Strength In Numbers
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore|June 2020
A new generation of talent is championing community and creative freedom over commercial conventions. Jeffrey Yan talks to the home-grown fashion collectives making waves.
Jeffrey Yan
Strength In Numbers

From Yves Saint Laurent launching ready-to-wear in the golden age of haute couture to Marc Jacobs showing a grunge collection when sleek, glossy luxury ruled the day, fashion history has always been made by the young and the hopeful who are unafraid to march to their own beat. They are the ones who felt an itchy change in the air and reacted decisively to help shape the zeitgeist. Now, a world away from the fashion capitals of Paris, Milan, London, and New York, a new wave of Singaporean designers are showing a similar fearlessness. Youths In Balaclava exploded onto the scene with its anarchic streetwear when so much around them was safe and sanitised. Why Not? was birthed as a response to the repressiveness they felt from the establishment. Though at different career stages, what both collectives share are a commitment to finding their tribe and doing things their way.

WHY NOT?

Frustrated by the rigidity they saw in the fashion school system here, designer Manfred Lu teamed up with Creative Director Izwan Abdullah last year to put on their own showcase. They enlisted like-minded design students to join them, as well as editor-curator-PR practitioner Racy Lim. The result was part guerilla fashion show, part performance art, and a pure manifestation of youthful energy—with each designer conceptualising every last detail of his or her segment. In a year, the collective has grown from nine to over 20 members, encompassing not just designers but also creatives with backgrounds in writing, fine arts, theatre, and graphic design.

How did the collective come about?

Denne historien er fra June 2020-utgaven av Harper's BAZAAR Singapore.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra June 2020-utgaven av Harper's BAZAAR Singapore.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA HARPER'S BAZAAR SINGAPORESe alt
The Great Unknown
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

The Great Unknown

It's a fresh chapter for Thai actress Nuttanicha "Nychaa" Dungwattanawanich as she strikes out on her own.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
FINDING XANADU
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

FINDING XANADU

Adventure, magic and freedom await in the land of the blue sky, Mongolia.

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2024
TALKING POINTS
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

TALKING POINTS

From the worlds of Art, Culture, Travel and Design.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
TIMELESS LUXURY
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

TIMELESS LUXURY

In Hosanna Swee and Tom Chng's stunning apartment, an eye for detail and love for horological collectibles reveals an elegant and minimalist escape.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
PRIM FOR PRIMETIME
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

PRIM FOR PRIMETIME

Chanikarn \"Prim\" Tangkabodee reminisces on her journey from a child actor to a superstar in-the-making.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
INSPIRATION
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

INSPIRATION

The suave music artiste is no stranger to the world of fashion. In fact, he describes fashion as the forefront of his and his family's personal expression, as well as a form of manners.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2024
WELL, SUITED?
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

WELL, SUITED?

As attitudes towards dress codes shift, is the suit about to exit our closets?

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2024
DARK HORSE
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

DARK HORSE

In his next role and what is easily his most challenging character to date―actor Brian Ng wants one thing from you: your hatred.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
THE POWER OF PERETTI
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

THE POWER OF PERETTI

In a hidden village of Sant Marti Vell in Spain, where Elsa Peretti lived, loved and created enduring symbols of design and beauty for Tiffany & Co., Kenneth Goh traces and marvels at her 50 years of legacy.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
REDEFINING ROYALTY
Harper's BAZAAR Singapore

REDEFINING ROYALTY

Chaumet's Charles Leung talks to BAZAAR about the beauty and the resilience of the 244-year-old French jewellery brand in a new era.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024