November 2014

LETTERS

Readers’ thoughts and

comments about

November14

FASHION

SPOTLIGHT

October14

SPOTLIGHT

FASHION

Wheredid the idea foryour store

come from?

I’ve livedhere for seven years, startingoff as an

ACA chartered accountant, then working as a

financial director for an engineering company.

Back in London, I was an interior designer;

that’swheremycreativeandbusiness side stems

from. Idecided to start thecompanyafteravisit

to Sydney,where I really hit the shops. I fell in

lovewith all the cute boutiques in Paddington

andManly.

When I arrived back in Singapore, I realised

there was nothing quite like that here. Here,

one size definitely doesn’t fit all.While I value

quality, Idon’twant to takeout amortgage for a

specialoccasiondressor toupdatemywardrobe

staples, plus there seemed to be nothing in the

mid-range on themarket that really caughtmy

eye.And thatwas how the concept forWillow

andHuxleywasborn.

What sets the boutique apart?

We only bring in a few pieces in each style, and

we’re selective aboutwhatwe choose from our

suppliers, so there’s little risk that someone else

willbewearing the samedressasyou

at an event.We’ve tried to include

something for everyonehere– from

young and funky to elegant and

sophisticated, with sizes ranging

fromXS toXL to suit all shapes and

sizes. For items purchased in-store,

we alsooffer a free tailoring service,

and we are proactive in making

sure our customers have a positive

shopping experience.

How do you curate your

collections?

We discovernew designersonour travels,which arepredominantly

to New York, LA, Copenhagen and Australia. There are many

established brands out there that aren’t necessarily on every high

street,and that stillofferverygood tailoring,designsandquality– its

just about knowingwhere to find them.We’re lucky to have built a

close relationshipwithour customerbase, sowe knowwhat they’re

looking for and they tell uswhat theymiss from back home.As a

result,we can really prioritise our buying strategy.We’ve grown to

a team of four buyerswho scour themarkets overseas for the best

fashion finds.

What’s new right now?

Onenew label is

TheLostLeaguebyFindersKeepers

,anAussie

brand offering structured designs with a tinge of grunge, kept

feminine by fresh floral prints. Another newbie from Australia is

Cameo’s Imaginarium

,whichhas a similar feelbut I’d say ismore

sophisticated,withpieces you couldwear for evening events.

Danishdesigner

ByMaleneBirger

offersamixof classicandethnic

numbersspanningdresses, trousersandshirts.OtherDanish labelswe

NEW INSTORE

BOUTIQUE

HAVEN

In today’s increasingly digital age,

there’s nothing more refreshing than a

bricks-and-mortar success story.Wemeet

SUSIEWALLACE, the founder of fashion

boutiqueWillow andHuxley, to find out

how she got started.

“Seen ItAll” dress,

$270,FindersKeepers

“AmalindaRed” dress,

$330,ByMaleneBirger

“SarojOrange” top,

$500,ByMaleneBirger

carry include

CustomMade

(thinkmodernand

contemporarywith luxurious fabrics) and

Feel

The Piece

(casual shift andmaxi-dresses and

easy-wear tops).

We also carry

VanessaMooney

, anew label

from LA.We love her wicked boho jewellery

inspiredbydifferentethnicities andcultures, all

handmade toperfection.

What plans do you have in store

for 2014?

We’re definitely looking to open a second

boutique;we’re justwaiting for the right space.

Wehavenoplans togoonline–ourcollections

are too small and, to be honest,we prefer the

traditional style of shopping.

After a few queries from customers about

swimwear, we’re now also working on a

brilliant bikini collaboration with Singapore-

basedbrandSaltedSugar.We’llbe showcasing

European labels suchasPaindeSucre,Maryan

Melhorm,AntigelBain deLiseCharmel,Do-

Paris andCarioca.Webelieve thesebikinis are

great quality and have a good cut and shape,

and that all sets are reasonably priced.

How do you reinterpret fashion

trends for Singapore’s humidity?

Our buyers cherry-pick pieces suitable for

the heat outside and the air-con inside. The

more natural the fabric, the better – silks

and cottons are key.We do buy from some

winter collections, but we ensure everything

is Singapore-friendly.

What trendswill you bewearing in

the comingmonths?

Whendressing in Singapore, I’d say comfort is

always theway to go. Shift dresses are one of

mymajor favourites; they’re so effortless for

daywear, and easy to dress up with a pair of

sassyheels and a statementnecklace. Jumpsuits

and rompers are another alternative todresses;

they’re so versatile.

Willow andHuxley,

20AmoyStreet

6220 1745 |willowandhuxley.com

Email us at

info@expatliving.sg

Best Letter

We want to hear from you! Send us your thoughts on the

magazine, or on any subject under the sun. For presenting

an interesting point of view,

May Wong

wins a bottle of

champagne.

