Fashion Footnotes: A Gifting Guide for the Holiday Season
Handpicked from across the region
In Southeast Asia, the year-end holidays don’t arrive with spectacle, but with familiarity. The weather stays warm, routines continue, and festivities quietly thread themselves into everyday life, between workdays, errands, and last-minute plans. Gifting here is less about grand gestures and more about intention: thoughtful objects chosen with care, meant to live on well beyond the season. Rooted in local traditions and everyday rituals, this regional rhythm carries into how gifts are handpicked and cherished.
As Art Director at Fashion & Market, I look at fashion beyond the garments, focusing on the objects, references, and rituals that shape how we dress and live. In my new column, Fashion Footnotes, I explore the intersection of style, culture, and everyday life in Southeast Asia. Each quarter, the format shifts between edited finds, behind-the-scenes perspectives from the industry and notes on personal style from practitioners working within it.
For this first installment, I am turning my attention to the holidays with a handpicked gifting guide featuring considered, wearable pieces by Southeast Asian brands designed to become part of the day-to-day. Whether you’re shopping for a lover of accessories, a fashion-forward trailblazer, or a traveler preparing for a quick end-of-year escape, here are the standout picks from across the region.
For the Accessories and Trinkets Enthusiast
Ube Ube (Indonesia)
Rest necklace. Image taken from Ube Ube’s Instagram.
Fish Chatelaine keychain. Image taken from Ube Ube’s Instagram.
Ube Ube offers handcrafted keepsakes that feel both personal and unique. I am particularly drawn to the Rest necklace, a miniature sculptural piece turned wearable statement, alongside the brand’s best-selling Fish Chatelaine keychain, which adds a playful touch to everyday essentials.
Jellyfish Saigon (Vietnam)
Pupil stud earrings and Sapphire Eyes pendant. Image taken from Jellyfish Saigon’s Instagram.
Campaign image featuring Pupil ring. Image taken from Jellyfish Saigon’s Instagram.
Jellyfish Saigon’s ‘Native Stone’ Capsule Collection caught my eye for its range of earrings, necklaces, and rings set in richly coloured stones. Each design feels distinctive yet easy to wear, striking a balance between craftsmanship and a contemporary sensibility. These are designs I can imagine reaching for often, well beyond the holiday season.
Skeins of Yarn (Singapore)
Tinkle necklace. Image taken from Skeins of Yarn’s website.
Lilt necklace. Image taken from Skeins of Yarn’s website.
Skeins of Yarn, a brand I discovered at Brightspot Market last year, works with beaded jewellery shaped by materials gathered through travel. It resonates with anyone drawn to a quieter kind of statement. The Tinkle Necklace feels understated but distinctive in red glass beads, while the Lilt Necklace brings in Tibetan Dzi beads and an acrylic mirror pendant for a more layered, tactile finish.
For the Style Trailblazer
Ghostboy (Malaysia)
Ammo Maxi Skirt in coal. Image taken from Ghostboy’s website.
Mien Top in beige. Image taken from Ghostboy’s website.
Ghostboy’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection, ‘Rendezvous’, leans into what the brand calls the prelude before the party. Styles like the Ammo Maxi Skirt and Mien Top capture that pre-night-out energy, the kind I would choose for a friend who’s always a step ahead in their wardrobe.
CICLO (Thailand)
Clementine Top and Lou Skirt in celadon. Image taken from CICLO’s Instagram.
Hattie Cardigan in ruby. Image taken from CICLO’s Instagram.
CICLO’s whimsical designs add a fresh pop of colour to any ensemble. From their Holiday Drop, the Clementine Top and Lou Skirt set in Celadon, alongside the Hattie Cardigan in Ruby, stand out as easy additions that lift festive dressing without feeling overdone.
Dirt (Indonesia)
Folded Range Boots in black. Image taken from Dirt’s Instagram.
Slingback Shoes in ochre. Image taken from Dirt’s Instagram.
Bali- and Australia-based label Dirt brings a utilitarian-chic approach to its Autumn/Winter 2025 collection. What stands out immediately are the Folded Range Boots and Slingback Shoes. Both pair sleek design with practicality, ideal for friends who appreciate the balance of edge and ease.
For the Holiday Traveller
Gongdid Design (Thailand)
Tartan Padded Jacket. Image taken from Gongdid Design’s Instagram.
Wool-Cotton Sweater. Image taken from Gongdid Design’s Instagram.
When it comes to winter essentials, Gongdid Design’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection is one I keep in mind. I appreciate how the Tartan Padded Jacket and Wool-Cotton Sweater approach warmth with intention. The brand’s signature pleats add a sculptural quality that keeps the silhouettes refined rather than oversized.
AKA.MYDINH (Vietnam)
Prism Bikini. Image taken from AKA.MYDINH’s Instagram.
Comte Monokini. Image taken from AKA.MYDINH’s Instagram.
For anyone trading cold layers for sun-soaked days, I have had AKA.MYDINH’s ‘Serious Leisure’ collection on my radar for a while. The label’s playful, feminine swimwear, like the Prism Bikini and Comte Monokini, makes for a feel-good gift. Whether for a friend or for yourself, they instantly set the mood for a tropical getaway.
Idyllic Summers (Philippines)
Essential Shirt Dress. Image taken from Idyllic Summers’ website.
5-Circle Top in multi. Image taken from Idyllic Summers’ website.
The Essential Shirt Dress and 5-Circle Top from Idyllic Summers are pieces I would pack without thinking twice for a slower holiday or short regional escape. Light and breathable in tropical climates, they are crafted from a piña and lyocell blend, as well as Philippine silk, developed with local artisans. Together, they make easy staples that move seamlessly between holiday and day-to-day wear.
I hope you have enjoyed the first edition of Fashion Footnotes and perhaps found something worth gifting along the way. In the year ahead, the column will continue monthly with fresh insights and discoveries from across Southeast Asia’s fashion scene. Until then, happy holidays, and see you in the next edition!