Anak launches HOT BODIES, a Heatwear exhibition turning climate crisis into design inspiration

Our heating planet is the hot body no one ever wanted. With a future of rising heat on the horizon, how will every other body on the planet cope? Supported by the SG Eco Fund and the DesignSingapore Council, global brand practice Anak presents HOT BODIES, an exhibition of Heatwear investigating innovative ways fashion and apparel can radically reinvent how human bodies cope with rising heat.

Explored from the lens of a long-time global expert in heat and humidity – Singapore, the world’s 3rd most densely populated country, sitting just above the Equator – HOT BODIES spans a range of practical responses to the most burning question of our time: how will humanity cope, much less thrive, in a future hotter than ever?

Opening on December 6, 2025 at New Bahru, HOT BODIES comes at an urgent time. According to the Meteorological Service Singapore, the past 10 years have been the hottest in Singapore’s history. Beyond our borders, extreme heat events are dominating global news headlines more than ever. But as the world rapidly changes, our behavioural and sartorial choices have not kept up. For instance, our predominant response to heat – staying indoors and blasting air-conditioning – is increasingly unsustainable, not just for our planet’s health, but our own, too.

“In Singapore, we’ve become an ‘air-con nation’, and I believe this is increasingly applicable to other nations across the world as temperatures continue to rise globally. However, hiding indoors just isn’t a sustainable option. It harms our health and the planet. Our research asks: what if we made heat our ally instead of our enemy? Through physical-heat conditioning, cooling measures, and smarter design, we can build resilience and thrive in rising temperatures. HOT BODIES offers a powerful platform to explore this tropical-rooted and climate-responsive narrative, transforming heat from threat to muse, and inviting all of us to reimagine what living well in a warming world can look like,” said Associate Professor Jason Lee, Director, Heat Resilience & Performance Centre at NUS Medicine.

10 CREATIVES. 10 UNIQUE APPROACHES TO HEAT RESILIENCE.

In consultation with a panel of research experts including Associate Professor Jason Lee, HOT BODIES uses apparel design and wearables to help us rethink what it means to look, feel, and be “hot” in the 21st Century. Targeting the critical solar effects of heat, humidity and UV radiation, the exhibition showcases a collection of 10 specially commissioned pieces co-created by creatives and designers around the world – ranging from practical ready-to-wear and accessible sun accessories, to conceptual fashion and speculative designs radically rethinking our relationship to heat. The global brief provoked collaborators to explore not “How do we get out of heat?” but “What can we get out of heat?”

The HOT BODIES collection features THE SUNSHELL by French graphic artist Jean Jullien, a UPF 50 cape that doubles as a vehicle for play, turning sun protection into an adventure; THE COOL COLLAR by Singaporean jewellery brand TANCHEN STUDIO, a jade statement neckpiece that targets the neck and chest for hyper-efficient cooling; THE HARDWEAR JACKET by Hong Kong workwear brand TMS.SITE, a protective garment designed to address the acute needs of outdoor workers; and THE SELF- CONDITIONER by London-based fashion designer HARRI, a conceptual inflatable garment that encases the wearer in a cocoon of self-contained cooling. These will premiere alongside other heatwear pieces by Malaysian batik artist FERN, Ho Chi Minh City-based design studio THE IDIOT, Japanese contemporary menswear brand Front Office, Spanish experimental studio STUDIO BUJ, and London-based design project Greater Goods and designer Jaimus Tailor.

“HOT BODIES is the natural continuation of Anak’s mission to showcase an Asian creative point of view to a global audience. With Good Threads, we explored how sustainability and fashion can intersect meaningfully through upcycled performance wear. HOT BODIES delves further, confronting the realities of climate change through a lens that is deeply tropical, yet universally urgent. Heat, humidity and UV exposure have been a part of our everyday lives here in Singapore for centuries, but as it becomes more and more relevant to the rest of the world, we thought it was time we asked how design can not only protect us, but also inspire new ways of living? The future of fashion and Heatwear must be reimagined so that we can thrive, not just cope, with a future hotter than ever.” said Hanyi Lee, curator of HOT BODIES.

“HOT BODIES is a thoughtful exploration of how design shapes the way we live in a time of rising temperatures and climate change. Building off its exhibition preview held during Singapore Design Week 2025, we hope visitors will come and be inspired by how design and creativity can drive positive impact, creating innovative solutions for more resilient futures,” said Jody Teo, Director of Marketing Communications & Outreach at DesignSingapore Council.

Aside from the exhibition of Heatwear pieces, HOT BODIES also features an Emporium of shoppable Heatwear items such as handheld fans, sunstraps, and UV keychain indicators – some of which are co- designed with creatives such as Jaimus Tailor, Jean Jullien, and TANCHEN Studio. As part of the wider Emporium experience, visitors can also expect a Sunscreen Bar where they can test over 80 products, as well as a Hydration Bar with tailored electrolyte drinks.

Over the 3-week exhibition period, visitors to HOT BODIES can also sign up for workshops curated by Anak. A dedicated event space within the HOT BODIES venue will host panels, gatherings, and things to do, including one-time-only programs by Vogue Singapore, Moom Health, TCM practitioners, and weekly activations like “Sunblock Face Paint Party: Become a Sun Hero!”

On 5 December, HOT BODIES will be previewed to Heatwear enthusiasts, subject matter experts, industry professionals, project sponsors, as well as partners and communities from the SG Eco Fund and the DesignSingapore Council. The exhibition will be open to the public next day, 6 December onwards.

Admission to HOT BODIES is free and open daily from 6 December to 28 December 2025. Event and workshop details will be announced for sign-ups in November.

For more information and event bookings, visit https://hotbodies-tmr.com/ and follow @hotbodies.tmr on Instagram.

HOT BODIES is supported by the SG Eco Fund and the DesignSingapore Council, in consultation with the Heat Resilience and Performance Centre (HRPC) at NUS Medicine. HOT BODIES also names Vogue Singapore its Official Media Partner, Paula’s Choice its Skincare Partner, with Official Sponsors including OCBC, The Merry Men Works, and more.