A handpicked selection of the finest things to buy, fab places to try and fun things to do in Singapore

What do you get when you cross a mother, bespoke wedding designer and a clever chicken? Emma Laue Children. Emma first sat at her sewing machine when she was 12. She was then classically trained in fashion, and became a couturier of wedding and evening gowns. So when Emma moved to Singapore with a toddler and soon a baby girl on the way, she cleverly created a new fabulous line - Emma Laue Children. Ok - we admit it. We have secretly had her making clothes for our kids for the last year - but now everyone has the chance to dress their little people ...read more

Size 42 feet? Wide feet? Or can you never find exactly the right colour bag or shoe for that dress? Specialising in exotic skins, the recently launched Kyle Keefe is a bespoke women's leather shoe and accessory line... and Kyle brings custom made to a whole new level. Kyle Keefe captures the true essence of luxury in each pair of bespoke shoes. From fit to style, quality of leather, texture and colour, every detail is handcrafted with immaculate precision so you get your own unique piece. You can choose from cow, calf, lamb, sea snake, land snake, python, lizard, stingray, ostrich, and crocodile - each ...read more

Fashion can be tricky. Clothes are seasonal, trends are expensive, and buying mass-produced items always leaves you in the danger of turning up in something someone else is already wearing. A one-stop solution? Shop vintage. Here we've rounded up five of Singapore's best vintage boutiques. 1. Stevie General Store A relatively new kid on the block to excite vintage aficionados and newbies. Storeowners Bridget and Hwee Yee personally source their items from all over the world and make it a point to keep their prices low. As a bonus, the service here is impeccable: Bridget tailors her recommendations based on your taste and body type. ...read more

One door closes, another opens - or in this case, another 'clicks' open. Sad but true, the fabulous high quality European kids toy and accessory store we all know and love - Flynnish is moving out of its Cluny Court address this month. So while we are sad to see this colourful store (that bursts fabulous products) close - there is a silver lining... Flynnish is having a massive moving out sale. With 10-50% of everything in store for the month of February - this is the perfect place to stop by to fill that present cupboard for the birthday party season that has already ...read more

One thing we love love love about Singapore... is the opportunities! Now, for the fashionistas, designers and wanna-be fashion stars - here is your opening of a life time. Asia's aspiring fashion designers have just under a month to get their submissions in for Star Creation, the Asia-wide fashion design competition, and vie for their spot on the runway at the May finals in Singapore. Registration for the competition closes on 31 January. So far, entries have already poured in from over the region, with an especially strong showing from Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. This year's theme, Fashion Without Frontiers, challenges aspiring designers to draw ...read more

Twenty old tees. Four faded and tight(?) jeans. Three scarfs that seem to go with ... well, nothing. Does your wardrobe choke in clothes and yet somehow has nothing you want to wear? Un huh. It's clear. You need a wardrobe makeover. Much like a personal makeover, a wardrobe makeover is best done with a stylist and a shopping spree to boot. And good news for one lucky reader, we have teamed with VamaStyle to giveaway just that. We have a personal styling session with VamaStyle's Creative Director Kaitie Manani plus $250 to spend on VamaStyle's collection to giveaway! You have probably heard us rave ...read more

The same Christmas mini- dramas play out every year - how long to cook the turkey, whose turn is it to play Santa and what on earth to buy for the man who already has everything? Save yourself some seasonal stress with our hand-picked selection. Travel in Style Perfect for the man who has it all, indulge your mister with a Louis Vuitton European City Guide. Covering 30 cities, the guides reveal over 7,000 hotel, restaurant, gallery and fashion stores chosen with signature Vuitton style in mind. You never know he might just get the hint! Louis Vuitton City Guides $44 each or $170 a ...read more

Picking the perfect Christmas present can be an exhausting experience. Fighting the queues along Orchard, deciding on the right gift for your fabulous female friends, wrapping it, and all this effort often ends in re-gifting... *sigh*. So this year just head on over to the gorgeous Caspoll Style website, where you will find a divine range of gifts for every woman in your life. All you have to do is say "Your welcome!" Chi-Chi Wife Elegant and classy, you can't go past the Naledi Clutch. In genuine 100% ostrich leg skin, with details of a hidden magnetic closure, suede leather lining and arriving in a ...read more

