Singapore Airlines celebrates with accessories by homegrown designers

Here, the designers share their inspirations – from the iconic sarong kebaya to the Singapore Girl – and how their journeys on board the Airline’s flights have influenced the pieces they’ve created.

Always admired the floral design on the iconic sarong kebaya uniform worn by the Singapore Airlines female cabin crew? You can now wear it too – in the form of accessories, thanks to award-winning jewellery label Choo Yilin.

“We took inspiration from the print, translated it into a wearable motif and added our signature milgrain,” says Choo Yilin, the eponymous founder of the brand. The resulting Batik Jade Collection (above), comprising a necklace and a pair of earrings handcrafted in 18K rhodium-plated 925 silver, features an anchoring flower motif finished with a dangling organic Type A jadeite bead.

Thrilled and humbled to be asked to partake in the Airline’s anniversary celebrations, Choo points out that her design style has always been about telling important stories from the region. “Batik is quintessentially South-east Asian and thus, nothing could be more appropriate than telling the Airline’s story through the beauty of intricate metalwork and delicate jadeite beads.”

When creating the pieces, Choo also drew from her impressions of the Airline. “Singapore Airlines is a bona fide global household name, associated with Asian hospitality,” she says. “This is exactly what we’re aiming to do with Choo Yilin; we hope that one day, it, too, will be a global household name.”

At Singapore Airlines, the happiness of its passengers is the primary focus of its service, and it is this philosophy that inspired The Orbit Collection. Specially created for KrisShop by local label Carrie K., the collection comprises a versatile necklace (above; left) that can be worn three ways, as well as a bracelet (above; right); both are handcrafted in rhodium-plated 925 sterling silver.

“Stirred by the romance of travel with Singapore Airlines, The Orbit Collection features two interlinked textured circles embellished with crystals – analogous to the Moon orbiting around the Earth. It’s a declaration of love to that special someone at the centre of our world,” says the jewellery label’s founder and designer Carolyn Kan.

The Orbit Collection marks the second time the two have collaborated – the first, The North Star collection, was launched earlier this year, and comprised a necklace with four styling options and a bracelet.

“We focus very strongly on storytelling and Singapore Airlines, with its long history and steeped in heritage, which has already been so eloquently conveyed throughout the years, is the perfect foundation upon which to build our collection surrounding the romance of travel,” shares Kan.

“In addition, just as stories are always evolving and changing, I believe in designing jewellery pieces that are versatile, and adaptable for every occasion and style; I delight in being able to convey that with The Orbit Collection.”

An aeroplane, a luggage, a partially drawn window shade and the Singapore Girl. These are the different prints found on the limited-edition chiffon scarf, Flying High (below), specially designed by homegrown accessory brand Binary Style and rendered in the colours of the Singapore Airlines’ sarong kebaya uniform.

The Singapore Girl, in particular, was an essential motif because to the brand’s co-founder, Santhi Tunas, “she represents the familiarity and heart-warming service we can always count on on board every flight with Singapore Airlines”.

But more than that, it is also stepping on board a Singapore Airlines plane at the end of every trip that is exhilarating to Santhi. “Every time I fly with the Airline, I feel at ease and can just relax,” she says. “I guess this is what people mean when they say that home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling.”

Her sister and co-founder of Binary Style, Sari Tunas, points out how Flying High, with its contemporary feel, bright colours and bold prints, has a story to tell – just as the Airline does. “My sister and I feel very honoured to be able to tell the story through our design. It is a story of a successful Asian brand that has never forgotten its core values. It is also an inspirational story about how not to rest on your laurels and keep improving,” she says.

You can purchase these items and more on board Singapore Airlines flights, or shop online at www.krisshop.com.

– TEXT BY LOW SHI PING

This article was originally published by Singapore Press Holdings.