Mandarin Oriental Fan

The Mandarin Oriental fan is an iconic symbol of the luxury hotel group, adopted in 1985 to reflect its Asian heritage, elegance, and service philosophy. Each Mandarin Oriental hotel worldwide has a signature fan that tells a unique story, expressing both corporate identity and the culture of its location.

For the next era of Mandarin Oriental, Singapore—launched alongside its first major interior overhaul in 35 years—Hans Tan was commissioned to create its signature fan. The one-of-a-kind ceramic fan is crafted from pink porcelain with a distinctive green glaze, featuring an intricate tessellation of kebaya batik–inspired motifs that celebrate the flora and fauna of Singapore as a Garden City. The pattern is realized using Hans’ signature resist-blast technique, selectively removing parts of the green glaze to reveal the pink porcelain beneath.

The pink and green hues draw on Peranakan colour palettes and align with those chosen by Jeffrey Wilkes, who oversaw the hotel’s interior renovation, becoming the hotel’s corporate colours. This fan is the only ceramic piece in the Mandarin Oriental collection of signature fans worldwide.

Hans Tan collaborated with ceramic artist Jeanette Wee, who crafted the fan base, and with Terra & Ember, who developed the unique pink porcelain.

 

Mandarin Oriental, Singapore’s signature fan is displayed prominently in the hotel lobby, serving as a striking centrepiece that welcomes guests the moment they enter the lift lobby.