Cultural Clash

I truly enjoy reading

Expat Living

’s

interesting, up-to-date articles on

a vast range of topics. However,

I’d like to say something about

the final line of your September

issue Editor’s Letter where you

encourage people to “go forth

this month and hug”. It’s true

when you say that a bit more love

wouldn’t hurt, but as an Asian

child of the 80s I was raised by

traditional parents who were not the hugging type. Just the other

day when I hugged a girlfriend goodbye, her mother, too, was

obviously ill at ease to see it. I hope you understand that not

everyone is comfortable with hugging.

May Wong

Ed: Thank you for your lovely comments

on the mag, and I’m sorry if my parting

remark sounded a bit flippant. I know

it’s not that simple, and coming from an

old-school British background myself, I

can completely relate to your point of view.

Displaying public affection is definitely a generational

issue as much as a cultural one.

Long May She

Liv

The new

Liv

supplement to

Expat Living

magazine is fabulous! Congratulations,

the articles and layout are great – finally, a

Singapore expat fashion mag.

Emma Femminile

Talk on the Street

I love the monthly Street Talk articles in

Expat Living

! They have given

me a whole new insight into the various residential areas of Singapore.

Georgia Parsons

Ed: Thanks, Georgia. Anyone who’d like to tell us about his or

her neighbourhood should send an email to katie.roberts@

expatliving.sg.

Coffee Lover

I was pleasantly surprised when I picked up

your magazine – it was the July issue – for

the first time. The various sections deal with a

good spread of subjects to cater to different

tastes. I found several articles of interest,

especially Hiking in Central Sri Lanka, Running

Commentary and Parting Shot. I especially like

the Wine & Dine section. Being a coffee drinker,

the stories on latte art, coffee machines and

recommended coffee joints were an informative

and entertaining read for me. Do keep up the

good work!

Evelyn Saw

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OURDEBUT ISSUE!

LETTERS

Readers’ thoughts and

comments about

September14

Email us at

info@expatliving.sg

BestLetter

Wewant tohear from you!Sendus your thoughtson the

magazine,oron any subjectunder the sun.For sharinghis ideas

onheritage,

MarkCampbell

wins abottleof champagne.

Back to theFuture

I enjoy your occasional articles on Singapore’s culture and history, and

would love toseemoreof them.ThoughSingapore is famous for theway

itconstantly reinvents itself,muchof itscharm lies in thecontrastbetween

oldandnew.

In the12 years I’vebeen luckyenough to live andworkon the tiny red

dot, Ihaveseensomuchspectaculardevelopment, including thesensitive

upgradingofheritage residentialareas, theexpansionofgreenparksand

corridors,plus thosemassiveMarinaBayandSentosaprojects thathave

changed the skyline forever.

Just as interesting, though – if notmore so – are noticeable changes

in attitudes. Take sport, for example. Twelve years ago, you’d see hardly

anyone (except for foreign labourers) breaking a sweat outdoors; now

Singaporeansofallagesareout therebikingand running in theirdroves,

as though they’vebeendoing it forever. I’d love tounderstand thedynamics

ofhowandwhy this cameabout!

I’vealsonoticedawideningawarenessofSingapore’sculturalheritage,

andwith itagrowingnostalgia for timesgonepast.Andwhile theHeritage

Boardandmuseumauthoritiesdoasterling job, justasmuch fascinating

work isbeingdoneatgrass roots level,especiallyon the internet.Blogger

Jerome Lim’s

The Long andWinding Road

(thelongnwindingroad.

wordpress.com) is a treasure trove, and so are

Yesterday.sg

and

Remember Singapore

(remembersingapore.wordpress.com).

Understanding thepast is integral toplanning

for the future, so bravo to all those involved in

recordingpast timesandevents forposterity.

MarkCampbell

TheElephant in the

Room

First letme startonapositivenote:

I love

ExpatLiving

magazine. Ithas

been my bible since I moved to

Singapore ninemonths ago.

Usually, I really enjoy the travel

articles,whichgiveme ideas forour

next holiday destination. However,

thismonth (August) Iwassaddened

to see an article on the Angsana

Laguna Phuket resort, promoting

freeelephant rides.Usingelephants

for tourist rides is a very lucrative

business, and the elephants are

often subjected to extreme cruelty.

VictoriaSutehall

Ed:Weunderstandyourposition,

andbecausetherearethosewho

exploit andmaltreat elephants

forgain,wedoalwayscheckon

thiskindof thing.Thegoodnews

is that theAngsana/BanyanTree

Group is involved inanongoing

project to conserve andprotect

Asianelephants.