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NUDE FEMME - Singapore Stories Capsule Collection

Textile and Fashion Federation Singapore (TaFF) Singapore Stories Design Competition 2020 semi-finalists Jaime Lim and finalist Adelyn Putri met and connected through the competition, having similar design inspirations and aesthetics, they have developed a jewelry + apparel collaboration that was featured with Adelyn’s capsule collection in the finals.
Adelyn Putri of Nude Femme’s designs drew inspiration from the strengths and values of a group of iconic female activists. “I’m paying tribute to the group of women from yesteryears, they were the silent heroes that paved invaluable contributions to Singapore’s early development and women in society.”

One of the icons that inspired Adelyn was the Samsui Women. The term Samsui women broadly refers to a group of Chinese immigrants who came to Malaya and Singapore between the 1920s and 1940s in search of construction and industrial jobs. Their hard work contributed to the development of the Straits Settlements, both as colonies and later as the new nations of Singapore and Malaysia. Samsui women did manual labour similar to coolies but were more independent.

The samsui women, known for their red headgear, wearing blue or black samfu outfit came to Singapore as cheap labourers and worked mainly in the construction industry and other industries that required hard labour. They also worked as domestic servants. They had a reputation of rejecting jobs involving drug (particularly opium) peddling, prostitution, or other vices, even if that meant living in poverty. Their contributions to housing construction and as well as labour at hawker centres have been invaluable to Singapore's early development.

With this capsule collection, Adelyn took a moment to admire, inspired, to be thankful of the  Samsui women for their core values and strengths in persevering through difficulties during an era having to leave a home country for work to seek for a better living to support their families back home, with some settled down in Singapore making it their second home.  

*Historical References and pictures from Wikipedia, Raffles Fine Arts, Liu Kang’s Building Site / Samsui Women, Mediacorp, National Library Board, Singapore Police Force, Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame, Singapore Press Holdings, Textile and Fashion Federation Singapore.

NUDE FEMME x [in]trigue
In honouring the Singapore Stories and the Samsui women, NUDE FEMME x [in]trigue limited-edition  collection envision these strong empowering women re-imagined living a successful life in the modern world.  Clean chic design of the modern jumpsuit meets bold statement jewellery with practical function come together with rich textures and vibrant colours in simple, versatile pieces to wear from day to evening, for house visiting and reunion dinners, any day.
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