FASHION'S QUIET FAVOURITE

Home-grown fashion label In Good Company celebrated the 10th anniversary of its flagship store with a runway show at National Gallery Singapore

- Amanda Chai

On Sept 5, the first Friday of September's fashion month - or what the industry globally recognises as the fashion calendar's most important month - Singapore got a taste of Fashion Week for an hour, as the Supreme Court Terrace at National Gallery Singapore transformed into a runway.

More than 250 fashion editors, influencers and some esteemed clientele packed the seats lining the makeshift catwalk, mobile phones at the ready to snap the fashion parade criss-crossing stoically down the terrace.

The 70-look capsule of clean lines and expertly draped ensembles was not from an international luxury house but home-grown fashion label In Good Company (IGC), in its debut runway presentation.

Showcasing a more unbridled, avant-garde take on the brand's signature pared-back style with a twist, the collection charted a narrative beginning with resort-inspired wear that progressed to a tale of urban sensibilities. The closing dress, a Grecian goddess-style caped gown, was a fitting finale and nod to IGC's mantra of beauty in simplicity.

A production of this scale is a rare, massive endeavour for any local fashion brand — but more so for IGC, which has kept a low profile for the better part of its 12 years in business.

Sure, it is a fashion insider favourite, but the brand that has prized quiet luxury before it was trendy has steered clear of shouty marketing and flashy store openings, preferring to let the quiet strength of its designs do the talking.

Until now. The runway show marked the 10th anniversary of IGC's flagship store opening at Ion Orchard mall, a feat the brand does not take lightly.

In the past year, IGC has also hosted several "pop-ins" in-store to champion fellow local brands from jewellery brand Days of Ever to sustainable bedding label Sojao to lifestyle and furniture purveyor Grafunkt.