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Boutique Fairs Singapore is held twice a year.

It has built a good reputation


over the years by the quality of the event planning and unique variety of
merchants and merchandises.
Creative Markets trend has hit our local market in the recent 5 years. Behind
this strong trend is the effort of young entrepreneurs and organisers as well
as the support and recognition of local brands. The organisers says that the
reason behind the popularity of Creative Markets shows clearly that the
creativity of locals is growing strong. The credits also goes to our
government for encouraging creative arts and design in our education
system over the past decade.
MAAD, Market Of Artists And Designers held at Red Dot Museum monthly
since 2006, Public Garden set up in 2011 held several times a year and
KEEPERS Playtime a local originated fair selling local designer pieces are
some of the rising stars in the local designer market.
In 2014, The Local People and Kranji Countryside Association Farmers
Market was set up. It shows that the creative energy has grew towards the
agricultural circle from arts creation.
Having its reputation among the expatriate circle in Singapore, Boutiques
Fairs Singapore held twice a year has been recruiting local designers in the
recent 2 years.
Interviewing the organising team of the 3 markets, looking into their
experiences and knowledge in the growth of creative markets.
In this article, we categorise them as creative markets to differentiate them
from the local Pasar Malam and second hand flea markets. These Creative
Markets mainly sell original designer quality merchandises, no old and
second hand goods.
Boutique Fairs Singapore Director Cain, has added more local designers to
the team in recent years and looks forward to attract more local designers to
join this creative community.
Local publisher Epigram Books is a regular in local fairs.
Publisher and CEO Edmund Wee, age 64 says by taking part in fairs and
events, it enhances brand awareness and also allows them to communicate
with readers directly. At the same time it will allow more people to know of
the publishing company.
Handmade designer jewellery brand Carrie K founder, Carolyn Kan took part
in Boutique Fairs Singapore for the first time last year. From this platform,
she met more creative designers and opened up a new market.
Casual Fashion brand founder Gema Santander and partner Ruth Gonzalez
create job opportunities for children in India through apparel manufacturing
of their products.
Their apparels and home dcor goods are made by kids from India under a
charity association Jaipur and Ladli. Local Celebrity Michelle Chia, has her

first series of casual designer apparel showcasing at Boutique Fairs


Singapore. She wore her design works as a live signboard during the fair.
Her series of work is produced by Baliza.
Boutique Fairs Singapore, focus on quality and social charities.Established
since 2002, Boutique Fairs Singapore has been an important platform for
many designers and young entrepreneurs to explore the potentials of the
market.
It is held twice a year. Starting from 16 stalls to over 150 stalls today, BFS
has been held for 29 times.
BFS has built its good reputation among the foreigners staying in Singapore
with the quality of the exhibition and participating merchants selling unique
quality goods. Local consumers were also surprised by the variety of quality
merchandises gathered from the region and Europe. Although the prices of
the merchandises are higher than average, it still won the hearts of
consumers by its uniqueness and the charity spirit of the designers.
Participating merchants are mainly foreigners and 95% of them has settled
down in Singapore. BFS Director Charlotte Cain 55, planned in the recent 2
years to add more local designers to the team and hope to attract more
Singaporean designers to join this creative community.
Our reporters managed to meet a few local designers brand including
designer jewellery- Carrie K, kids brands - Elly, Baby Style Icon and Sea
Apple and shoe and apparels brand Arete. Leather goods Studio- One +
One and so on.
Cain who is originally in pottery creation pointed that we do have many
outstanding designers in Singapore, attracting them to take part in BFS is a
natural process of BFSs future development.
Every fair takes about 4 months of planning and more than 10 hours of work
a day. The most important and difficult part is to pick suitable merchants
and designers to participate in the fair. All participants are carefully picked
and invited by Cain herself, it is not open to all. After finalising the
participants, categorising and grouping them to form a unique merchant
circle is another difficult task.
The special part is, Cain highly supports creative designs as well as social
charities and with her artistic view, it has unknowingly helped merchants
and designers create an elegant yet energetic platform.
Casual apparel brand Matters founder and director Renyung Ho, 30, says,
BFSs has quality planning as you can see all the participating merchants has
been carefully picked.
Secondly, it cares about environmental protection and supports social
charities. Most participants agree with this kind of economic culture.
Under these environments many participants feel that they are under one
community, supporting each other, every fair is like an old friends gathering.

