Creative Capital: Singapore’s Macaron queen now designs colourful clothes 'with love'
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Creative Capital: Singapore's Macaron queen now designs colourful wearing apparel 'with love'
Eileen Tay first made a name for herself with ET Artisan Sweets. But the 39-year-old entrepreneur changed gears with Elizabeth Little, an online clothing brand that makes "playful vintage-inspired ethical heirlooms, carefully crafted with love and compassion."
(Photo: Eileen Tay)
19 Sep 2022 06:20AM (Updated: nineteen Sep 2022 06:29AM)
Over a decade ago, the best macarons you could get in Singapore came from a local baker whose store was chosen ET Artisan Sweets. "ET" stood for the founder and bakery, Eileen Tay. Today, she is applying her artistry not to baked appurtenances only to dress.
For the past four years, this 39-year-old entrepreneurial Singaporean has been running Elizabeth Little, an online clothing make that makes, in her words, "playful vintage-inspired upstanding heirlooms, carefully crafted with honey and pity."
Elizabeth Little makes fun, contemplative outfits, mostly for piffling girls and their mums. While at that place are some apparel for boys and men, this outfitter is much more for the ladies (both big and little). Having been a huge fan of Tay's previous company, and as a girl-dad myself, I could not resist browsing through the range of girl's dresses on her website.
WHEN Y'all WERE GROWING UP, WERE YOU ALREADY INTERESTED IN Creative PURSUITS?
I grew up in a family unit where entrepreneurship and inventiveness were highly encouraged. Although academic pursuit was important, my parents provided my siblings and I ample opportunities to larn other skills like martial arts, sports and the arts.
I recollect learning Chinese calligraphy and painting at Holland Village at five, and attending fine art and handicraft classes involving twisting wires and crystals to form elaborate ornamental displays. I have done cross-stitch, knitting, and even the obscure Newspaper Tole technique in principal school because my mum loved sending me for classes. She doesn't accept crafty hands, merely she has many friends who arts and crafts, and I spent well-nigh holidays and weekends learning craft. I go along to love the procedure of creating from scratch because it is so therapeutic.
YOU'RE A PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED PASTRY CHEF WHO HAS WORKED IN SOME AMAZING PLACES. WHAT DREW You TO Food?
My mum is a homemaker who visits the wet marketplace most daily to purchase fresh seasonal produce for our daily meals. Because she lives to consume, her love for quality food inspired me to learn more almost the quality of ingredients, the importance of seasonality and different cooking techniques. Growing up, I sat at the kitchen counter watching her broil trays of cakes, which she learned from her community centre lessons. I also helped with the mis-en-identify during festive meals. Lunar New Year season was spent making pineapple tarts and cookies for family unit treats and gifts. When most girls my age were spending money on manner magazines, I was slowing growing a collection of food magazines, cookbooks – and spending a lot of time eating.
WHEN DID YOU START ET ARTISAN SWEETS?
I started ET Artisan Sweets in 2008, which became renowned for delectable macarons and busy desserts. My dream was to emulate Martha Stewart and Darcy Miller as a crafter of tastefully made goods.
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF RUNNING THAT BUSINESS? WHY DID Yous Eventually CLOSE Information technology DOWN?
My all-time memories were working with an excellent crew and making products that were known as the "best macarons in Singapore". We expanded to making dessert tables for weddings and corporates, and had and so much fun designing celebrations for clients. One of the finest moments was making 50 mini celebration cakes for NTUC's 50th birthday, which Mr Lee Kuan Yew cut into.
The lows include experiencing hiring challenges pertaining to retail staff, and challenges considering of my business organization model and rising costs. I closed when we were doing well, primarily because of unfavourable conditions for a lease renewal and the impending inflow of my 2nd child. I closed the store on Feb 12, 2015, 2 days after I saw a revised proposal to the tenancy. My daughter, Elizabeth, was born on the 16th.
WHAT WAS THE Goad FOR ELIZABETH Fiddling?
Afterwards endmost the cake shop, I was busy juggling two little ones and settling into a role of a homemaker. Withal, I soon became very bored. I took up dressmaking and fell in love with fabrics, especially Liberty Fabrics, which I had started to stockpile. My original plan was to sell fabrics to people online, but there was little demand for that. During this time, I was also sewing for my children and people started enquiring about those outfits. After, I explored the possibility of outfitting children instead.
