Long before H&M, Uniqlo and Zara hit our shores, a coterie of Singapore designers had made a bold mark on the fashion scene here. The National Archives of Singapore (NAS) takes you behind the seams to check out trends of the past with its Blast from the Past microsite.

History buffs are in for a treat: The multimedia portal also looks back at other key aspects of Singapore’s culture and heritage through an extensive array of archive videos, interviews and images.

Going behind the fashion scene (Videos)

Experience the buzz as it was when the Trade Development Board prepared to launch Singapore’s first Fashion Week in 1986. British fashion consultant Mikel Rosen offers insights into working with Singaporean designers in an exclusive news interview.

In another 1986 broadcast clip, she shares the ups and downs of being a young accountant-turned-fashion-designer and reveals the twists and turns of her unusual career path.

Hot trends that cool folks loved (Interviews)

From shirts to shoes to wedding gowns, sashay down memory lane as various prominent figures reminisce about the top trends that rocked the past decades.

For more retro style ideas, check out the Fashion collection in the Blast from the Past microsite.