As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2024 on 8 March, let retail collective A Raft of Otters stand as a testament to the strength, creativity and unity that women bring to the forefront of business and community. Situated in Tanglin Mall, A Raft of Otters is the creation of Diane Hall. It’s a lively collective showcasing over 40 small, female-led brands offering unique, design-driven and ethically sourced homeware, fashion, gifts and jewellery.
Explaining the distinctive name, Diane says: “A raft is the collective noun for a group of otters. Otters work together to collectively support each other and hold hands so they don’t drift apart! Their diligent work ethic, social nature, creativity, playfulness and unwavering loyalty inspired the very essence of our store.”
So in the spirit of celebrating collaboration and empowerment, we introduce the women behind three businesses at “The Raft”. All of them contribute to the vibrant tapestry of the collective.
International Women’s Day 2024 brand spotlight #1
Meraki Lily – Sukhveen & Kanchan Narula
“Meraki Lily is a curation of distinctive and elegant statement home décor, serve ware and lifestyle products, which embody both contemporary and classic styles. Our collections are conceptualised and stylised, seamlessly blending the decorative with the functional. Each piece is meticulously handpicked to suit a myriad of living spaces, for clients with discerning tastes and aspirations.
“We revel at stocking our collections in A Raft of Otters at Tanglin Mall, which is a gorgeous store par excellence. The curated selection fosters an engaging and personal shopping experience that customers love! Diane is also inclusive and innovative, constantly vamping up the space with new and fun ideas. It’s immensely rewarding for us to contribute to creating spaces that reflect individual tastes and preferences.”
International Women’s Day 2024 brand spotlight #2
Memory Boards – Marijke Böhm & Emilie Roederer
“Memory Boards was born 12 years ago with the idea of creating memories for those lucky enough to spend time in the Little Red Dot. We started off with wall art, depicting everyday Singapore scenes and landmarks. Today, we have a beautiful range of gift items such as trays, coasters and tea towels, all with designs featuring the country we love so much.
“Memory Boards was founded by Marijke, who is still the creative brain behind all our designs, and is currently run by Emilie (pictured), who you might have bumped into at A Raft of Otters!
“We’re proud of being a female-led brand. We love having women around us in our day-to-day lives – from our daughters who are inspired by seeing us at work, to interacting with our lovely customers and helping them find the perfect gift, to most recently, joining the amazing collective of women at A Raft of Otters. We feel right at home at The Raft as our colourful products blend in beautifully with the carefully curated gifting, clothing and homeware range the shop has to offer. Pop in if you’re looking for the perfect gift to remind yourself or your friends of an amazing time in Singapore. We look forward to meeting you there!”
International Women’s Day 2024 brand spotlight #3
The Bright Campaign – Ebonie Delahunty
“The Bright Campaign stocks rad, fun and colourful Aussie brands for the fun peeps in SG. You’ll find totes, cooler bags and zip pouches, plus sandfree beach mats made from recycled materials as well as the ultimate collapsible water bottle – Rollabottle. One tree is planted for every item sold (#buyoneplantone).
“I love being a part of The Raft as it’s such a supportive and fun group of vendors and it’s such a beautiful store! They also always have excellent music on and I often find myself dancing while restocking the shelves. (Whoever does the playlist, take a bow!)”
#03-102 Tanglin Mall, 163 Tanglin Road
8125 5725 | araftofotters.com
This article on A Raft of Otters first appeared in the March 2024 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe so you never miss a copy!
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