HOW LONG DID IT Accept YOU TO Go FROM THAT INITIAL Thought TO ACTUALLY OPENING?
Vi months. I was on vacation in Bali and discussed the idea of selling fabrics with my husband. Six months later, I incorporated the business concern and started to build the online storefront.
HAS BUILDING A Brand BEEN EASIER THIS TIME Around?
Yes, because I've been able to draw inspiration from both the positive experiences and mistakes from my previous business. The real claiming at beginning was finding a name. Nosotros had some ideas revolving around our children's names. Then ane twenty-four hours, my anglophone married man drew upwardly a sketch and idea chosen "Elizabeth Little". Elizabeth was our 2d child and she was petite, ever somewhere below the national average weight.
Of course, nosotros learned along the fashion that the process of building the brand was far more than merely finding a name. We didn't hit it right on the onset – in fact, we think of the process as evolutionary and expect it to keep to modify. Equally makers, at that place were times we had to stop ourselves from condign overly product-focused then we could pay more attention to the brand story. As we started to go to know more than of our customers, nosotros began to understand who we were reaching out to and believed fifty-fifty more in our brand values.
WHAT LESSONS FROM RUNNING ET ARTISAN SWEETS DID YOU Utilise TO ELIZABETH LITTLE?
Building relationships with customers is arguably the most important matter you can practice for your business. Similar to how we remembered our clients' names and journeyed with them through commemoration milestones from weddings to baby showers, full-month celebrations and birthdays, we continue to utilise the same care and attention with our clients today.
AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE NEW SKILLS THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO LEARN?
I'k not naturally digitally savvy, and so I had to learn everything from post-editing in photography, to edifice an e-commerce platform, to creating visuals, and strategies on social media. In tandem with running the business organisation, I took time to attend several courses at SMU on digital marketing and brand story telling.
WHAT'Southward THE CORE PHILOSOPHY Behind ELIZABETH LITTLE?
Our products are e'er ethically made, socially responsible, and use sustainable materials. We believe at the very center of what we treasure – equally makers, every bit parents, as humans – is time. Unfortunately, there a growing enmity between time and the personal technology that surrounds u.s..
Although some forms of technology have fabricated positive changes in the world, there is evidence that engineering science cares very little for our humanity or our fourth dimension. This is why we believe that in building a better world for all with unhurried hands.
When unhurried, we accept the time to detect the other person in the room. We cherish conversations and make memories. Nosotros imagine and touch, and we translate that movement into something beautiful. When unhurried, we pause to intendance for those around united states of america, and so make the globe a better place.
This is why we believe in taking the fourth dimension to make things well, too as to make them concluding, with the hope that clients will cherish and pass them down for generations to come up.
You MENTIONED THAT You lot ARE INSPIRED By Freedom PRINTS. Tin can Y'all ELABORATE MORE ON THIS?
Before I started the concern, I found difficulty identifying with the styles and colours of existing bachelor childrenswear brands.
I love the astonishing kaleidoscope of colours and floral prints from Liberty (a fabric brand in the UK known for its colourful designs). They bring lots of cheer to me and remind me of what a happy childhood should be: Colourful.
Liberty has filled my imagination to create timeless dresses like the classic Peter Pan collar dresses and smocked ones I grew up with. With their prints, nosotros create beautiful and functional pieces that are perfect for occasions as well as everyday article of clothing.
HOW WOULD You lot Depict YOUR DESIGNS?
I am non driven by fashion trends. My focus is on timeless designs that transcend trends and seasons.
For childrenswear, I am mindful of how rapidly children grow. We add functionality to let expandable options for a longer wear. Nosotros go to the extent of selecting fabrics, linen and natural fibres which are difficult-wearing and long-lasting.
For ladies, we design classic, timeless styles, absolute with handcrafted details that our clients are proud to wear.
I hope to encourage a more responsible approach to mode through sustainable consumption. Yes, this includes the use of the finest materials and choice of cuttings, but ultimately, what is most of import is how our clients experience when they vesture something from Elizabeth Little, whether that's comfort or a conviction boost.
DO YOU Discover Whatever SIMILARITIES Between CREATING A DESSERT AND DESIGNING CLOTHES?
Admittedly. In both cases, hands and tools are needed to bring out details and finesse. Both crafts also crave technical skills and precision to achieve a consistent product.