What participants say:


A platform that all fresh entrepreneurs and designers wants to stay in.

Creative markets not only attract start-ups, it also has a unique charm for
shop or brand owners from the old fashioned way of selling.
Local brand founder of Elly, started out from creative markets like BFS. Who
later opened her own shopfront and an online shop, she experienced the
importance of having creative markets as a platform for new entrepreneurs
to test market potentials. There are other successful stories like hers in BFS.
After opening her own stall and building her customer base, Ellys founder
still values every chance to take part in BFS. She says BFS has been opening
to more new consumers group and they come from different parts of the
world. This is a good way for us to meet new customers.
Creative Markets is also an ideal platform for Artists to put out their works.
Desmond Anabrang from Indonesia Bali says, the uniqueness of creative
markets culture is how consumers meet merchandises by chance.
Customers who do not have interest in Batik arts might have a change of
impression after this meet.
Even established designer brands fall for creative markets.
Designer jewellery brand Carrie K founder took part in BFS for the first time
last year. She says that many feel that retail is boring now and they find it
exciting to treasure hunt at creative markets. It adds on the fun when you
gather a few friends and do it together.
Carrie K also says: Many do not know that we have many active designers in
Singapore. Due to expensive rentals many of them choose to make their
creations at home, but this gives them less chances to get in touch with the
world. Platforms like BFS gives these designers a chance to gather together.
Set up for less than 2 years, One + One leather goods studio took part in
BFS for the first time last year. During the fair she received many enquires
and orders, including an order of an 80cm orange bag shipped to Kuwait.
She met many interesting customers during the fair and this means a lot to
new designers, the experience helps in the personal growth in them.
Local handmade food products is well liked by locals.
As locals travel the world, they learn more about the countries food
products. With these knowledges, they get to know more about our local
food products and they find that rather than importing food at higher price,
why not support local food production.
What participants says about Farmers Market.
More people are supporting local food production.
The charm of Farmers Market is, other than being able to get in touch with
the farmers directly, knowing the safety quality of the product first hand. At
the same time, it is a fun shopping experience to find unique and creative
food products. More locals are supporting local food production and the
Farmers Market held by Kranji Countryside Association is well known as
paradise of local food production.

The interviewed handmade food brand founders pointed that choosing a


platform that has the same values as their brands about food and beverage
helps to bring out the most awareness.
(Picture)
The Edible Co.s granola oats has 4 flavours: Cranberry almond, Coco
rosella, Maple honey nuts, Coconut Gula Melaka.
The Hunters Kitchenettes Nuts spread founder (name) says, consumers
who visits Farmers Market supports sincere and quality products. Many of
them will approach the sellers and find out more about the products. These
interactions is very valuable to us, it gave us a recognition of our hard work.
Emphasising healthy Granola Oats, founder of The Edible Co thinks, Local
handmade food products is well liked by locals.
As locals travel the world, they learn more about the countries food
products. With these knowledges, they get to know more about our local
food products and they find that rather than importing food at higher price,
why not support local food production. On the other hand, people are more
health conscious now a days and they know better In picking fresh food
products.
Local Jam Brand GSH Conserves founder says, more and
supports local production. Handmade local products
additional chemicals and it attracts locals who supports
ingredients.
(Picture)
GSH Conserves Jam flavours are filled with tropical
passion fruit, pineapple, sweet potatoes and so on.

more Singaporeans
emphasise on no
handmade, natural

passion, there are

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