September 25, 2025
Last week, our showroom came alive during Singapore Design Week as we hosted a very special gathering — a dialogue between three emerging voices in design: Singapore’s own Emeline Ong, Copenhagen-based Bundle Studio, and Japan’s M&T. What united them wasn’t just their presence on our stage, but their shared experience earlier this year at Milan Design Week — the pinnacle of our industry’s calendar, where creativity, commerce, and culture intersect.
Coming from a third person’s perspective, I often find that listening to peers reflect on these journeys offers a kind of mirror into our own practice. What struck me most during this session was the honest candour with which each of them spoke — not of glossy success alone, but of the very real challenges behind the work.
The Weight of Expectations
Image credits: Isaac Lim Yi Jie
Milan is a stage unlike any other. Every year, brands and studios strive to outdo themselves — to make their stands bigger, brighter, or more provocative than before. Emeline, Bundle Studio, and M&T shared how palpable that pressure feels when you’re a newcomer, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with global names. There is both awe and anxiety in realising that the bar seems to rise relentlessly, and that audiences often arrive not just to see what is, but to guess what will be next.
This expectation for designers to somehow forecast the future is both exhilarating and daunting. As our guests described it, it takes courage to resist the temptation of spectacle for spectacle’s sake, and instead choose to present work that feels true — work that has depth, honesty, and purpose.
The Courage to Change
Image credits: Eian Siew
That courage — to make the change, to take risks, to design with conviction — was a thread running throughout the evening. It reminded me of something we often forget: that design is not only about responding to trends, but about shaping culture. And shaping culture requires bravery.
Sustainability at the Core
Image credits: Eian Siew
Another recurring theme was sustainability — not as a buzzword, but as a lived reality of practice. All three designers spoke of how environmental responsibility has become inseparable from the design process. Materials, production methods, and life-cycle considerations are now embedded from the very beginning of a project, rather than added on as an afterthought. For them, sustainability isn’t a constraint; it’s a catalyst for creativity, forcing them to think differently, source smarter, and design better.
A Shared Reflection
Image credits: Isaac Lim Yi Jie
As I listened, I felt a renewed appreciation for how design is always in dialogue — across cities, cultures, and generations. What happens in Milan reverberates in Singapore, Copenhagen, and Tokyo, and vice versa. Hosting this conversation in our showroom felt like bringing that global conversation home, grounding it in the shared values of authenticity, responsibility, and imagination.
At its heart, the evening was a reminder that design is never static. It evolves because designers dare to question, to reimagine, and to act. And in that evolution lies both the challenge — and the joy — of what we do.
More images below:
Image credits: Emeline Ong | Website: https://emeline.ong/
Image credits: Bundle Studio | Website: https://www.bundle.studio/
