How I’m Making It: Singaporean fashion designer Gin Lee on how she tells stories through the use of fabric

Working alongside her husband, Lee acknowledges their contrasting personalities and approaches. Despite their difference, they share a unified vision for the brand and have learned to navigate challenges together. “We had to learn a lot about one another but I enjoy working with him every day,” she says.

Having built the brand as a team from the beginning, Lee and Niv have also discovered the importance of being present for their family. For Lee, raising her children is not separate from her work, it is woven into the journey of running Ginlee. “[It’s] crucial to be there for my family no matter what and raising my children is simply part of the journey of running Ginlee, rather than a separate aspect outside of it,” she explains.

Playing with shapes and shadows

Lee’s creative process is deeply influenced by geometric shapes, lines and the play of shadows. “I love when things don’t seem quite right, there’s a certain character to it when it’s a little off-balance in a sense,” she says. Lee often sets aside time to immerse herself in the creative zone,  allowing fresh ideas and inspiration to take shape before bringing them to life.

She is constantly pushing boundaries of design, creating innovative pieces that define her brand. One of her personal favourites is the signature collection featuring the Ivy pleat. This detail gently frames the body, adding both structure and elegance to the look.

Lee’s expertise in pleating is one of the brand’s most iconic signatures. She skilfully transforms textiles from flat, two-dimensional fabrics into sculptural three-dimensional forms. Not only are these pleats visually striking but also engineered to flatter a range of body types, offering both movement and structure.

Since the start of Ginlee, Lee has been a vocal advocate for sustainability in fashion, challenging the industry norms of overconsumption and mass production. Over the years, the brand has introduced multiple concepts with its latest being Make by Ginlee, an initiative that reduces overproduction through a circular economy.

An in-store on-demand production model, Make by Ginlee offers garments that are pleated and assembled “only when you want them”. This circular initiative uses off-cuts and spare parts, transforming them into something new. Various experiences are also available, like The Make Pleat Bag Experience which takes guests through the fundamentals of pleating, from using paper moulds to adding the finishing touches to the bag. 

The value of craftsmanship

Lee believes that the rise of fast fashion and instant gratification has robbed us of the appreciation of fashion. Since venturing into the industry, she has seen the dynamic transformation of the industry, with the current state of the fashion industry “being a numbers game at times”.

“I’d love to see fashion go back to being a language that inspired, told stories and conveyed dreams. I hope the future of fashion sees the return of true value in the work and craftsmanship of design. That there would be a greater appreciation for these things—where the process of eyeing, purchasing and owning it is a process that’s worthwhile and precious.”

To keep up with the ever-evolving needs of consumers, Lee explains that the brand is constantly adapting and revising its designs and collections to suit the needs of her customers and the industry.

Lee has big plans for her label. For now, she hopes the brand will continue to hold space, share its stories and be a part of the shared creative vision of the fashion industry.

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