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** Blogpost updated on Oct 12, 2022 **

Diwali is a special time of year for many South Asians. While Singapore's current restrictions will not allow for group gatherings and celebrations for Diwali, one thing is certain - we all are, nonetheless, looking for ways to make the Festival of Lights special for our family and friends. I've had the distinct pleasure of being able to try products and services by many South Asian entrepreneurs by virtue of being in the social media space, and am so grateful for that. As a way to support them, I thought it would be a good idea to put together a Diwali gift guide specific for Singapore-based brands and businesses creating festive gift boxes and hampers!

I have personally tried and tested over 95% of the products/services relating to the festive season in the list below. If I have missed any, please do let me know and I'd love to add to this list.

Fun fact: Almost all of the tags below are women-led businesses and I love the idea of supporting them further!

HOME & LIFESTYLE 
Be it natural essential oils and remedies, eco-friendly stationery, handcrafted candles, block-printed table linen, and other pieces to add a beautiful touch to your home - I've enjoyed them all
Photophactory - Rich designs of decorative trays, cheeseboards, and other home pieces
Mira - Handcrafted soaps and candles
Ollie Oils - Gift boxes with essential oils and wellness treats
B'trayed Etc. - Home decor, trays, and linen products
House of Happy - Festive collection of table decor sets
Happy Homes - Home linen products
Left Handesign - Sustainable gift products such as plantable greeting cards, notebooks, pencils
Happy Hands - DIY Diwali kits and other gifting items
Kaladristhi  - Handcrafted home decor
Domi Living - Home decor
Meraki Lily - Home decor
The Creative Hut - Diwali festive cards

FOOD 
Think chocolates, mithais (some even vegan), kulfi, and other mouthwatering delights tailored for the festive season and packaged beautifully for gifting!
Healthyish and Happy - Cardamom rose laddoos made with all the good stuff (nuts, dates, spices!)
Indian Spice Box - Organic indian spice boxes in beautiful packaging
The Nut Bite - Customizable box with a variety of nuts in different flavorings; includes candles/diffusers
Her Rise Above - Variety of gifting hampers put together by a business essentials program for women
Bombay Kulfi - Assorted kulfi flavors (paan, mango, gulkand, you name it!)
From the Pan - Mithai box
Nourish - Vegan mithai box
Indulge by Ekta - Diwali cookies
Holy Grains - Fresh homemade granola (try the rose pistachio one!)

BEAUTY/WELLNESS 
Highly recommend these organic, natural skincare brands that don't break the bank. Most are offering Diwali bundles! 

GIFTS FOR KIDS 
My recommendations for books and crafts to bring to life the magic of this season with kids
T4Tales - "Kahani Purani", a storybook of the Ramayan for kids, in different languages
Indigrow Kids - Books, puzzles, and games related to India and a free downloadable Diwali festival kit
Book Bear - Diwali bundle of books related to the Ramayan and the Festival of Lights
Hindu Toys - Mantra-singing plush toys of Hindu gods and goddesses
Indian Spicebox Kids Book & Spice Box available from Closet Full of Books 

ADULTS & KIDS ETHNIC WEAR AND ACCESSORIES 
There are tons of ethnic fashion and jewellry brands and I can't possibly list them all. But here are some local brands across different price ranges that will get you sorted for the festive season!
Nimbu Kids - Adorable ethnic wear for the little ones with a fashion sustainability ethos
Lime and Lemon Kidswear - Ethical brand for kids clothing, including ethnic wear
Saffron Strokes - Curated collection of kids clothing and pajamas
Empaar - Ethnic wear for kids and men
Eminent Mien - Women's clothing and accessories
Amaalya  - Women's kurtas, kaftans, and dresses; home decor and table accessories
Jinders - Women's clothing
Melange - Women's clothing
Divas Closet - Women's clothing
Aadya's Boutique - Women's clothing
Linen n More - Women's clothing
Twinkle Toes - Jooties


So I know I skipped a month for my "Look Book" series (the last one being from August 2018). But here is a combined September-October look book which I wanted to share with you. As I consider back to what I wore, I realize I was gravitating towards simple yet classic cuts and silhouettes. No crazy, funky patterns or bold looks here – just your regular polka dots, stripes, and solids. A touch boring? I beg to differ! But I’d love to hear from you - what is your style mantra is and which of these looks below did you like best? 

