Cover Sanchia Tan (pictured left) and Amber Chen of Tanchen Studio
Sanchia Tan (pictured left) and Amber Chen of Tanchen Studio
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A collaborative project between Sanchia Tan and Amber Chen, Tanchen Studio designs functional yet artful objects, with an emphasis on novel materials and textures
Our first introduction to a work by Tanchen Studio was at local label Rye’s store in Joo Chiat. The custom-made rug, with its rust tones and chequered pattern, complemented the store’s minimal earthy palette, enhanced by ebony columns and bold statement pieces such as vibrant striped upholstery.
This is just one of the many collaborations that the studio has worked on with homegrown brands this year, garnering significant attention. The surge in visibility speaks of the rising star of the brand, whose name is a portmanteau of its founders Sanchia Tan and Amber Chen’s surnames—and a clever play on the word “tension”.
The two met while they were studying at London’s Central Saint Martins, where they both majored in textile design and specialised in weaving. “We have a very similar design language and taste,” says Tan. Chen pursued a master’s programme, while Tan worked for a weave studio in London.
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Above Sanchia Tan (pictured left) and Amber Chen
Sanchia Tan (pictured left) and Amber Chen
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Upon returning to Asia, they decided to launch the brand together. This was so that “weaving could still be a central element in our lives”, says Tan. Their inaugural project was a 3m by 6m tapestry, which also served as a changing room, made from upcycled materials for Shanghai-based fashion designer Wan Hao Ming. Tanchen initially envisioned creating large-scale installations for hotels and restaurants, but the pandemic necessitated a shift. A collaborative project between Sanchia Tan and Amber Chen, Tanchen Studio designs functional yet artful objects, with an emphasis on novel materials and textures. “We had to design smaller collections,” Tan explains.
The first creation they sold was the 0/0 Bag, a wine bottle bag with a stripped back design featuring woven elastic cords that can stretch to accommodate various objects, complemented by generous wooden handles. Since then, they have developed spin-off collections such as the B/B collection, which includes bags, cup holders and placemats made from braided and beaded nylon elastic yarn, as well as the 8/8 collection, which combines elements from both collections into fluid bags adorned with gem-like beads crafted from wood or glass.
Above The 8/8 bag
The 8/8 bag
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Tanchen has also ventured into home objects, such as hand-tufted rugs, and the Mazha Stool, co-designed with Chengdu-based design practice Amass Studio, which features a compact foldable aluminium frame and a handwoven seat pad made from nylon ribbon and rope. According to Tan, inspiration comes from their surroundings as well as their travels. “We try to have an eye for the local and a sense of place in everything that we produce,” she says. The Mazha stool, for instance, draws inspiration from scenes of elderly people sitting along the streets of Shanghai, enjoying their afternoon tea.
Gregory Ng, who oversees the brand’s direction and communication, emphasises that Tan and Chen create from a personal place. “Everything that they create is something that they use in their daily life. They often imagine themselves as the users of these objects.”
Tan describes Tanchen’s creative process as beginning with “observing and experimenting with materials”, striving to showcase them uniquely by combining different textures and colours while incorporating weaving techniques.
Above Morning; The Knot Bag is a collaboration with The Editor’s Market
Morning; The Knot Bag is a collaboration with The Editor’s Market
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Some recent collaborations include “PressPause” with Morning, which features special editions of the Morning coffee machine in two colourways, coasters with patterns inspired by local Malay kuih, and a reinterpretation of the Mazha stool.
Such collaborations are part of the studio’s bread and butter. It previously released special editions of the 0/0 bag with Austrian natural winemaker Gut Oggau, larger versions of the 0/0 bag designed for 500ml Nalgene bottles with Rye, woven seat cushions for Kernel Furniture x Ishinomaki Laboratory stools, rugs for the Wallpaper store in Shanghai, and a pearl-beaded bag with Shanghai-based brand Shushu/Tong.
Despite being based in different cities—Tan in Singapore and Chen in Shanghai—the duo maintains their creative partnership and collaborative process through regular communication and hands-on sourcing trips. “We fly back and forth quite regularly. When we’re together, we get so much done because we focus on our tasks,” Tan shares, highlighting how face-to-face interactions enhance their creative process. While they rely heavily on video calls to maintain workflow, meeting in person allows them to collaboratively refine designs.
Above Tanchen Studio’s collaboration with Morning
Tanchen Studio’s collaboration with Morning
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Today, Tanchen’s reach spans the globe, with products stocked extensively across China, Australia and New Zealand. Select stockists in Canada, Spain, South Korea and Japan also carry their work. This growth, Tan notes, has been entirely organic. “We’ve never reached out to anyone; brands or concept stores approach us.” This aligns with a broader trend she observes in the textile industry, where “a lot of people are returning to textiles and craft practices like hand-weaving or knitting”. Singapore itself is home to a growing community of artisans specialising in rattan weaving, indigo dyeing and rug tufting, further fuelling Tanchen’s inspiration.
As they look to the future, Tan and Chen aspire to create “more creative larger installation pieces”. Tan also says they aim to focus on their main collections. “We look at our existing collection and ask ourselves what else we want to create. It’s exciting because we can create whatever we feel inspired to make.” At present, they are working on a collection of bag charms—a trend likely to persist—while infusing it with their unique style.
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Nafeesa Saini is the Features Editor at Tatler Singapore, where she shapes long-form stories on culture, business, philanthropy, wellness, and the people driving change in Asia. With a deep interest in storytelling that intersects meaningfully with identity and impact, she has profiled a diverse range of visionaries, from scientific pioneers in AI and health to creative trailblazers and literary minds.
Nafeesa’s writing includes cover stories and profiles that spotlight influential voices, alongside commentary on the trends reshaping our world.
Off the clock, Nafeesa unwinds with fiction, a good thrift hunt, and ‘brainrot’ TikTok scroll—while always keeping one eye on her next cultural getaway, usually to Indonesia.
