today • Thursday 23 July 2015 56 travel The perfect souvenir Tacky Merlion keychains get an upgrade from local designers

1 2 ified dragon playground. Best of all, Serene Lim these souvenirs are affordable, retail- [email protected] ing at S$10 or S$20. “Most of the time, souvenirs were either seen as being well-designed and ne of the best things expensive or cheap and not very nice,” about travelling over- said Low. “We wanted to show souve- seas is bringing a piece nirs could be both well-designed and of the place back with affordable. It was a conscious decision us — literally. We can’t to ensure that it won’t exceed S$20 and Oget enough of souvenirs so we hap- this could only be done by working re- pily lug back 14 different flavours of ally closely with the designer and the KitKat from Japan and shop for knick- manufacturer to keep costs low.” knacks at Goods Of Desire (GOD) Twenty products from the Souve- in Hong Kong. nirs From Singapore collection were In London, we can’t escape its sig- soft-launched at Supermama’s store nature phone booth, double-decker at Singapore Art Museum last Sat- bus and Big Ben and the Royal Couple urday, with the rest to be launched in shops. Countries such as Sweden, at the design pop-up market Singa- Russia and Australia boast quintes- pasar, which will be held at the Na- sentially local mascots such as Pippi tional Design Centre on Middle Road Longstocking, Matryoshka nesting from July 31 to Aug 2. Also launching dolls and koalas. during Singapasar are five new prod- As for Singapore, we have ... the ucts by ATAS (which stands for All Merlion. All right, we do have a few Things About Singapore). This collab- awesome souvenirs like Bengawan oration label by design studios FARM Solo kuehs and Ya Kun kaya, but and Triggerhappy specialises in local most tourists still associate us with gifts — it previously produced the Sin- the Merlion. glish notebook and kueh tutu erasers. We don’t have to feel embarrassed “smelly pillow” — was a common at- Meykrs to create objects inspired by It’s not the first time Triggerhappy about that anymore. Thanks to de- tachment for many Singaporeans Singapore icons. Besides the Merlion, and FARM have collaborated. The two signer Edwin Low of lifestyle store growing up. the collection pays homage to familiar companies had worked together in 2012 Supermama, the Merlion is finally The Merlion chou chou pillow is 1 ATAS’ Peranakan Singaporean institutions, so you get to create the Great Singapore Souve- kind of cool: It has been reimagined one of 50 objects from Supermama’s Plate HDB-flat-shaped eraser blocks, hair- nir Collection for the National Heritage as a cuddly chou chou pillow. For those Souvenirs From Singapore collection. 2 Merlion chou clips with prints of potong and wafer Board’s Museum Label, which included who don’t know better, a chou chou pil- Low worked with fellow Singaporean chou pillow ice cream, a kopi packet mug and a the hit “kancheong watch” and Nyonya low or bantal busuk — which means design outfit Stuck and manufacturer Photo: Atas; supermama doorstopper shaped like the now-rar- kueh sticky notepad. 57 travel today • Thursday 23 July 2015

Among the five new items are 3 4 is when the designs have a story to wooden blocks emblazoned with Sin- tell so that they can share our stories gapore attractions such as The Espla- when they return home,” said Kan. nade and Marina Bay Sands, a decora- “We often hear tourists saying how tive tape with Peranakan-tiled motifs pleasantly surprised they are to find you can use to jazz up your homes, and such a good and diverse range of lo- a plate for lohei. Triggerhappy’s Win- cal designer products. It is starting to ston Chai said that the products are create an awareness of the growing retailing on FARM’s website and they pool of Singapore designers, artists are looking to have it stocked in other and artisans.” places after the launch. Hence, the selection for KEEPERS “We realised that tourists tend at Changi Airport is specially curat- to prefer obvious visual representa- ed to ensure the products also have a tions of Singapore such as shophous- unique story to tell. Kan added that es, while Singaporeans like a bit of an Supermama’s Souvenirs From Sin- 5 insider joke to the souvenirs,” said gapore collection will also be selling Chai. “This is why for ATAS’ new at KEEPERS, which is good news products, we made them stronger for tourists. in terms of visual cues, such as our Singaporeans are already lapping Peranakan tape.” them up. Some of Supermama’s Sou- Chai is also the co-organiser of venirs Of Singapore Collection — such the Singapore Souvenir Exhibi- as the Merlion chou chou pillow, the tion opening this Saturday at the plastic chair ornaments, the Good National Design Centre, where Morning cup and the Water Wally 90 objects by 16 designers from the Bottle — are already sold out. Low last six years will be displayed in what promised they will be replenished is a sure sign of our growing confi- before Aug 7. dence in locally designed souvenirs. “Most of these were bought by Sin- Among the new creations exhib- gaporeans. Many Singaporeans don’t ited is The Singapore Deck playing Singapore Designer Collective along of their buyers are tourists, and they buy or promote our products because cards inspired by our “history, peo- Orchard Road. The store champion- tend to purchase a variety of gifts we’re not proud of them. But we make ple and culture”. Designer Joe Tan ing and housing Singaporean design- ranging from jewellery and accesso- the best ambassadors — when we’re feels the cards would appeal to both 3 HDB eraser blocks ers and their products under one roof ries to perfume and lifestyle items. proud of our souvenirs, we’ll tell all locals and tourists alike with its sense 4 The Singapore has proven so popular that it launched “Tourists who visit KEEPERS tell our friends from overseas about them of nostalgia. Deck a second pop-up store in Terminal 1 of us they want to bring home something and what they represent.” The biggest coup for Singapo- 5 HDB proposal ring Changi Airport last week. that is unique and created by Singa- Who knows, perhaps one day we’ll rean souvenirs has got to be the Photo: supermama, Carolyn Kan, co-organiser of pore designers. A more compelling find that Merlion chou chou nestled in opening of pop-up store KEEPERS: Trigger happy KEEPERS, revealed that 50 per cent reason for them to make a purchase a bed somewhere in Russia.