Looking for clothes that look good and feel good? Beyond the Vines could be just what you need. This Singaporean brand has gone viral for their clean, simple designs and thoughtful approach to fashion.

Now, they’ve grown into a popular design studio with branches in Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, and Japan.

But Beyond the Vines didn’t start out big. It started as a small dream with a lot of heart. Here’s how Beyond the Vines one of Singapore’s most well-known local fashion brands.

‍

🌱 Humble beginnings

In 2015, a husband and wife team, Rebecca Ting and Daniel Chew, started Beyond the Vines. Before you think they were big names in the fashion world, here’s the truth: they actually both were from real estate!

But they were frustrated that they couldn’t find well-made clothes at an affordable price.

At first, Rebecca thought of buying clothes from Bangkok and reselling them in Singapore…but Daniel said no.

“Coming from a family of creatives and artists, she has the eye for color and the ability to draw inspiration from buildings and artifacts,” said Daniel.

“I always felt she could do more than just go to get some clothes and bring them back to sell.”

‍

💪 Starting to grow

They first started selling clothes online. They launched their website from the back corner of a family friend’s factory in Kaki Bukit. They started with 20 items.

But starting was tough. Singapore’s fashion scene was competitive, and a brand focused on simple, minimalist style was a risk.

Yet Rebecca and Daniel believed in their idea, so they stopped focusing on their competitors. “It was time for us to do our own thing and run our own race,” she said.

“We want to be known for a customer-up and experience-first approach,” said Rebecca. “We pay particular attention to how our products feel on the body, and how each silhouette falls.”

They chose each fabric carefully and worked closely with local suppliers. They spent long nights working, making sure each piece was just right!

Slowly, people began to notice Beyond the Vines. People loved their sleek, high-quality designs. With each piece sold, their dream grew a little bigger.

‍

🥟 Learning to pivot

Rebecca and Daniel wanted Beyond the Vines to be for everyone. In 2019, they realized that they wanted to do something different with their brand.

"At that point, we felt that the brand had no voice,” shared Rebecca. “it was not making any impact in our community at large and was really just about putting stuff out.”

Instead of shutting down, Rebecca and Daniel wanted to connect more with people. People weren’t buying clothes anymore, so they designed the Dumpling Bag.

People weren’t buying as many clothes since they just stayed at home. They wanted a bag with lots of colors, that was easy to use, and fit Singapore’s tropical climate.  

People loved it–it had a unique design that was perfect for their on-the-go lifestyle!

‍

🫂 Connected to community

They started selling the Dumpling bags on social media live streams. This was also a chance to get to know their customers, which not many brands were doing at the time.

“We didn't want to have layers between us and the consumers,” said Rebecca. “We wanted to speak directly to the community—you can't really filter the comments on live streams.”

The team would take the community behind the scenes. They showed people how they designed their products, failed samples, and their new ideas!

“We realized that this is really how it feels like to run a design studio, to run a business that actually serves our community,” said Rebecca. “It’s not a community if they’re not speaking back.”

‍

🌟 Here and now

Now, Beyond The Vines is building a community of people who want to make good design a part of their lives! They’re not just a clothing brand–they’re a design studio that’s constantly finding new ways to grow.

Today, Beyond the Vines is loved by many.

But they’re not done growing yet! If there’s one thing Rebecca and Daniel have learned to do, it’s this: ‘Be ready for change, it will surprise you.’

Wherever Beyond the Vines goes next, they’ll always be rooted in their purpose: to bring good design to all people.

‍