Urban development
January 27, 2006 | 12:00am
"Forget sexy," said a famous doyenne of fashion once to one of her underlings, "dressing elegantly is what it’s all about." In an era that’s shaping up to be all about dresses, the buzzword for this coming summer seems to be light: from airy chiffon pieces floating down the runways of Chloe and Calvin Klein to the anti-fitted looser proportions of Marni and Prada.
But though many of these pieces don’t have the pomp and grandeur of, say, vintage Valentino or the high-wattage sex appeal of Dolce & Gabbana circa 10 years ago, they have a wearable charm that many consumers will find comforting – these frocks are bound to find a more welcoming audience than the more inaccessible trends of the past.
Whether it’s a light-as-air chiffon frock or a more substantial linen dress, you can pick as you please. Mix and match accessories to dress up or down: select larger, more upscale jewelry, like statement necklaces, for a fancier effect, or add lots of charms and bracelets with flats for a more wearable style.
For consumers in the mood to hook up with local purveyors of pretty frocks, Singapore’s Urban & Co is the one-stop-shop that carries all the dresses you’ll need – from Caribbean-inspired dresses that stop one step short of boho to luxe linen pieces that look like something out of an old movie. With three stores on the make, this young brand knows how to work trends and fit it to Asian standards. Who isn’t sick of trying foreign labels only to find that the waist band falls way below your hips? With the dressing room already a minefield of insecurity issues concerning size, the last thing anyone needs is clothes that make you look like a midget.
Urban & Co creator and creative fashion director Rachel Koh, who trained at Macy’s in the US and at leading department stores in Singapore, understood the needs of her fellow Asians. The result was an exercise in fitting: matching the silhouettes to meet the figures of petite Asians.
Though the clothes are meant for shorter builds, they are, by no means, tiny. The range of sizes include extra small to extra large (although don’t expect a plus-size section). According to their brand manager, Karen Lozon, the label’s signature lightweight fabrics and warm-weather styling make it the wardrobe of choice to suit the region’s mild, tropical climes.
Not to be confused with dress-only labels, Urban & Co carries everything, from cropped cardigans with brooches to feminine boleros and dainty shrugs in a vibrant color palette composed of fuchsia, aqua and lime to cropped pants and halter tops in pretty lavender shades.
For the sake of summer, don’t hide away in frumpy jeans and T-shirts. Test out the new dresses of the season and you’ll find yourself in a much lighter frame of mind.
Urban & Co is located at the 2nd floor of Glorietta 4; 2nd floor, building B, SM Megamall; and 2nd floor of Crossings, Shangri-la Plaza Mall (tel. 635-4428).
But though many of these pieces don’t have the pomp and grandeur of, say, vintage Valentino or the high-wattage sex appeal of Dolce & Gabbana circa 10 years ago, they have a wearable charm that many consumers will find comforting – these frocks are bound to find a more welcoming audience than the more inaccessible trends of the past.
Whether it’s a light-as-air chiffon frock or a more substantial linen dress, you can pick as you please. Mix and match accessories to dress up or down: select larger, more upscale jewelry, like statement necklaces, for a fancier effect, or add lots of charms and bracelets with flats for a more wearable style.
For consumers in the mood to hook up with local purveyors of pretty frocks, Singapore’s Urban & Co is the one-stop-shop that carries all the dresses you’ll need – from Caribbean-inspired dresses that stop one step short of boho to luxe linen pieces that look like something out of an old movie. With three stores on the make, this young brand knows how to work trends and fit it to Asian standards. Who isn’t sick of trying foreign labels only to find that the waist band falls way below your hips? With the dressing room already a minefield of insecurity issues concerning size, the last thing anyone needs is clothes that make you look like a midget.
Urban & Co creator and creative fashion director Rachel Koh, who trained at Macy’s in the US and at leading department stores in Singapore, understood the needs of her fellow Asians. The result was an exercise in fitting: matching the silhouettes to meet the figures of petite Asians.
Though the clothes are meant for shorter builds, they are, by no means, tiny. The range of sizes include extra small to extra large (although don’t expect a plus-size section). According to their brand manager, Karen Lozon, the label’s signature lightweight fabrics and warm-weather styling make it the wardrobe of choice to suit the region’s mild, tropical climes.
Not to be confused with dress-only labels, Urban & Co carries everything, from cropped cardigans with brooches to feminine boleros and dainty shrugs in a vibrant color palette composed of fuchsia, aqua and lime to cropped pants and halter tops in pretty lavender shades.
For the sake of summer, don’t hide away in frumpy jeans and T-shirts. Test out the new dresses of the season and you’ll find yourself in a much lighter frame of mind.
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