It had to happen. As the local shopping scene gets saturated with more and more multi-label boutiques stocking luxury cult street labels, its pioneer, Blackjack—which has been in the business since the early 90s and continuously struggled to find its beat over the years—simply had to reinvent itself. After all, rival boutiques such as Ambush, Front Row and Asylum Shop have been stocking up on equally hard-to-find labels such as Bernard Willhelm, Cosmic Wonder Light Source and Giuliano Fujiwara recently, so it was necessary for Blackjack to find itself some new cultural cache. The result: Club 21b, which refocuses its street slant appeal towards more thoughtof fashion brands, and has been remodeled in the spirit of its big sister store Club 21, already a go-to destination for high-end fashion finds.
“In contrast to predecessor Blackjack which embraced youth culture and street wear, Club 21b’s positioning is to showcase inspired and intelligent fashion which demonstrates spontaneity and creative experimentation,” says director Fiona Tan. “The principal role of our team of buyers and merchandisers is to constantly discover the new and ‘left side of fashion’ brands, with easier accessibility in style and price point. We hope to foster an appreciation for global cutting-edge fashion, be an incubator for emerging young talents and a platform for established brands that embrace creative experimentation.”
Indeed, stepping into its spanking new 3,600 sq. ft. space at Forum the Shopping Mall, which comes with a raw minimalist design replete with cement plaster, steel and cardboard elements—courtesy of Jap interior designer Koichiro Ikebuchi of Atelier Ikebuch fame—one feels compelled to rethink fashion all over again. Separated into two clear divisions for men and women, the left portion of the store is stocked with a multitude of womenswear labels spanning Anne Valerie Hash, Helmut Lang, complexgeometries, Rick Owens Drkshdw, Opening Ceremony, Theysken Theory and Tess Giberson. Guys can look out for the latest (and greatest) in contemporary menswear including Adam Kimmel, Ganyru Comme des Garcons, Golden Goose, Hollywood Trading Company, Phenomenon and Production Artisanale—all previously unavailable here.
But it’s not just the selections that make the store tick. Carefully curated and displayed, the brands’ myriad character and styles are cleverly juxtaposed to bring out their best elements. The playful textures found on the Phenomenon ready-to-wear collection look great placed alongside the vintage denim pieces by Opening Ceremony x Levi’s in the menswear section, ditto the abstract prints on the Helmut Lang ladies collection juxtaposed against sexier dresses from Opening Ceremony x Rodarte—this is arguably the best-looking boutique in town. Top it off with more accessible brands like Acne, Alexander McQueen, Mercibeaucoup, Julius and Zucca, and we have a clear winner.
