Edwin Low, founder of Supermama, reveals his favourite products in store, and where he likes to shop when he travels.
21 July 2017
Founded by Edwin Low, Supermama is a well-known gallery shop that works closely with local designers and Japanese craft facilities to produce beautiful and meaningful objects and souvenirs that are representative of contemporary Singapore culture. Along with stores located in Beach Road, Gillman Barracks, and two at The Esplanade, Supermama also has an online store, and regularly holds exhibitions and fairs in partnership with Singaporean and overseas creatives.
This week, we get Edwin to spill the beans on his own all-time and current favourite products, most popular buys, and where he likes to shop.
Tell us the latest happening in store at the moment.
We are planning for our upcoming Porcelain and Crafts Fair, which will be held from 22 to 24 September. This is the second edition and beyond showing classical porcelain objects, we will be working with our Japanese partner Kihara Inc. to present the process behind porcelain making.
What’s your favourite product in the shop right now – or of all time?
There are too many to name. While my all time favourite is our One-Singapore porcelain piece, let me introduce my recent favourite – the Star Wars Peranakan porcelain collection which we launched last year. We produced six designs and four are already sold out. I think this is a clever mix of everything – a popular icon + the Singapore context (Peranakan motifs) + limited production + high quality Japanese porcelain + affordable price. It really shows how different cultures and icons can come together in a single medium, and possibly this can only happen in Singapore.
Star Wars Peranakan porcelain collection
Where do you like to shop when overseas?
I try to shop at the local independent shops whichever city I am in to get a sense of the local culture and craftsmanship. I just came back from Sendai (Tohoku region where the 3/11 earthquake hit the hardest) and I visited this shop called Tohoku Standard. This shop is really well designed and well stocked with gifts, stationery, tableware, and food items from the Tohoku region. The shop fittings was also put together by a furniture label called Ishinomaki Lab, which we now carry in our store.
Tokuhu Standard
Which of your store’s products do you have at home?
I was using the Arita 1616 cup before I even brought it into my shop. I just managed to bring this in last month. I really love the greyish matt surface of the porcelain collection. Who says porcelain has got be the whitest of white huh?
Arita collection
What are some of the most popular buys in the store?
Our Singapore Architecture porcelain collection remains one of our most popular buys and we’re going to extend this series into different mediums in the coming months.
Singapore Architecture porcelain collection
How do you decide which brands and products to carry?
Every brand is an extension of the founder. We do not really have a selection criteria other than that we take time to meet the people and understand their philosophy behind every collection produced. I’m proud to say that I personally know all the craftsmen, designers or founders of the products we carry in our shop. I probably met most of them face to face before, i.e. I know where every dollar I make from my sales goes to. And this really motivates me.
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