Shivin Singh, the founder and creative director of Absent Findings, exudes a quiet aura when you meet him. It makes for a rather striking contrast to the boldness of his designs, which include the outfit he is wearing as we met up to discuss the origin story of the brand he founded in Dubai. The wool suit immediately demands some closer inspection. With its printed trimmings from an heirloom sari that has been passed down through generations, it speaks to the idea of finding modernity through an exploration of heritage. On the table in front of us sits another one of his unique offerings, a signature Absent Findings bag, designed with a distinct undulating silhouette. “This shape comes from a building in Chandigarh, India. It’s called The Palace of Assembly, and it’s designed by Le Corbusier, and that is kind of the main inspiration for the shape of the handbag – the repeating curved lines – which have kind of become a motif for Absent Findings. The top handle is something that really just came to me in a dream,” explains Singh.
Shivin Singh, Founder and Creative Director of Absent Findings
In 2022, fresh from graduating from Polimoda in Firenze, Italy, the designer found himself working in Gucci’s handbag department. During this stint, he was based in Scandicci, near Florence, where he spent a year acting as a middleman between the design and commercial teams. The role involved understanding customer preferences, tracking competitor moves, and ensuring design elements were commercially viable. An interesting “behind the curtain” peek into the inner workings of how a major fashion powerhouses balance creativity with commerce. It was an experience that turned out to be an invaluable one for Singh, where he learned the mechanics of luxury and gained an understanding of the business of fashion.
Building something of his own was never Singh’s original plan, but within that first year at Gucci, the urge to create something unique and personal could no longer be ignored. It came about while identifying a gap in the market: “When it comes to a top-handle bag, it’s all very formulaic. The majority are rectangular shapes, with the two top handles,” remembers Singh. “I was like, okay, there’s a big market here. Because there are people, for example, friends of my mother or some of my other friends, who are real collectors of bags. They’ve collected the cool bags to have, and now they want something new, something drastic.” By mid-2023, the designer was sketching and prototyping independently in small batches, and sourcing deadstock fabrics from Prato, slowly building relationships with Italian suppliers. In March 2024, Absent Findings soft-launched at BRED in Abu Dhabi, a week-long neo-culture festival that showcases the best of the culture and streetwear scene in and out of the region. By September 2024, the brand officially launched with eight looks, which have since become the label’s signatures.
So what about the name?
Singh explains that it was born when he came to realise that, while studying business at the University of Illinois, it was in those empty moments of his day that he discovered what his calling was. “While I was absent from doing what I was supposed to be doing, going to class, studying Finance… I found something that I was kind of meant to be doing, basically. So that became Absent Findings,” he says.
Blending South Asian heritage with a modern aesthetic, Absent Findings differentiates itself by offering non-formulaic designs. This is most clearly seen in the top handle of its signature handbag. Countering the dominance of rectangular silhouettes, it avoids the trap of logo over-branding, allowing craftsmanship, cultural representation, and proportion to speak. Singh shares, “That is basically the essence of what I’m trying to push, where design has to speak, you know, no logos, no graphic tees, nothing but good design and good craftsmanship, because that is something that I’m obsessed with.” He adds, “I don’t want to spell things out for people. I want people to have a cerebral reaction to what I’m creating.” The brand positions itself within contemporary luxury, with accessible price points that signal intent to showcase pure talent – and the reception so far has been promising. Singh fondly shares that this makes perfect sense for an emerging label to build trust within the fashion industry and win over new customers. He talks passionately about his ambitions to be recognised alongside designers like Jonathan Anderson, who has successfully pivoted Loewe into a commercial success.
From the start, sustainability has been a non-negotiable for the founder. The brand takes pride in slow, sustainable production processes, reflecting a commitment to craft rather than volume. Everything is made in-house and locally in the UAE, where a small team – including family members – handle the work. Singh shares that he also intends to create one-of-a-kind pieces that have their own story, “I’m sustaining memories through upcycling, using those fabrics in my garments in a more contemporary, more stylised way, which completely reflects my own taste.” For now, Absent Findings is still in its infancy, but the vision is clear and expansive. “I see Absent Findings as kind of… not a lifestyle brand, but a way of thinking, a way of approaching life,” reflects the designer. He hopes to move into furniture and curatorial projects, all while maintaining artistic integrity, growing commercially, and providing a source of inspiration to other aspiring younger designers in the UAE.
Available at Ether by Cloud Spaces in Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi and online at www.absentfindings.com
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