Singapore designer Faezah Shaharuddin is taking Malay cultural references to the world through furniture

Based in New York, Faezah Shaharuddin is not only the creative force behind Studio Kallang but also plays a pivotal leadership role in her family’s established furniture business, Gamar. This dual identity allows her to navigate both the artistic frontiers of collectible design and the pragmatic realities of commercial manufacturing. Her distinctive approach has propelled her work onto prestigious global platforms, from the hallowed halls of Milan Design Week to design-forward galleries and curated spaces across Europe, North America, and Asia, cementing her position as a leading voice in contemporary design.

For decades, the language of high-end, collectible furniture has been predominantly shaped by the sophisticated aesthetics of European design traditions and, more recently, the serene minimalism of Japanese design. The intricate craftsmanship of Italy, the opulent decorative styles of France, and the clean lines of Scandinavian modernism have long served as the benchmarks for what discerning collectors perceive as sophisticated contemporary design. Faezah Shaharuddin, however, consciously chooses a different vocabulary. Her designs draw instead on the vibrant colours, nostalgic memories, and everyday cultural references that define her Malay heritage, creating a compelling alternative to the established canon.

“I wanted to use things that are authentic to my experience and my culture and have them be valued exactly the same,” Faezah articulates, a statement that underscores her "decolonial streak" – a desire not to reject European design entirely, but to assert the equal validity and richness of Southeast Asian visual culture. This philosophy has propelled Studio Kallang to international recognition within just five years of its founding in Singapore. Yet, for Faezah, furniture itself is merely the medium for a grander exploration. “Studio Kallang is basically my attempt to use furniture and objects to express cultural memory,” she explains, positioning her work firmly within the realm of artistic practice rather than solely commercial product design.

To understand Faezah Shaharuddin’s unique perspective is to recognize that she operates less as a conventional furniture designer and more as an artist. She perceives chairs, tables, and mirrors not as mere utilitarian objects, but as potent vehicles for exploring intricate themes of identity, heritage, and cultural narrative. While her creations possess undeniable aesthetic appeal and functionality, they are ultimately destined not just for gallery walls, but for the intimate spaces of homes where people live, breathe, and interact with their stories daily.

This profound perspective is deeply rooted in her formative years, spent immersed in the bustling timber yards and vibrant furniture workshops scattered across Southeast Asia. Faezah’s childhood was largely defined by extensive travels through the region with her mother, Sharifah Maznah, a formidable entrepreneur who founded the vintage furniture business Second Charm in 2001. "She was a force of a woman," Faezah recalls with a laugh, painting a vivid picture of her mother, often clad in a traditional baju kurung, fearlessly negotiating with suppliers, factory owners, and skilled craftspeople in an industry traditionally dominated by men.

"It was very chaotic," Faezah remembers, "But I remember it being a very visually rich experience." These early exposures immersed her in a fertile universe of diverse colours, textures, and materials. Yet, it was within the walls of her family home that her intellectual and cultural worldview truly blossomed. Her mother, Sharifah Maznah, brought an academic rigour to their household, having pursued a PhD in Southeast Asian Studies in London before establishing Second Charm. Her father, a distinguished scholar, headed the Department of Malay Studies at the National University of Singapore. Together, they cultivated an environment where conversations about history, literature, and culture were as commonplace and engaging as discussions about craftsmanship, material properties, and the architectural significance of teak in Southeast Asia.

As the family’s vintage furniture business evolved, transitioning from sourcing to manufacturing its own collections in collaboration with Indonesian craftspeople, Faezah found herself even more deeply immersed in the material culture of the region. Teak, rattan, and various solid woods were not simply raw materials; they were integral components of centuries-old craft traditions and ways of life that had organically evolved across Southeast Asia. Reflecting on those years, she now understands that these experiences shaped far more than just her appreciation for furniture. “They formed my visual world,” she explains, highlighting the profound impact these early influences had on her aesthetic sensibilities and intellectual framework.

Despite growing up within the furniture trade, Faezah Shaharuddin did not initially intend to become a furniture designer. Her academic path led her to study visual communication at the University of Washington in Seattle. "A lot of people think I studied product design," she clarifies, "But I actually studied graphic design." It was only upon her return to Singapore during the global pandemic that she began to perceive the workshops, materials, and craftspeople she had known since childhood with fresh, re-evaluated eyes.

The familiar workshops she had idly wandered through, the skilled craftspeople she had observed diligently at work, and the everyday objects she had once taken for granted, suddenly revealed themselves as a profound and rich visual language. This was a language, she felt, that contemporary design, particularly within the international luxury segment, had rarely acknowledged or adequately celebrated. “Furniture, as a product, just happens to be my medium,” she states, underscoring her belief that her graphic design background instilled in her a unique ability to communicate complex ideas through form and materiality.

Founded in Singapore in 2020, Studio Kallang emerged as her platform for exploring these burgeoning ideas through what she describes as her “artistic practice,” with furniture and objects serving as eloquent vehicles of expression. Her very first design, a bedside table named Mamun – derived from the Arabic word for “trusted friend” – exemplified her innate instinct to imbue everyday objects with narrative and personality, transforming them into companions in people’s lives.

