Expert Series: Susannah's Sustainability Insights from Singapore

I’m thrilled to share my interview with Susannah, a true champion of sustainable fashion! I admire her creativity and journey, and her brand, Zerin, along with Zerion Studios, beautifully showcases her remarkable talent and inspiration. 

Susannah is originally from the UK but has been based in Singapore for 14 years. 

Her career began in fashion media, where I developed a love for storytelling. In 2017, she founded ZERRIN—a multi-label retail and media platform that curates and spotlights independent, sustainable brands across Asia. Over the course of 7 years, she ran e-commerce, curated pop-up stores and panel events, and built a community that platformed emerging designers and promoted conscious consumption.

In 2024, after experiencing burnout, Susannah decided to pause ZERRIN’s retail arm to rest, recalibrate and refocus. She remains passionate about curating brands, supporting emerging designers, and highlighting sustainable design, and she has ideas for how the platform will evolve in 2026. Watch this space I guess!

Alongside all of this, she continued to work as a photographer, documenting people, products, and stories. Pausing retail gave her the space to fully lean into that creative side. Through ZERRIN STUDIO, Susannah now brings together her editorial eye, brand-building experience, and storytelling skills to help purpose-driven brands and founders show up with confidence and authority.

I have followed you for a while, and I know you have always been a strong advocate for sustainability. Can you describe how your passion for sustainability began?

My passion for sustainability started quite organically. Working in fashion media, I quickly noticed the disconnect between glossy storytelling and the realities of the industry—the waste, the relentless speed, and how surface-level so many connections felt. For a long time, I felt like an outsider, as though I didn’t fully belong in the industry because I craved more meaning, depth, and purpose than the cycle offered.

The idea for ZERRIN emerged when I began meeting others who felt the same—designers, educators, journalists—people who valued integrity, people, and planet. Many of the designers I spoke with struggled to tell their story or access aligned retail channels. In researching, I realised there wasn’t a platform spotlighting this at the time.

So I set out to create one. With ZERRIN, my vision was to build a space that celebrated everything I loved about fashion—the artistry, the design, the stories—while also encouraging people to rethink consumption. For me, it was never just about curating better brands; it was about reshaping how we engage with fashion.

 What prompted your significant career shift toward photography? You are incredibly talented, and your work is truly amazing!

Thank you! Photography has always been there in the background. Even while running ZERRIN, I was shooting campaigns for the brands we stocked, and I realised how much I loved the creative process. 

After experiencing burnout, I needed a way back to creativity that felt joyful and aligned. Photography became that outlet—it allows me to merge artistry with strategy. For me, it’s not just about creating beautiful images, but about helping brands and founders tell their story with impact, build connections, and grow with confidence. 

What does sustainable fashion mean to you?

Sustainable fashion isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. To me, it means creating clothing with respect for people and the planet, but also rethinking the culture of consumption. It’s about valuing quality over quantity, celebrating craftsmanship, and supporting brands who are transparent about their journey. On a personal level, it’s about buying less but better, and making choices that reflect your values.