Letitia Phay and Jade Swee

with Carmen Ow

Carmen Ow’s face lights up the moment she realises she can still fit perfectly into one of her evening gowns from five years ago. The black cross-neck halter tulle dress in question is the very first piece the effervescent 30-year-old had commissioned from Singapore label Time Taken to Make a Dress.

“I had been scouring the Internet for a local bespoke tailor to create the dress I had in mind for the Singapore Tatler Ball in 2014. Then I came across pictures of Time Taken to Make a Dress’s creations, which I instantly felt fitted my style,” says Ow.

Since then, Ow, who is a director at the boutique property development company Clydesbuilt Group, has forged a strong relationship with Jade Swee and Letitia

Phay, the talented design duo behind the 9-year-old madeto-order label.

For the designers, the creative process starts with getting to know their clients on a deep level. “We do this because we want to create designs that tell a story,” explains Swee. “We also want to translate what we understand about our client’s personality and their brief to us into our designs.” Swee, who is formally trained in fashion design, grew up sewing and beading, thanks to her grandmothers, both tailors.

The entire journey from start to finish takes anywhere from three to six months, with multiple fittings in between.

“With Carmen, it really helps that she’s so open to our suggestions,” says Phay, a biomedical science graduate who chose to chase her dream of designing clothes. “She also makes us feel appreciated and understands when more time is needed to perfect a dress. She’s the dream client.”

Since Ow received her first gown from the duo, she has commissioned another four—and there’ll be more. “They understand my style and I never have to worry about the workmanship or fit,” she says. “I see Jade and Letitia as my friends, not just the designers who make my dresses. We’ve reached a point in our relationship where if they want to experiment with a new design, I’d be up for it.”