The National Heritage Board Revives Singapore’s Tailoring Community

Tribal Worldwide Singapore (Tribal Worldwide) has joined hands with the National Heritage Board (NHB) to launch Recustom, a groundbreaking new fashion brand designed to revive Singapore’s tailoring community – a heritage trade impacted by the rise of fast fashion.                                                                         

Singapore’s tailoring community is renowned for its excellent craftsmanship and immaculate detailing—skills and trade secrets passed down through generations of tailors. Over the years, however, the community has lost many of its customers to the fast fashion industry. Despite their exceptional skills, many tailors lack the recognition and identity to compete with the allure of fast fashion outlets.

Recustom disrupts the fashion landscape with an upcycled clothing line that breathes new life into Singapore’s tailoring community. Unlike traditional fashion brands, it cannot be purchased off the shelf. Recustom is exclusively crafted by local tailors, using pre-loved garments provided by customers and design blueprints created by Singapore’s top fashion names – turning fast fashion items into coveted, handmade garments that never go out of style. This unique concept not only rejuvenates the heritage trade but also fosters a culture of sustainability in fashion, transforming the way we shop and consume clothing.

At the heart of Recustom are 15 exclusive looks created in collaboration with seven of Singapore’s leading designers, including Depression, Graye, Sabrina Goh, Lark and Peony, ANS.EIN, Baebeeboo, and Kebaya by Ratianah. The launch collection offers something for everyone, from contemporary streetwear and women’s wear to unisex apparel and traditional garments. 

The Recustom Way

• Visit www.recustom.sg. 
• Browse the launch collection and find your favourite looks. 
• Download and print the design blueprints, including full instructions and the type and amount of pre-loved clothing required. 
• Browse the list of participating tailors to find your most convenient Recustom creator. 
• Take your design blueprints and pre-loved clothing to your chosen tailor to create your one-of-a-kind Recustom piece.

Recustom is brought to life through a social media campaign and website. Fittingly, the unique logo uses fonts inspired by iconic fashion labels and combines them to produce a new brand identity. Renowned Singaporean iPhone street photographer Aik Beng Chia shot the launch collection.

“Our biggest challenge was creating visibility and value for tailors among young trend-chasers,” said Junqi Liao and Shawn Lam, Tribal Worldwide’s senior creative team behind Recustom. “Ultimately, we drew inspiration from the world’s biggest labels and built a fashion brand representing tailors from the ground up. Collaborating with Singapore’s leading designers gave the label street credibility.”

They added, “We commend NHB for backing this novel concept. Recustom is the future of fashion. We hope it paves the way for other nations to promote sustainable practices and protect valuable heritage trades that shape culture.”

Said Nicholas Yeo, senior manager at the National Heritage Board, “Recustom is more than just fashion. It’s about sharing the origins and stories behind old trades for everyone to appreciate and support. In so doing, we ensure the rich culture of our nation is passed on.”

Recustom launched on 11 April. A highly collaborative initiative, Recustom is inviting designers, tailors, and students to submit new designs. The label is due to extend to more tailors island wide.