Smocking a dress is similar pipage macaron shells. Once the formula is set, the fine art is repetitive yet therapeutic. I attempt to brand each stich as consistent as the previous, and so for the next. Similarly, donning crystals on dresses is likewise similar donning crystals on a decorated block.
Whether you're designing clothes or creating desserts, yous brainstorm with a blank canvas, and weave together different ingredients and materials to brand a masterpiece. The quality of each ingredient and material also contribute to the outcome, which is why I spend a lot of time looking at quality and process sustainability, whether I'm working with clothes or nutrient.
ARE YOU Behind ALL THE DESIGNS OR Exercise You HAVE OTHER DESIGNERS WORKING ON THE PRODUCTS?
I design all the products at the moment, simply you can imagine that running a business would not be possible without a team or collaboration. I'chiliad hoping to aggrandize it going forward.
Our values drive the type of products we make, be information technology ready-to-wearable, made-to-order or made-to-measure. This allows u.s. to be more than witting in curating the quality and quantity of products we make. We abhor wastage of product offcuts and have been collaborating with similar-minded organisations to create opportunities for employment
WALK ME THROUGH A TYPICAL Solar day OF YOUR LIFE.
I try to showtime my day early on at 6:30am. I drop off my children at school before heading for a quick breakfast. I'm usually in the role by vii:30am.
My list of to-practice's include planning and posting the brand's social media content, planning and testing designs, cutting orders for supplies and product, troubleshooting quality bug, researching new designs and materials, and fulfilling and packing customer orders.
If I cannot complete the work in office, which is often the case, I'll take it dwelling with me, skipping luncheon while I go along to check that my children are compliant with their schedules past driving them around to where they need to be.
Along with the shuffling, I might take staff meetings or discussions with external parties at least three to 5 times a calendar week to cheque in on how things are going on the other sides of the business.
In the evening, I check that dinner has been prepared. Our entire family comes together for the meal, which is and then important since that's the simply meal we have together.
After my hubby and I have put the kids to slumber, I am unremarkably finishing up more work – smocking, stitching bows and accessories, addressing client queries, and preparing the fulfilment of orders to clients through our courier services. I'm normally in bed by midnight or at 1am.
Fifty-fifty though I sometimes work weekends, I try to strike a residue since that's my time with the children. We practise our best to keep ourselves study- and piece of work-free for at least 24 hours. Weekly rest has go so essential.
Exercise You Accept A HERO OR SIGNATURE Product?
From a design perspective, we are known for our range of hand-smocked heirloom dresses, each named after regal princesses: Charlotte, Victoria, Eleanor, and Alexandra. Our Narumi dress with Broderie Anglaise collars, and bespoke Carina smocked cheongsams for ladies are also highly sought-after.
But beyond a signature piece, many of our customers know us for our delivery to social responsibility. We pride ourselves on being an ethical and sustainable business organisation that creates opportunities for those who demand it almost. Our products are crafted past persons in developing sectors of club, who are paid above-average wages.
You Take KIDS AND THIS Business organisation. Any SECRETS TO ACHIEVING Piece of work-LIFE BALANCE YOU CAN SHARE?
I have three kids who are eight, vi, and two years erstwhile. It's a known secret: At that place is no such matter as work-life residual. In that location will exist trade-offs whichever way one chooses.
I endeavour to find means to engage my children in my work, so that their lives are not dichotomised from my trade. They need to see that nosotros intendance nigh their contributions as well. During last twelvemonth'due south Excursion Breaker nosotros ran a promotion to give re-usable facemasks to charities with beneficiaries in need. My children helped to pack the confront masks – we created a mini production line at home as they too had been sanctioned to home-based learning.
Any PLANS IN Shop Y'all CAN SHARE WITH United states of america?
Pre-COVID, we joined Boutique Fairs, which was a big bi-annual affair that gave us many opportunities to mingle with our clients. The pandemic has certainly changed everything we previously experienced. Only 1 affair that remains is our humanity.
In the road alee, we hope to create new opportunities for clients to appoint with our process of making their own heirlooms. We dream almost a physical place for our clients to walk into, where they can disconnect from their hurried lives, and co-create memories in an unhurried way.
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/living/creative-capital-eileen-tay-elizabeth-little-fashion-macarons-280136
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