THE sky's been the limit this week as a quartet of events (that we know of) have all been at the top of Singapore.

Ion Sky - it must be challenging to keep coming up with place names like SkyPark, Pie in the Sky (oops, this last has not been dreamed up) - was the happening joint for the select few invitees.

Any time there's a gilt-edged request for your presence skywards, hop to it because admission to these rarefied areas is normally open to public at a fee.

Shanghai Tang, those clever clothes people with their signature touch of the Oriental, showed its spring/summer 2011 collection in an atmosphere of high rise in the clouds with a chance of turquoise butterflies.

Called Metamorphosis, the collection is drawn from the traditional costumes of the Miao people.

Continuing its global mission as ambassador of Chinese chic, Shanghai Tang took inspiration from the ethnic minority who live in the hills around southern China.

And you thought you knew all there was to learn about the Miao from National Geographic!

Their profound respect for nature is reflected in the motifs, embellishments and colours of their clothing.

Of particular importance for the Miao is the butterfly, a mythical symbol of metamorphosis and beauty, the mother of all living things.

The women's collection is pixelated with high-tech butterfly wings, reprised in its jewellery.

Red and gold

Indigo blues, jade greens, and red and gold - happy Chinese New Year! - batiks and prints, flowers, birds, coins, latticed into festival coats, a feast for the eyes and on the bod too. Set aside some of the hong bao takings (or intended givings), and go net yourself a Shanghai Tang butterfly for this season.

We were very tempted to pull off the decorative delicate ones fluttering from the ceiling, but that would have been cruelty to insects.

This article was first published in The New Paper.