Every year, we scope out 18 women who are driven by a desire to bring positive change and have achieved success in their chosen field as part of the Great Women Of Our Time awards. Meet 2019’s Design & Style nominee, Pamela Ting, Co-Founder, Scene Shang:
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Meet Pamela Ting – Great Women Of Our Time 2019 Design & Style Nominee
As a child, Pamela was surrounded by beauty, art, and design. Her father was a local artist and sculptor whose workshop was Pamela’s playground.
It is little wonder then that the 35-year-old Singapore Management University graduate gave up her corporate job to start Scene Shang, a contemporary furniture and homeware label inspired by Asian décor styles.
“I started off in the banking industry but the creativity I grew up with and the urge to be surrounded by beautiful things, to create beautiful things never left me,” says Pamela of the jump.
“I love that I get to play a part in giving a voice to contemporary Asian design. Singapore still looks to the West when it comes to design – Scandinavian, minimalist, modern – anything Asian or Chinese is deemed old fashion. It’s slowly changing but it’s a process.”
Since its inception in 2014, Scene Shang has made a name for itself with its award-winning modular Shang System and the brand is doing well enough to open their second store at the luxe and newly-revamped Raffles Arcade.
The brand has come a long way from its roots as an online store that started as an idea between two like-minded friends who were looking to fill a void they found when it came to Asian design.
“In 2007, [co-founder] Jessica and I did an internship in Shanghai and the city inspired us in both it’s East and West elements, the old mixed in with the new,” explains Pamela.
“A few years later we became flatmates and when we were doing up our living space we realised there wasn’t a brand that stood for contemporary Asian design in Singapore. Our culture is so rich and there’s so much inspiration to draw from and express but no one was taking that and putting it into practice when it came to design.”
In 2014, after both leaving their jobs for some time, they started Scene Shang. The names in itself meaning ‘new’ and ‘appreciation’ in the Chinese language.
The founders – who are JC-mates from Raffles Junior College – both invested in a figure less than $100,000 to start up and have grown their little idea into a thriving business today, with Pamela heading up the business development side of things and Jessica serving as its Creative Director.
“Jessica tells me that I’m a business person who is actually a designer and she’s a designer who is actually a business person,” says Pamela.
“I want to inspire rather than stand out. I believe that everything happens for a reason and if my path crosses with someone and in that brief moment have inspired him or her whether in sharing experiences or ideas or a word of comfort, I hope that it’ll leave a mark that is small and strong. I want to be remembered as someone who inspires strength.”
The Great Women Of Our Time Awards 2019 is brought to you by main presenter, Lancôme, and presenter, PANDORA.
Photos: Vee Chin & Tan Wei Te
Fashion Direction: Aaron Kok
Styling Assistants: Juliet Suen & An Lyn Chee
Hair: Jason Wong/Salon Nu, Grego & Ash Loi/Sonder Salon
Makeup: Keith Bryant Lee, Hongling Lim, Rina Sim, Wee Ming & Jyue Huey (for Shann Sok)
Location: 89NR, The Working Capitol, Botanico at The Garage & The Summerhouse
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