EMERGE Highlights the Next Generation Asian Designers — FIND-Design Fair Asia 2025

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JP

photography: IDREIT
words: Reiji Yamakura/IDREIT

This year, to commemorate Singapore’s 60th anniversary, FIND – Design Fair Asia was held at Marina Bay Sands in September as one of the key events of Singapore Design Week. This report focuses on EMERGE, an exhibition launched in 2022 alongside the founding of FIND, which spotlights the next generation of designers from across Asia. Here, we introduce this year’s main theme and featured works.

Suzy Annetta from Design Anthology, continuously acting as EMERGE’s curator since 2022.

The head of Supermama, Edwin Low, joined the curation team this year.

EMERGE has previously featured designers from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. The exhibition has been cultivated as a platform for discovering emerging talent across Southeast Asia by Suzy Anetta, founding editor of Design Anthology, who has curated the initiative since its inception. This year, she was joined by Edwin Low, founder of Singaporean design brand Supermama, as a new curator.

When asked about the curatorial concept, Edwin explained: “This year’s theme is Dialogue Through Design. Under this theme, we explored how design can be a language that connects people. When selecting works for the exhibition, we didn’t simply want to display beautiful objects — we focused on the stories behind them. We aspire to build a better world. To achieve this, we asked ourselves: how can we design differently? How can we reuse materials? With these questions in mind, we carefully selected the works, constantly asking each applicant, Why this design? Why this form?”

The colourful bench and shade in the centre are part of “LoopLine” by Bangkok-based THINKK Studio.

“Entwined Matters” by London-based Japanese architectural duo PAN-PROJECT, crafted from scrap denim woven into rope. This piece evolves the concept behind their eponymous work exhibited in Estonia in 2024.

Products from Origin Made by Gabriel Tan, based in Singapore and Portugal. One of the attractions of EMERGE is the participation of experienced designers such as Gabriel Tan.

Suzy, who continued to work on EMERGE as co-curator, described this year’s key development: “The biggest change this year is the expansion of the regions participating. From the beginning, we had some discussions internally regarding the areas. This year, with Edwin joining and the curation team being newly formed, it presented a good opportunity, and the decision was finally made to expand across the all of Asia. In addition to Southeast Asia, we now include designers from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, gathering over 100 works from more than 70 designers.”

Suzy also commented on the growing audience and interaction among participants: “We always expected to see communication between designers, visitors and manufacturers. But now, designers are also discussing materials and details with each other, leading to new collaborations. Gallerists and architects are coming to find partners for future projects. It’s very rewarding to see so many meaningful encounters taking place here.”

Yuriko Yagi (left) and Kazumasa Takada (right) of London-based PAN-PROJECT. “Entwined Matters” was created by cutting and joining scraps of denim obtained from a sewing factory near their studio into a giant rope.

Hong Kong-British designer Ewan Lamm/Ultramar Studio's lighting collection “Citadel Collection”. The design draws inspiration from East Asian palatial architecture and celestial mythology.

Edwin explained the vision behind DESIGN SOCIAL section.　The hanging mirror and central rattan piece are “Ndare” by Alvin Tjitrowirjo of Indonesia. This product is a collaboration with the social enterprise HANDEP in Central Kalimantan.

The textile on the right is “Mosu”, inspired by traditional Timor-Leste's weaving, by LO’UD Design Collective, an NGO based in Timor-Leste.

Reflecting on a key feature of this year’s EMERGE, Edwin added: “Many people are involved before a designer’s concept is realised — manufacturers, artisans, factories and others. We wanted to highlight this community of makers, which led us to create the DESIGN SOCIAL section. For example, Mosu, a textile by LO’UD Design Collective from Timor-Leste, is inspired by traditional local techniques. It represents not only design excellence but also a strong connection to the local community and its makers.”

Curated by the expert team, EMERGE has been recognised as a special exhibition that leverages Singapore’s position as a hub of Asian. By expanding its scope to the wider region, the fourth editon reinforced its role as both a gateway for the next generation of designers and a gathering point for creatives with Asian roots from around the world.