Homegrown designer Daniel Yam strolls into his boutique at Wisma Atria and politely asks to make a phone call before he starts the interview.

Ten minutes later, he seats himself on the shop's leather couch and discloses that the paisley detail on one of his dresses purchased by a customer disintegrated after it was sent to a drycleaner.

He asserts matter-of-factly that it is not possible as he has not had other complaints from others who had purchased the gorgeously luxe teal and bronze bubble dress.

"Furthermore, the fabrics we use are tested rigorously before they go onto the shelves," says Mr Yam. This particular material, for instance, was dipped in drycleaning fluid and declared unscathed before it was given the Daniel Yam stamp of approval.

Mr Yam, in his 40s, is known in the industry for such due diligence and exacting standards. This is possibly one of the reasons why he has outlasted his cohort - remember former fashion stalwarts Thomas Wee and Bobby Chng - in the fickle Singapore market. Although the eponymous label was launched merely 12 years ago, he has been in the business for more than 20 years.

He is the mastermind behind other labels such as Private Label, available in Tangs, and Outsider, which has since stopped.

He explains his decision: "The problem with designing different lines is that there's only one of you - and so much to do, from calculating the yardage required for each design to how long it needs to last in the retail scene to where to produce the fabric."

While many designers, local or otherwise, are already zipping to price-competitive China, as opposed to Singapore or its neighbouring countries, to indent fabric, Mr Yam maintains resistance.

"No factory there is willing to put up with my finickiness," he says ruefully, adding: "A garment represents you, your philosophy and your personality. How can I sell something that I'm not happy with?"

He is quick to explain that the prices offered in China are reasonable for the quality but he stands firm on his stringent requirements.

Over the years, the consistently marketable designs in quality fabrics synonymous with the Daniel Yam label have also stood him in good stead with local customers - from students looking for prom dresses to bridesmaids - who have contributed to steady double digit revenue growth and enabled him to expand to four boutiques.

Besides Wisma Atria, Daniel Yam clothes can be found at Tanjong Pagar, Suntec City Mall and The Heeren. Each Daniel Yam collection comes in seasonal designs and colours as well as classic pieces.

This year's fall/winter collection comes in rich colours of bronze and teal, while the timeless pieces are, well, simply timeless. That feminine, flowy dress in a soft material with a cowl neck you saw 10 years ago still makes a constant appearance on the shop floors. Of course, the colours vary as does the fabric but the drape-neck element is now recognised as a Daniel Yam trademark.

This distinguishing mark carries through to his exports for the global market.

At the Singapore Fashion Week 2005, the Daniel Yam brand, together with Allure and Womb, was picked as a potential for the Access USA Programme, based on factors such as individual design concepts, resource structure and capabilities. In this initiative started by International Enterprise Singapore, American consultants were specially commissioned to introduce and strategically their product distribution to the United States (US).

Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus are just two world-renowned retailers who have expressed interest in Mr Yam's pieces after visiting Garneau, located on New York's 7th Avenue, where his collection is displayed.

Buyers from other parts of the world, too, make their way to New York for choice fashion samplings - which is exactly how 200 of Mr Yam's pieces ended up at Harvey Nichols in the Middle East, considered one of the world's most affluent markets.

A modest number, but Mr Yam is grateful for the opportunity. Humbly, he explains: "We are new in the global market and can't make demands. We are just happy that our designs have been purchased."

Animation transforms his tanned, serious face as he earnestly describes how his recent nine-day trip to New York in February this year opened up a new world. "It was an intensive experience! There was so much to learn, from pricing to freight to taxes to reading reports, extremely overwhelming - it was like going back to school!

"It's a good thing I love figures. Not just women's, but numbers," he adds with a broad grin.

Not bad for someone who never planned to make it into the US retail arena, let alone in such a promising manner. "What motivated me to take up the challenge when presented with the Access USA Programme opportunity was the frustration of being branded "local" as if it were a bad word.

"It's been so many years but local designers still face discrimination from landlords and customers who view us as inferior. It's sad how this perception has led to many younger designers creating clothes mainly for export because Singaporeans do not show much support - and they have a lot of potential," he states candidly.

Mr Yam's sincerity resonates clearly. His desire to fight for local brands is refreshing; after all, he has worked for some 20 plus years in an industry which is oft considered self-preserving.