Keepers: Local Designers Showcase Quality and Creativity At The Singapore Design Centre

Stumped for Christmas gifts? You might want to try heading down to the National Design Centre and checking out Keepers. Started by Carolyn Kan of Carrie K., Keepers is one of the most well-curated shops around dedicated to stocking some of the best local products for a classy crowd.

Open daily, stepping into Keepers feels almost like being in an actual museum, with many of the items sold easily doubling as art pieces in themselves. From scarves by Binary Style inspired by local landscapes and icons (such as Chinatown and playgrounds) to snazzy watches from HYPERGRAND, you could practically pick out an entire outfit here and come out looking fantabulous decked out in the most hip local gear.

It’s not all clothes and accessories though – at the shop, you can even get stationery, as well as unique toys for babies and toddlers. But above all, we have to say that our favourite portion of the shop has to be the food section, where we can buy colourful themed products from teas inspired by local districts, to mouth-watering chocolates and biscuits.

During this Christmas season, they’ve even set up an additional pop-up shop, also at the Design Centre, spreading more cheer during this festive period. The biggest highlight at the pop up is no doubt Thomas Wee’s line of white, incredibly comfortable womenswear. Known for his sharp tailoring and immaculately designed clothing, the veteran designer’s clothes are surprisingly affordable, and are so versatile, you could wear them to just about any event, given the right accessories and styling. Thomas explained how he wanted these clothes to fit just about anyone and everyone, and lets the light fabric and make of the outfit speak for itself.

Also be sure to look out for local chocolatiers Demochoco, offering up one of a kind chocolates. Of note would be the Singapurr Story flavoured chocolates, inspired by SG 50 and the history of our island city. The chocolate is flavoured with miso, gula melaka and coconut shavings to represent our former Japanese occupation, our country’s Malay origins, and the ruling political party respectively. And as weird as this combination sounds, it tastes pretty damn good.

Having such a big stake in the shop, Carrie K. will of course, also be showcasing plenty of her own bespoke jewellery. One of the most endearing things about her work is the quirky, fun way she reimagines modern jewellery, with each concept having a truly special story behind it, and enhancing the already gorgeous pieces even further. Be sure to check out her SFA-Award winning collaboration with Disney on a special Beauty and the Beast collection, as well as her Nuts and Bolts collection, inspired by the humble eponymous tools, without which the entire world would simply fall apart.

We were also enamoured by woven leather accessories brand Tresse. Tresse’s unique concept revolves around learning various traditional weaving techniques from the region, applying it to their products and coming up with an accessory that is simultaneously stylish and pays homage to cultural history, even explaining the weave behind each item. With such vibrant colours and eyecatching designs, it’s hard to resist getting drawn in to getting one of these well made wallets for ourselves.

This holiday season, Keepers is a must visit to find that perfect present for the local lover and anyone who appreciates some well made goods. Even if you’ve already gotten your shopping done, Keepers will be holding various events and workshops over this period, from leathercraft workshops to whiskey pairing. Visitors can even get the chance to meet and greet some of the designers themselves, who will pop in every so often to the shop. Keepers perfectly encapsulates the reason why we should support local, and if you drop by, we’re pretty sure you’ll be convinced too (and even walk away with a gift or two).

Keepers is located at the Singapore Design Centre, 111 Middle Road and is open 12pm – 8pm daily. For more information and to find out about upcoming events, visit their website here or their Facebook