Strength In Numbers

Two collectives share their perspectives on ways of staying true to their founding intentions and preserving authenticity — just as how Ermenegildo Zegna’s compelling (RESET) WHAT MAKES A MAN for Fall/Winter ’21 aims at changing the status quo.

- Manfred Lu

SWELL HAS BEEN FREQUENTLY CREDITED ON THE BACK OF EXHIBITION COLLATERALS AND BOOKS IN SINGAPORE, BUT FOR THE DESIGN STUDIO, ENJOYING THEIR WORK AND BEING HONEST HAS BROUGHT THEM SUCCESS.

HOW WAS SWELL FORMED AND WHAT HAS THE COLLECTIVE (RE-ENGINEERED) SINCE THEN?

To be totally candid, Swell’s early portrait looks rather different from what it is now. We started with romantic intentions, conceived in a basement studio while setting up for an exhibition. Conversations led to grand ideas and these grand ideas took shape in the form of a collective (which was kind of trendy at that time). These grand ideas have slowly distilled into who we are today. We say romantic and grand because — in hindsight — these ideas were centred around the “designer” with design being the pivotal force of society. However, when all considered, Design is but a medium. A few concepts have stayed true regardless — doing work we liked, being honest in and with design and most importantly, we are friends before business partners.

WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES SWELL FACED DURING ITS FOUNDING YEARS?