In Good Company has big plans, but isn’t rushing growth

In Good Company’s (IGC) latest flagship store in Singapore’s trendy Joo Chiat neighbourhood is more than just a place to shop.

Housed in a three-storey heritage shophouse, the space brings together the fashion label’s own collections with a curated selection of local and international brands.

Having shut down nearly all its stores and pivoted its retail approach during the Covid-19 pandemic, IGC has weathered some tough times in a market increasingly shaped by fast fashion and e-commerce. This year marks a new chapter for the home-grown label, with the opening of two brick-and-mortar stores, including one in Kuala Lumpur, as well as a revamp of its original boutique at ION Orchard.

“We’ve learnt that resilience is rarely one big decision. It is mostly the small, consistent decisions to keep showing up, adapt and keep moving forward,” says co-founder and managing director Jaclyn Teo.

That approach has shaped the way that the brand has grown and evolved since its beginning.

In Good Company began as an e-commerce womenswear business founded by Jaclyn, Julene Aw, Sven Tan and Kane Tan. The four were former colleagues at Alldressedup, a Singapore fashion label that shuttered in 2012.

In the early years, their priority was to build an independent fashion business from the ground up. With limited resources and a prevailing perception that home-grown brands might not be taken as seriously as international names, the founders focused on what they could control: design integrity, strong relationships and consistency.

At the time, few brands in Singapore offered minimalist, well-tailored ready-to-wear garments for women – a gap IGC quickly filled with its quiet luxury aesthetic, overseen by creative director Sven and head of design Kane.

Rooted in quality fabrics and contemporary design, the label is known for modern silhouettes and reinvented classics that are timeless, wearable and versatile.

IGC established its first physical presence in 2014 at Tangs at Tang Plaza, alongside other multi-label stockists in Singapore.

As its following grew, Ion Orchard offered the label a pop-up space that eventually became a permanent lease. Its first standalone store opened there in 2015 – a “defining moment” that reflected growing confidence that a home-grown label could hold its own alongside international names on Singapore’s premier shopping belt.

Having a space of its own also gave IGC greater room to experiment, paving the way for collaborations, and the integration of lifestyle, food and other experiences alongside fashion.

The next decade brought further growth, with IGC expanding its reach through overseas retailers in cities such as Manila, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Today, the label continues to be stocked at Kapok in Hong Kong.

Community has also remained central to the brand’s ethos. Its collaboration with Plain Vanilla at the Ion Orchard store was an early example of how IGC sought to create a space where shoppers could gather, while providing a platform for fellow independent local brands.

In 2025, to mark the 10th anniversary of its flagship store, IGC staged its first runway show. Featuring more dramatic and expressive pieces than its typically understated designs, the collection comprised 70 looks, and took six months to put together.

“I wanted the show to be a memorable reflection of what IGC has contributed to Singapore’s art and creative scene over the years, while demonstrating that home-grown brands have the qualities and vision to succeed on an international scale,” says Kane.

Over the years, while IGC has faced pressure to scale, the brand has also turned down opportunities that would have compromised its way of working.

Among them were numerous requests to design corporate uniforms, which the team declined because it lacked the resources to take them on without stretching the business too thin.

Instead, the brand remains focused on the experiences it creates for its customers – its Joo Chiat flagship embodies this philosophy. Designed to feel lived-in, the space retains many of the shophouse’s original features, including its spiral staircase and exposed brick walls. Muted shades of white, grey and brown add to its warm, understated atmosphere.

The store also carries a curated selection of homeware, wellness, beauty, and other design and lifestyle products. On the first floor, Miura, a tea and wagashi stand, creates an inviting spot for customers to linger.

Regional expansion is also on the horizon. In April 2026, IGC opened its first overseas boutique at Parkson Elite in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, giving the label an opportunity to connect with a growing community of consumers interested in independent and emerging brands.

“For us, KL is as much about listening and learning as it is about expansion. We want to grow at a pace that allows us to build something meaningful, rather than simply open another door,” says Jaclyn.

That means resisting the temptation to replicate the same formula in every market.

“Every market has its own texture and rhythm, so we’re interested in how the brand can become meaningful in each place, rather than simply replicating what we’ve done before,” she adds.

“For us, growth has always been about changing without losing ourselves. The ambition is to keep evolving, while still feeling, unmistakably, like IGC.”

Click here for more information on In Good Company.