From café culture in Melbourne to fashion-forward menswear label in Singapore, Nelson Yap has been on a fascinating journey. Where it will end is anybody's guess but for now, getting there's the main thing. Mr Yap, 34, founder of local brand Benjamin Barker, never really planned on being in the fashion business: truth is, he had his heart set on being a beach bum, musician (he plays drums) or struggling artist, although that's not the sort of career path his parents would have condoned.

Yap studied filmmaking in Melbourne, gravitating towards sea sports and skateboarding in his downtime. The outdoors lifestyle suited him just fine, and so did Melbourne's vibrant specialty coffee scene. A stint as a barista and café manager piqued his entrepreneurial curiosity but an illness in the family brought him back to Singapore. When his father passed away, Mr Yap was left in charge of the family business, selling discount suits. Business was tough, but then he noticed a gap in the market for well-made, affordable menswear, especially fitted shirts with quirky details that would appeal to young executives - so he took a loan from his mother and started Benjamin Barker in March 2009. For good measure, he and business partner Damien Tan also started The Assembly Ground cafe couple of years ago. Its specialty? a good cup of coffee.

The Benjamin Barker stores (11 outlets in Singapore and three more in Melbourne) are inviting and trendy, with fun, lifestyle-based interiors and merchandise that looks pricier than it actually is (from S$69 for a shirt to $1,000 for a suit). How did you decide on the name, and the look? Brand names are important and meaningful; I wanted something with alliteration and a name that is evergreen, able to be relevant a hundred years later. It has no connection to (fictional villain) Sweeney Todd (whose actual name was Benjamin Barker). Benjamin is a biblical name meaning "son of the south", which refers to my time in Down Under in Melbourne, and I grew up in Barker Road here. I was influenced by a specialty coffee chain called St Ali in Melbourne, which has a DIY sensibility; I designed all our stores myself - the industrial chic look works for us. By creating an environment that looks like a lifestyle store (plants, posters, bicycles and vintage items are part of the make-up), the idea is to convince someone like myself, who likes to wear T-shirts and shorts, to dress up. For men, the experience and having a bit of a story is important.