Concurrently, Second Charm transitioned into Gamar, the family’s commercial furniture business, which continues to thrive. At its showroom on Kallang Avenue, clients can collaborate with the design team to customize pieces, which are then meticulously handcrafted by approximately 40 skilled artisans in Indonesia. “Gamar is the pragmatic side,” Faezah notes, highlighting the synergistic relationship between the two entities. Many of Studio Kallang’s collections are produced by the same Indonesian craftspeople with whom Gamar has cultivated relationships for decades. This enduring partnership allows Faezah the freedom to experiment with novel forms and materials, confident in the knowledge that she can draw upon a deep well of established woodworking expertise and traditional craftsmanship.

This design philosophy is most vividly expressed in the collections themselves. Eschewing the Italian or French names often associated with contemporary luxury and high design, Faezah deliberately chose names like Onde, Agar, and Biskut, drawing directly from the nostalgic flavours and cherished memories of her own childhood. Each collection serves as a meticulous translation of these familiar cultural references into a distinct and compelling visual language.

The Onde series, for instance, draws inspiration from the onde-onde (or klepon in Indonesia), a delightful Malay kuih made from glutinous rice flour, filled with molten palm sugar, and coated in freshly grated coconut. Faezah translates the kuih’s characteristic roundness and texture into oversized timber spheres that frame mirrors and form sculptural details on shelves, most recognizably in the striking Onde mirror. The translucent Agar collection, named after agar-agar (jelly), combines carefully selected coloured resin with natural wood and stainless steel elements. This interplay of materials beautifully evokes the dessert’s luminous, layered qualities, creating pieces that feel both delicate and substantial. Meanwhile, the Biskut collection reinterprets the humble biscuit – a staple of Malay snack culture – through softly rounded, sculptural forms that evoke comfort, familiarity, and a sense of inviting warmth.

“I think I have a decolonial streak,” she reiterates with a wry laugh, acknowledging the subversive power of her choices. For Faezah, the essence of her work is not to outright reject the rich traditions of European design, but rather to critically question why they are so frequently treated as the unquestioned default language of contemporary luxury, particularly when Southeast Asia possesses its own incredibly rich and diverse visual culture waiting to be globally celebrated.

Living in New York, a vibrant melting pot where cultures constantly intersect and redefine themselves, has only reinforced this conviction. In such a diverse urban landscape, Faezah has found it easier to perceive Malay visual culture not as something niche or regional, but as one invaluable tradition among a myriad of global design languages. Far from feeling pressured to dilute her cultural references for an international audience, the dynamic environment of the city has encouraged her to lean even more deeply into them, confident in their universal appeal and intrinsic value. The real test, however, was whether the international design world would genuinely embrace this new vocabulary.

And embrace it, they have. Since its impactful debut at Milan Design Week – a critical nexus for global design trends and innovation – Faezah’s collections have seamlessly entered the exclusive international collectible design circuit. Her work is now represented by prestigious platforms such as Galerie Philia, Adorno, The Oblist, and 1stDibs, connecting her with a discerning clientele of galleries and collectors worldwide. On platforms like The Oblist, her meticulously crafted pieces command prices ranging from US$1,800 (approximately S$2,322) for the distinctive round Onde mirror to upwards of US$6,800 for an Onde shelf, underscoring the significant value placed on her unique aesthetic and narrative. This global reception signifies a growing appetite within the design world for authentic, culturally rich narratives that challenge and expand existing notions of luxury and sophistication.

Despite this burgeoning international success, Faezah has steadfastly resisted the temptation for rapid, unbridled growth, preferring instead to allow each collection to develop organically and at its own considered pace. She operates with a quiet confidence, trusting that genuinely meaningful work will invariably find its audience over time. “We just work very hard and take whatever comes,” she states, emphasizing a grounded, diligent approach to her craft and business.

This measured strategy also reflects the nuanced relationship between her two businesses. Gamar, the commercial arm, leverages decades of accumulated manufacturing knowledge, unparalleled material expertise, and long-standing, trusted relationships with Indonesian craftspeople. Studio Kallang, while building upon these very same robust foundations, asks fundamentally different questions. It transforms this inherited wealth of knowledge and skill into expressive objects that deeply explore themes of memory, identity, and belonging, pushing the boundaries of what furniture can communicate.

Crucially, both businesses remain committed to working with the tropical hardwoods that Faezah grew up around. Teak, in particular, remains a central material, revered for generations across Southeast Asia for its exceptional strength, remarkable longevity, and inherent natural beauty. Its use is not merely aesthetic; it is deeply embedded in the region’s rich furniture traditions and intrinsically linked to the profound craft knowledge passed down through generations of artisans. This commitment ensures not only the quality and authenticity of the pieces but also supports sustainable practices and the preservation of traditional skills.

When asked about her ultimate aspirations for both Studio Kallang and Gamar, Faezah pauses, reflecting deeply before answering. “At the end of the day, they’re businesses and they’re supposed to sell things,” she acknowledges with pragmatism. “But I hope they also create meaning for people.” This profound statement encapsulates her vision: to craft not just furniture, but cultural artifacts that resonate on a deeper level, enriching lives by connecting individuals to stories, memories, and the vibrant tapestry of Malay heritage, thereby making a lasting impact on the global stage.