s in New York.  She obtained her degree from the London College of Fashion and is a graduate gemologist of the Gemological Institute of American (GIA). Her home studio is located in the charming Tiong Bahru enclave of Singapore, and the brand is making quite a mark in the bespoke jewellery industry. From repurposing gemmed heirlooms that have been passed down through generations to creating one-of-a-king pieces, Tan is trailblazing a path through uncharted waters, and for her, it’s the natural way to go. “People’s ideas, people’s stories, people’s experiences, they all inspire me. What I am looking for is your heart’s desire,” Emily Tan told Inside Retail. A young brand  “It’s my first independent brand, and we started it in 2018. I’ve been in this industry for more than 10 years, and I’ve been creating truly unique bespoke pieces for my clients with rare and unusual coloured gemstones,” she said. When it comes to designing unique pieces for her clients, Tan is like a “jewellery therapist”. Most of the time, clients are unsure about what they want, so her responsibility is to educate them and lead them to pick the right gemstones to suit their tastes, as well as picking the right budgets for the best desired outcomes. “2022 has been an interesting year for the company, we are meeting new clients who have moved to Singapore from overseas, and we’ve had quite a few Vietnamese clients actually. Most of our customers are local Singaporean and expats,” she noted. For Tan, the fact that the brand will be participating in the upcoming UltraLuxe 2022 exhibition is a major milestone that needs to be acknowledged. “We’re a young business, a young company, and it’s our first time exhibiting, and it’s such a top-tier event, so this is huge for us,” she said.  Angela Loh, co-founder of UltraLuxe, was also equally effusive about the fact that Calla Lily is on board. “Her thoughtful and bespoke designs fit perfectly into the brand story that we want to convey, which is the appreciation of the talent and out-of-this-world artistry and are pleased to have her brand present,” Loh added. For Tan, getting to know her clients is key to making unique bespoke pieces with a personal connection. The consultative process has also been instrumental in growing her business. “If I can create better outcomes, it just makes it a healthy purchasing ecosystem for everyone. If my clients are extremely happy and satisfied with their purchase, that’s something money can’t buy,” she noted. Gen Z and Millennials Generation Z and Millennials make up 80 per cent of Calla Lily’s clientele, while the remaining 20 per cent are women with high purchasing power. “They’ve got their Hermes bags, Chanel, etc, and their friends all have the same things. So at some point, the desire is to have something uniquely bespoke, so this is where you want something that can’t be replicated because of the rarity of the gemstones,” she noted. Tan’s work experience over the years has helped her mould her own voice, while still understanding how to meet the needs of her customers.  “My work has allowed me to open up my mind, think outside the box and have a real conversation through art and creativity in my pieces, so that’s a universal language that we can all relate to,” she added. Tan has built long-term relationships with gem cutters to ensure she gets the right type of stone for the right type of application. “Basically, I have to hunt for the best stone. I have to hunt for something that suits the design or I have to hunt for something else and see the potential in the design. Then, I may keep it, until I have the right accompanying gem to start the process,” she explained. The process of creating her unique bespoke pieces is often not straightforward, and it comes down to her eye for rare stones that are cut in a different way so that she can go on to create truly one-of-a-kind pieces. The online factor For Calla Lily, the tactile element is key as clients want to touch, feel and gaze at the stones before purchasing.  Tan feels that the digital element has a role to play in creating brand awareness and contributing to the brand’s overall sales, but feels that it really depends on the type of buyer and price point. “We started our online operations during the pandemic, and we worked on our website, made a few sales, which was great. So it definitely helps, and more people are getting used to it, but it only works [up to] a certain budget,” she added. Nonetheless, she is optimistic about the future of the online jewellery industry. Some of her clients are already buying expensive pieces online and sharing their exploits with her. “It’s the future, and you have to catch the wave. It’s just a matter of refining the system for businesses and making it hassle-free for clients to feel confident about shopping online,” she noted. What’s next? Tan feels that the post-pandemic world has made things a lot more challenging for a company like hers to thrive. “We’re in an age where everything has taken a real turn through digital transformation, and we have a lot of competition, and it’s not just within Singapore, but the whole world,” she stressed. Nonetheless, she is adamant that as long as she stays true to her calling and core values, she will be able to continue to forge a path that redefines the bespoke experience in fine jewellery. “Through creating more dynamic designs, we aim to separate ourselves from the rest. We have to really focus on building a strong brand presence, and make sure our strong designs speak for themselves,” she stated. Interestingly, Tan does a lot of repurposing of heirloom jewellery, and it adds a sustainable twist to her offerings. “For example, we’ve come up with designs for brooches, necklaces and bracelets for clients utilising old pieces of jade that were handed down from generations. We can recreate ornate pieces, and elevate the value of the piece through design,” she added. Apart from that, Tan also hopes to get into creating jewellery collections for male customers, as she feels that could be an untapped market. “I would like to create some jewellery for men, like signet rings, cufflinks and so on. Men also receive jewellery from grandparents and there is certainly potential for us in this space,” she concluded.