IT USED to be that all the most fashion-forward online stores were based overseas and that ordering anything from them called for an agonisingly long wait (the term 'fashionably late', FYI, does not jive with shopaholics awaiting a new purchase in the post). But not any more. Since last month, a new Singapore-based addition to the online shopping scene has afforded local fashionistas access to some of the most covetable international labels - along with the invaluable promise of next-day delivery.

Doorstep Luxury

Doorstep Luxury was set up by Miranda Lindsay-Fynn and Au Da Yu, who met while they were studying for their MBA at London Business School. After graduation and some years spent working in different industries - Ms Lindsay-Fynn was involved in her family business in the UK and Mr Au was an Allen & Gledhill lawyer - they decided to explore the consumer business, which both were interested in.

The result is their cyberspace store that offers a carefully-edited collection of 'zero-sized' items; that is, bags and accessories from Europe, the US, South America and Asia. All are hand-picked by Ms Lindsay-Fynn, who makes regular trips to the various fashion weeks worldwide and 'talks to journalists in New York and London about exciting new brands and whether they would fit our market'. The pair also 'make sure there's a story behind each brand', emphasises Mr Au. 'Some we've said no to because, well, when I sit down and think about how to draft the page, I can't. We're quite picky, I suppose.'

To get an idea of what makes the Doorstep Luxury cut, consider one of the labels that the website carries: Fleet Ilya. This British accessories brand is helmed by a designer who was classically trained in saddlery, then went on to produce bondage gear that is, oddly enough, very wearable - the cage-like, bullet-shaped bags and curvaceous yet fierce corset-like belts (priced from $809) stocked at Doorstep Luxury are both Gothic and gorgeous.

Also on the list is Marilyn Tan, the eponymous label of a Singapore jewellery designer; as well as Ragazze Ornamentali, a new Paris bag brand produced by two designers who used to work with Louis Vuitton that will soon be available from the website. 'We were on our way to see another brand when we came across their small store,' says Ms Lindsay-Fynn of the latter find. 'We looked inside and what really got me was the fact that the bags they do were like my grandmother's vintage bags.'

The discovery of Ragazze Ornamentali is 'very much the story of what we've done', she adds. 'It's been a journey of discovering new designers, and always about the quality and design.'

Speaking of new designers, Doorstep Luxury's owners are aware that people usually prefer to see products from brands they're unfamiliar with before they make a purchase. Which is why they've set up a showroom at 127A Telok Ayer Street.

'People can do appointment visits with us or set up lunch parties there - we find that's really important since we're introducing new brands,' says Mr Au. 'They can see the brands and find out what we're all about, and it also helps us to get good feedback on what we've sourced.'

The strategy seems to be working - 'people are coming in who are used to shopping at these small boutiques with young brands in Paris, New York, London, and they're saying they've never seen anything like this here before', notes Mr Au. Meanwhile, the site's cyberspace reach has seen orders come in from not just Singapore, but India, Sri Lanka and Brunei as well (though international orders don't come with the next-day-delivery promise).

Next up? 'We'll be looking at a few men's collections in the next few months,' says Ms Lindsay-Fynn. 'We're also keen on exploring more countries such as Australia. That's quite a lot to chew on for the next couple of years.'

Cate

MOST entrepreneurs who have jumped on the online fashion retailing bandwagon have taken the cheap and cheerful route, as proven by the proliferation of local blogshops. But not Sharon Siew. The former finance professional, who switched careers to pursue her passion for fashion, has directed her vehicle down a different path in cyberspace.

She says: 'When I was looking to set up my business, I didn't see many online shopping websites carrying quality. I wanted to have quality and to have a focus on mid-range indie labels and present them collectively, because that would make the fashion scene here more interesting and diverse. Indie designers are such independent thinkers.'

To that end, Ms Siew quit her job with a hotel group last April to set up Cate, an online apparel store which started off with about 15 labels and now has around 20. Many are not available elsewhere in Singapore and there's a focus on brands from Australia, whose fashion scene the website owner is familiar with because she studied in Perth - there are floaty looks from Thurley, lush lace-and-silk dresses from Moss & Spy, and classic jersey pieces from George, for example.

