Seriously, with so many problems happening in the world right now, should we really be concerned with what we’re wearing? Well, apparently so if you’re in Singapore, with two major fashion festivals taking place over the next two months, starting with the first ever Men’s Fashion Week, featuring no less than a dozen local brands alongside more established international ones. Here we go behind the press releases, to give you the lowdown on what to expect from our local brands.
ATZU
What it is: Yes, the name is cheezy: ATZU actually stands for “reforming fashion from A to Z for U.” Thankfully, this web-based menswear label caters to both the simple dresser and more flamboyant types through its ATZU White and Black collections, the former comprising mainly straightforward men’s shirts and the latter edgier cuts and silhouettes.
What the press release says: “Body imperfections play a key part in the construction of an ATZU garment, pieces that will disguise one’s imperfections, be it a longer torso, a longer neck, a broader shoulder or a bigger chest, through the juxtaposition of fabrics and razor-sharp cuts.”
What it’s really trying to say: Loose fits with asymmetrical cuts that will make you look like the standout that you truly are. Buy this if you have an extra finger or something (try the long-sleeved shirts).
Elohim
What it is: Malaysian-born, Singapore-based fashion designer Sabrina Goh first showcased her designs at last year’s Audi Fashion Festival, showing off her flair for textural cuts, colors and fabrications. Goh currently runs her eponymous standalone boutique at Orchard Central.
What the press release says: “Driven by her passionate pursuit of creativity, she mixes elements of menswear and womenswear, symmetry and asymmetry, in order to develop forms into unexpected details and startling silhouettes.”
What it’s really trying to say: Almost anything goes for Goh, whose designs appeal to “girls who are boys who like boys to be girls who do boys like they’re girls who do girls like they’re boys.”
evenodd
What it is: Stylist, photographer and self-taught designer Samuel Wong’s debut label. For his first Spring/Summer collection, Wong reinterprets his dad’s old wardrobe with a twist, featuring details such as pleats, detachable wool plackets and sleeves with tie details—calling it “My dad gave me the look.”
What the press release says: “The evenodd philosophy stems from the co-existence of polar opposites. Contrast becomes complimentary as simple, refined minimalism meets thought-provoking complications. Harmony and balance is achieved through calculated design and styling.”
What it’s really trying to say: Simple, wearable clothes for the modern dandy with a soft spot for vintage.
Jason
What it is: Previously known as Cloak & Dagger, fashion upstart JR Chan first caught the industry’s eye when she took home the Singapore Young Designer Award at 2007’s Singapore Fashion Festival. Currently stocked at indie boutique Hide & Seek, her collection has gotten darker and sexier over the years, featuring pieces like fitted black jackets with open backs for that token peek-a-boo effect.
What the press release says: “Jason is a new menswear and androgynous label that is in peaceful times but of turbulent mind. Jason is an endearing eccentric and destructive boy. Sympathizing with the extreme ideologies of the worldly rules, he develops an abnormal view on fashion, design and life, all for the sake of breaking away from stereotypes.“
What it’s really trying to say: Unexpected and extreme cuts and drapings that draw inspiration from goth, punk, club kids and even Martin Margiela. Nothing is sacred here.
Reckless Ericka
What it is: One of the more established newbies in town, the label, under the artistic direction of trio Afton Chen, Ruth Marbun and Louis Koh, has consistently produced a wide range of jackets, shirts, T-shirts and pants governed by classic tailoring and contrasting colors.
What the press release says: “Fleur de Sel—”Flower of Salt” in French—is a highly prized, gourmet sea salt hand-harvested by salt farmers along the coast of Brittany, France. Salt farmers will fill up shallow pools of fresh salt-water and collect the top layer of salt once the water evaporates. The gentlest breeze will cause the layer of salt to sink, and only in an optimum condition where it is sunny with no wind, will the Fleur de Sel be formed and collected. This collection is based on the Fleur de Sel, from the inspiration of the painstaking attention to detail and quality, colors, fabrication, to the idea of its flake-like and irregularly shaped silhouette.”
What it’s really trying to say: Unfussy, practical and carefully constructed, the clothes appeal just as much to French fashionistas as they do to salt farmers (well, hopefully).
Men’s Fashion Week is on Mar 30-Apr 3, various times. Pavillion, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8868, www.mfwasia.com. $40 from www.marinabaysands.com/ticketing.
