a clear target or scope," she said.
Moss also appreciates the professionalism and orderly way things are run at Blueprint, as a person who designs and runs her own business.
"Here it's better because there's a confirmed buyers' list of who is coming and where they are from. They also provide matchmaking for exhibitors as well, regarding which brand would be fitting for which buyer. They're very clear in letting us know which buyers will come at what time, so we can do our homework," she said.
"During BIFF and BIL, it's more about just going there to open a booth and whoever comes, comes, but you have no idea who the buyers are at all.
"At Blueprint, at least you have a rough idea about the buyers and whichever ones you are interested in, you can acquaint yourself with their background. That way you can present the right collection that they are likely to want, which ends up in a real transaction," added Moss.
"It's much more efficient because the traffic and layout of the building forces you to walk a certain path so at least every brand gets exposure because there is only one specific exit. You also don't see random people who aren't buyers or from the media walking around taking photos, which shouldn't be happening because it's designer products for the next season." Carolyn also concurred how the fair offers more than others.
"No other trade fair tries to make the most of the social component as much as here." And with that, she animatedly described the party hosted by Blueprint she was looking forward to that night, after a long day of exhibiting. In fact, it is one of the many fringe events and networking opportunities in which both buyers and exhibitors can take part in order to really get in touch in places other than the trade floor.
It was only Moss's first time at Blueprint but hopefully promising for Mosstories.
"Asian trade shows are usually one of the last stops on a Western buyer's trip, meaning they will be low on budget by then, so they won't buy so much," she said.
"The way Singapore makes this a fashion hub of many events, it means buyers and Westerners are less hesitant to add the country to their calendar and gives them more encouragement to come to Asia." With that said, if you are looking to add both quirk and quality to your closet, mark the date when Blueprint rolls around next year. It's one of the few chances where you get to meet the designers themselves and learn about their inspirations first hand. Whining and moaning about their products is also possible.
"When we meet the buyers, we get to know more about their professional insights regarding trendsetting," Moss said. "But meeting the customer directly, we get to know their feedback and we always want to hear from them because ultimately, they are the ones who must open their wallets."
Carolyn Kan and her artisan jewellery brand Carrie K.