A squeal of delight rather than a deadpan, 'It's just what I've always wanted...' is our preferred response on Christmas morning. Drop a few hints his way for a fabulous Christmas day. Pampered princess A city spa is all well and good for a routine beauty appointment but a proper spa treatment needs a proper spa surrounding. Spa Botanica at Sentosa has a range of pampering treatments including the Singapore Flower Ritual which takes place in a peaceful private garden and includes a massage, foot bath, scrub and a soak in a frangipani filled tub. Bliss. Singapore flower ritual at Spa Botanica $390pp 3 ...read more

We have Christmas sorted for you with this quick list of great ideas for presents for boys. Build them up - Kapla wooden block sets. These simple but very stylish French building blocks come in a range of colours and box sets. Stack them in different ways and create a masterpiece. Check it out at www.kapla.com available from Flynnish starting at $39. Slip into these - Slip on costume packs. Created by a Dutch company these slip on dress ups can also be a work of art when decorated with fabric markers. They come with a matching head piece and are packed in a cute ...read more

Why oh why do we have to suffer through a winter fashion season - when *NEWS FLASH* Singapore, we don't have winter here. It's just baffling really. Thank the lord for those independent all-summer labels like Vamastyle. We have been a big fan of Vama since this sassy label launched in Singapore just 12 months ago. Local designer & Vama's Creative Director Kaitie Manani brings together vibrant hues (think hot pink, fire engine red, jewel blues, tangerine, peach and sunshine yellow) and classic styles that are just perfect for beach to bar and day to night. The Flirt Collection has new styles and prints - ...read more

Yes, Christmas is fast approaching ... save yourself some time and stress with this quick list of great presents for girls. Pearls for girls - Little Red Wagon A little of bit of glamour goes a long way in a girls life. We love these gorgeous bracelets. Available on the NotInthemalls website, $60 Dish it up - IndiRose Apron Is there a budding chef in your kitchen? They will love this pretty little apron to sweeten up their day. Available on the NotInthemalls website, $25 Music to the ears - Lullaby Renditions CD Chose your favourite artist/songs and share it with your kids. Lullaby renditions ...read more

Helpful handicraft. That's what we think of The Bangkok Design Relief, an initiative spearheaded by Singaporean jeweller Marilyn Tan and Doorstepluxury.com. Designed to help Bangkok jewellers whose livelihoods have been destroyed by the recent floods to sell their products online and bring much needed income to their families. Tan reached out to a number of local Bangkok jewellery designers, whose workshops, homes and livelihoods were destroyed in the recent floods; encouraging them to send all recovered items to Singapore. From here doorstepluxury.com got to work photographing all the items and have created a dedicated area on the website to present the design collection. So far ...read more

We've gone ahead and arranged your Christmas shopping schedule for Wednesday 23 Nov (and if you can't make Wed, just apply this schedule to Thurs 24 Nov). You can thank us later. 8am. Wake up. Skip coffee and work. You'll see why. 830am. Jump in taxi or car to Fort Canning Centre in Fort Canning Park. pay uncle or park in the leafy carpark or in Hotel Fort Canning. 9am. Sip away on latte at the Boutiques at Fort Canning Courtyard Cafe to get that caffeine fix pre-shopping. 930am. Locate girlfriends. Then pop inside the Gallery, Foyer and Kid's Space to find over 70 exquisite ...read more

Christmas is coming and you need presents for husbands, sisters, kids, aunts, uncles, grannies, nephews and nieces (and the list goes on...). Here are our top ten picks from that fab website Notinthemalls. 1. Glodos BIT Toddler Bike The award winning Glodos BIT bike is an ideal toddler bike - to take little people into the world of two wheels. With its bright wide wheels, it looks pretty cool too (as pictured). $224 2. Amsterdam Hobo We just love these cow hide bags with their neon trim. Stylish and oh so practical with their long strap and various compartments for phone, lippy and cash. $250. ...read more