There’s a certain charm to stumbling upon a shop that feels like it was pulled straight from your childhood memories. When I Was Four, a Singaporean design studio tucked away in Bras Basah Complex, has built its entire identity around that exact feeling — turning everyday moments into lifestyle products with a distinctly local twist.

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Instagram followers: 38,000 ·
Instagram posts: 2,400+ ·
Opening hours (Mon-Fri): 12:00 – 19:00 ·
Opening hours (Sat): 12:30 – 18:30 ·
Closed days: Sunday & public holidays ·
Founded: Singaporean design studio

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact founding year of the brand not publicly listed
  • Founder name(s) not disclosed on official channels
  • Exact number of products in collection not specified
3Timeline signal
  • Earlier location recorded at 261 Waterloo Street #02-18, Singapore 180261 (Hype & Stuff)
  • Current location at Bras Basah Complex confirmed on official site (Hype & Stuff)
4What’s next
  • Limited-edition collaborations likely to continue (Starbucks Singapore precedent)
  • Online store remains primary sales channel for international customers
Six key facts about When I Was Four, one pattern: the brand is deliberately small-scale and locally rooted, with no ambition to be a mass-market chain.
Label Value
Physical store address Bras Basah Complex, Singapore
Instagram followers 38,000
Opening hours (Mon-Fri) 12:00 – 19:00
Opening hours (Sat) 12:30 – 18:30
Closed Sunday and public holidays
Online store shop.wheniwasfour.com

The table below captures the brand’s core data points at a glance.

Where is When I Was Four located in Singapore?

Bras Basah Complex address

The physical store is at Bras Basah Complex, 231 Bain Street #04-41, Singapore 180231, as confirmed by the brand’s official find-us page (When I Was Four official store page). Earlier records from Hype & Stuff and Fathom Away show the brand previously operated at 261 Waterloo Street #02-18, suggesting a relocation at some point.

Nearest MRT station

Bras Basah Complex is a short walk from Bras Basah MRT station (Circle Line), making it easily accessible for shoppers coming from City Hall, Bugis, or Dhoby Ghaut. The complex is also within walking distance of Bencoolen MRT station.

The upshot

For shoppers in Singapore’s central district, the Bras Basah location is a deliberate choice — it sits in an arts-and-education hub, surrounded by bookstores, galleries, and cafes, reinforcing the brand’s creative, local identity.

What are the opening hours of When I Was Four?

The brand’s operating schedule is short, reflecting its boutique approach.

Weekday schedule

Monday to Friday: 12:00pm to 7:00pm (When I Was Four official store page). That’s a six-hour window each weekday, which is relatively short compared to typical retail hours in Singapore.

Weekend schedule

Saturday: 12:30pm to 6:30pm (When I Was Four official store page). Sunday: closed.

Public holiday closures

The store is also closed on all public holidays (When I Was Four official store page). This means if you’re planning a visit on a long weekend or a holiday like National Day or Chinese New Year, you’ll need to check ahead.

The catch

With only 30 hours of weekly operation and no Sunday access, the physical store is clearly not designed for high-volume foot traffic. The brand’s online store at shop.wheniwasfour.com fills the gap for customers who can’t make it during those narrow windows.

Who is the founder of When I Was Four?

Brand origin story

When I Was Four describes itself as a Singaporean design studio that “turns everyday moments into creative lifestyle products with a local twist” (When I Was Four official product page). The brand’s official site further characterizes it as a “living” design studio and shop focused on “everyday life’s quintessences, imperfections, and simple happiness” (When I Was Four official site).

Notably, the founder’s name is not publicly listed on any official channel. This anonymity is unusual for a lifestyle brand but aligns with the studio’s focus on the products and the experience rather than a personality-driven narrative.

Design philosophy

The brand’s Instagram bio reads simply: “Simple Happiness~” (When I Was Four Instagram). This philosophy translates into products that reference Singaporean childhood memories — think rooster bowls, old-school snacks, and kampung-era motifs. The Song Fa collaboration page highlights items like the Rooster Bowl and Good Morning Towel, both steeped in local heritage.

Why this matters

In a market flooded with global brands like Starbucks and Uniqlo, When I Was Four stakes its claim on hyper-local nostalgia. The absence of a named founder actually reinforces the brand’s message: it’s about shared memory, not individual celebrity.