1.       Maisha Concept is a new label based in Singapore that I have discovered. I absolutely fell in love with their “Jaipur Chic” collection with its airy summery vibes. The brand works with small, independent artisans to support the traditions and knowledge of local communities (e.g., block printing in Rajasthan). Here are two outfits I wore recently from Maisha Concept – the first is the Pichola jumpsuit which I love for its pattern mixing. The other is the Amber Blue maxi skirt with a side leather strap which ties to a button so you can wear the skirt in two different ways. LOVE! Be sure to use code URBANMAISHA to get 10% off your order with free worldwide shipping.

Pichola jumpsuit from Maisha Concept | Tassel earrings from Just Gaya's |
Sandals from Ammos Accessories



Blouse from Zara (old) | Amber Blue Skirt from Maisha Concept | Rebecca Minkoff crossbody bag

2.       Linen n’ More is another local Singapore brand which carries Indian clothes as well as fusion and Western resort wear. With the fabrics sourced directly from India, this store has a lovely collection of cotton and linen outfits. Don't go by just what's listed on their website - the actual store houses a much bigger collection of clothes. I loved this cream-colored kurta with sharara pants. The “gota patti” details (the gold border along the outfit) adds a touch of fancy for the outfit. It’s perfect for a daytime event and that’s exactly what I had worn it for. Doesn’t the outfit just flow beautifully?
Cream Indian suit from Linen n' More 


I also wore this white eyelet dress and it was just perfect for a recent trip to Bali. I threw on a Maisha Concept scarf around my waist just to add a dash of color and flair. What do you think? (you can see an old post of mine about the different ways to style a scarf!)

Eyelet dress from Linen n' More | Scarf from Maisha Concept | Sandals from Ammos Accessories | Earrings from Stella and Dot


3.      Jodi Life is my recent fashion find in India. I love this site for its Indian fusion and ethnic-inspired designs. So totally unique and eye-catching with its prints. I had ordered a couple items from their site and will be sharing those looks soon. Their pricing is quite reasonable for Singapore standards but be prepared for shipping to take a while. Here is a cotton polka dot top which I paired with a pink skirt. You can easily dress it up as I did here or wear it more casually with shorts (try denim shorts with gladiator shoes!).

Jodi Life Polka Dot Peplum Top | Skirt from The Limited (old) |
Shoes from Charles & Keith | Earrings from MegaFash | Kate Spade Purse


4.       Mango is a known brand which offers all the latest on-trend apparel. I’m not the biggest fan of their fits (somehow the dresses don’t always fit right, which is why I always try them on and choose very selectively). However, you can get all the trendy designs here at a decent price.I had picked this simple white striped dress a couple months ago. Very wearable for a weekend! I can imagine throwing on a denim jacket and turning it into an appropriate “Friday casual” work look. What do you think?

Bucket bag and dress from Mango | Sandals from Zara | Tassel earrings from Just Gaya's |
Hat from Bangkok street shopping | Wooden bangles from Amrita Singh Jewelry

5.      eShakti is another recent e-shopping site I wanted to share with you guys. I was blown away by the fact that this site customizes clothes just for you and the prices are still damn reasonable! You can pick an outfit and choose the type of dress length, sleeve length, neckline cut, and other details that you want. Even down to deciding whether you want pockets to be included in a dress. Now that is something unique with an online store! I definitely would recommend you to try it. I had ordered this animal print, wrap dress here and I was quite happy with the fit. I felt that the pictures on the website were reflective of what the actual dress looks like. I have a referral code to share: urbanmantra_es1 for 10% off your next order (valid only until December 2, 2018).

eShakti dress (similar here) | Shoes and sunglasses from Charles & Keith | Mango purse 


6.      All Would Envy is a Singapore fashion brand with a sweet and simple style aesthetic. It is evident in the two dresses I have worn here.  One is a solid color lavender A-line dress and the other is a floral dress. Both are cute and comfy for daytime wear. The price point is around $28-35 for dresses by this brand.

All Would Envy floral dress | Shoes from Charles & Keith | Gorjana bracelet


All Would Envy lavendar A-line dress | Bag from Michael Kors | Shoes from Charles & Keith