But there are also interesting labels from elsewhere such as Farah Khan, a Malaysian cocktail-chic label designed by a Kuala Lumpur datin; Vietnam-based Song, whose slouchy styles made from natural fabrics are perfect for the local weather; and Glor, an edgy evening wear brand by German designer Anja Landgraf who is now based in Singapore. 'I try and pick things that are not readily available because they have a stronger selling point,' says Ms Siew.

While most of Cate's wares were sourced on the Internet, the fashion entrepreneur takes pains to ensure that 'everything is in line with the website's standards, and with the image I want to present - that is, somewhere between edgy and classic'. She adds: 'It's about understated elegance and effortless dressing for the sophisticated urbanite.'

Currently, Ms Siew is looking to build her stable of local labels, because she wants her website to serve as a springboard for the labels to go overseas (that's part of the reason why Cate ships to an impressive 151 countries). 'For small brands, it's not the easiest thing to start a fashion business in Singapore so this helps them; opens the market for them,' she explains. It's an admirable cause, which is fortunately being paid off by an enthusiastic response from shoppers - according to Ms Siew, most of the local labels that Cate stocks are doing just as well as the foreign ones.

The next step, then, is to 'grow what we have in terms of the depth of women's offerings', she shares. 'The goal is to try and expand the range and eventually get a firm foothold with the women's line, then move into menswear and children's clothing.' That means more good stuff for everyone - we bet Cate fans can't wait.

Not In The Malls

SHOPPERS who have grown weary of seeing the same-old in mall display windows should check out another window instead: that of the website Not In The Malls. The Singapore-based online marketplace is a platform for sellers of unique products that have been hand-picked by its founders Krista Moore and Michelle O'Neill, whose promise is that 'we will not bring anyone who actually has a shop on-board'.

Ms Moore and Ms O'Neill, two 'trailing spouses' who moved to Singapore when their husbands' jobs brought their families here a couple of years ago, hit upon the idea to set up Not In The Malls last year, after a number of trips to the local craft fairs such as the ones at Gillman Village and Loewen Gardens.

Says Ms Moore: 'Like all expat women, we visited the fairs when we first got here. There, we noticed that there are these amazing women who are doing really creative things; women who come here as trailing spouses and set up little businesses with friends so they can work part-time. We felt that we could offer them a sales channel.'

The duo - who have backgrounds in IT and marketing - then set about finding sellers who were making or who had sourced products that were of a high quality and that would sell online. 'They had to be something that we loved and that we thought other people would love,' states Ms Moore.

Subsequently, Not In The Malls was launched in November with 18 sellers on-board, and it's since become such a success that the site's stable of sellers has swelled to about 60, offering a total of about 1,000 products. Each seller pays a joining fee and a small annual fee in return for being listed on the website (the founders will even sit down with a seller to guide him or her through the process if he or she isn't IT savvy) as well as being marketed by Ms Moore and Ms O'Neill.

Of the response so far, Ms Moore says: 'We're inundated with selling requests!' But she's quick to add that she and Ms O'Neill remain careful about who they select for the site - 'we don't want everyone to come on-board because we want our business model of having a unique product set to continue', she explains. 'We've gotten emails from people who are bringing in funky flash drives, and we're not interested.'

What has passed the pair's stringent selection process are things such as My Silver Balloon ($35), a set of children's songs on CD that can be customised with the child's name - not just on the cover, mind you, but incorporated into the song. Then there are gorgeous python clutches and wallets (from $200) from Gina & Jake, a label based in both London and Singapore; Velcro-patterned t-shirts ($39.90) designed by local PR agency Sinkid; as well as edgy jewellery (from $45) made from an industrial material used in millinery by Australian contemporary designer Vanessa Ward.

It's charming, quirky stuff, and the best part is, you're not likely to bump into Aunt Millicent/Uncle Horatio wearing/ giving the same thing as you. Just be prepared when people ask: 'Where did you get that?' The answer? 'Not in the malls', of course.