What products does When I Was Four sell?

Bag collection

The brand’s core product line includes bags and tote bags featuring locally inspired designs (When I Was Four official site). These are not generic canvas totes — they incorporate motifs from Singapore’s visual culture, from old-school biscuit tin patterns to kopitiam aesthetics.

Lifestyle accessories

Beyond bags, When I Was Four sells pins, stationery, and other accessories (When I Was Four official site). Hype & Stuff describes the shop as stocking “nostalgic snacks and old-school lifestyle products,” while Chubby Hubby notes the range includes “nostalgic food-related and other accessories.”

Limited edition items

The brand also runs a dedicated sale collection on its official site (When I Was Four sale page), suggesting periodic product refreshes and limited drops. The collaboration with Starbucks Singapore produced limited-edition merchandise that sold out quickly.

Five product categories, one pattern: every item is a conversation starter about Singapore’s past.
Category Examples Local twist
Bags & totes Canvas totes, zip pouches Old-school biscuit tin patterns
Pins & badges Enamel pins Kopitiam and kampung motifs
Stationery Notebooks, stickers Local slang and iconography
Home goods Towels, bowls Rooster bowl, Good Morning Towel
Collaboration items Starbucks Singapore merch Singapore heritage themes

Does When I Was Four have a collaboration with Starbucks?

Starbucks Singapore partnership details

Yes, When I Was Four has collaborated with Starbucks Singapore on limited-edition merchandise (When I Was Four official site). The collaboration brought the brand’s nostalgic Singaporean aesthetic to Starbucks’ global platform, creating items that blended the coffee giant’s identity with local design cues.

Merchandise availability

These collaboration products were released as limited editions and are no longer available through standard retail channels. The partnership signals that When I Was Four’s design language has enough cultural resonance to attract a global brand like Starbucks.

The trade-off

For fans who missed the drop, the secondary market is the only option — and prices there reflect the scarcity. The collaboration also raises a question: can a brand built on local nostalgia maintain its authenticity when partnering with a multinational corporation?

Additional sources

instagram.com, instagram.com, us.trip.com, shop.wheniwasfour.com, timeout.com, shop.wheniwasfour.com, lemon8-app.com

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Frequently asked questions

What is When I Was Four known for?

When I Was Four is known for creating lifestyle products — bags, accessories, pins, and stationery — that draw on Singaporean nostalgia and local cultural motifs. The brand describes itself as a “Singaporean design studio turning everyday moments into creative lifestyle products with a local twist” (When I Was Four official product page).

Does When I Was Four ship internationally?

The brand operates an online store at shop.wheniwasfour.com that ships products. International shipping availability and rates are not explicitly detailed on the site, so customers outside Singapore should check the checkout page for their country.

Are When I Was Four products available at other retailers?

The primary sales channels are the physical store at Bras Basah Complex and the official online store. Limited-edition collaborations (e.g., with Starbucks Singapore) have appeared at partner locations, but the brand does not appear to have a wholesale distribution network.

How can I contact When I Was Four?

Contact information is not prominently displayed on the official site. The most reliable way to reach the brand is through Instagram direct messages at @wheniwasfour_sg.

Does When I Was Four have a loyalty program?

There is no mention of a loyalty or rewards program on the official website or social media channels. The brand appears to operate on a straightforward retail model without subscription or membership tiers.

Can I return products purchased from When I Was Four?

The official FAQ page at shop.wheniwasfour.com/pages/faq covers store policies. Return and exchange terms are not explicitly detailed in publicly available sources, so customers should inquire directly before purchasing.

Does When I Was Four release new collections regularly?

The brand maintains a sale section on its site (When I Was Four sale page), suggesting periodic product refreshes. However, no fixed release calendar is published. The Starbucks collaboration indicates that limited drops happen intermittently.

For shoppers in Singapore who value design with a story, When I Was Four offers something the big chains can’t replicate: a product that feels like it belongs to your own history. The Bras Basah store is worth a visit during its narrow windows, but the real takeaway is the brand’s quiet confidence in staying small, local, and deliberately nostalgic. For anyone looking to buy a piece of Singapore’s visual culture, the choice is clear: visit the studio, browse the online shop, and grab a limited drop before it’s gone.