Sauntering into a GINLEE Studio store is a tactile experience. For the clothes hanging on its shelves are a textural wonder; a wealth of pleated, colour block separates that speak of the aesthetic the Singapore-based brand has now become clearly synonymous with. Exactly how its signature pleats are brought to life however, is a question that the label hopes to answer via its latest circular initiative: _/\/\/\ake O.
But that’s not all _/\/\/\ake O attempts to do. Timely launched alongside World Environment Day and Singapore Green Plan 2030, _/\/\/\ake O hopes to encourage the reduction of overall waste in manufacturing—by repurposing deadstock fabrics and unused materials through developing new creative outputs from them. Through four different experiences, the consumer will discover themselves in a new position in the creative process—of the maker. Two of which, allows you to experience this on the shop floor itself, at the brand’s very own Raffles City outpost.
With cOts and pOcuts, you’ll be able to dream up your very own bags from only a single base piece. The former sees a friendly team of staff guiding you through its many steps; printing your choice of colour on the spot, using a paper mould to create the pleats and baking them in the highly-optimised steamer custom-built by Tamir Niv, the brand’s co-founder, for in-house use. Before another round of customisation begins and you’ll get to select the accent hues such as the wraps, straps and eyelets. Fancy a pocket or additional card holder to go with your new shoulder sling? The option to add on pOcuts—repurposed from its production offcuts—gives you the chance to add even more character to your personal pieces.
Yet GINLEE Studio understands that something old can be as precious as something new. Hence, with the Tee-tO-Bag initiative, the sentimental value of an old school or band tee for example, might gain alternative use in the form of a tote bag. A traipse down to their design studio in National Design Studio reveals a considered home to this particular set of needs in the industry—a new lease of life for unwanted clothes and excess fabric. The brand also recognises that sometimes, a simple fix is all a product really needs. To that end, its repair and refurbishing service titled O Fix It, is the ideal solution for their customers to send in apparels that need fixing and resizing.
_/\/\/\ake O stands as a strong step forward for GINLEE Studio, a label that has always looked towards the future when it comes down to building a sustainable model of production in the sartorial industry. To Gin Lee herself, the brand’s initiative ultimately hopes for thoughtful consumption: “We want to use design to extend the value of unwanted items and cultivate the mindset to reduce waste whenever possible. We are introducing ways for customers to reimagine a world with zero waste through circular production, and appreciate the innovative design process.” Safe to say, with a design dichotomy that melds her creative hands with Niv’s industrial and technical know-how, the future of sustainable design does seem that much closer.
The _/\/\/\ake O experience is now available at Raffles City and National Design Centre by appointment. Find out more here.
