Mandarin Gallery Blog

The only global industry magazine to focus on denim and sportswear, Sportswear International is arguably one of the most authoritative publications on casual and street fashion. This explains why we are extremely pleased to announce that three of Mandarin Gallery’s brands are winners of the prestigious Sports International Fashion Awards! Celebrating the best collections of the year, winners are picked by both readers and an independent jury. Beating intense competition from premium brands including Diesel Black Gold, G Star and Fred Perry, Adidas SLVR, Nudie Jeans and Vans came up top.

Best Sport/Street: Adidas SLVR
Adidas’ sleek, urbane and smart fashion line has been going from strength to strength with each new collection. Founded on the principle of melding beauty with utility, Adidas SLVR constantly strives to push the boundaries of sportswear inspired clothing. Featuring refined, modern silhouettes, tasteful colour palettes and clever details, each piece is an investment that you can wear season after season (and probably in more ways than one).

Adidas SLVR is available at Adidas, #03-13, Mandarin Gallery

Best Denim: Nudie Jeans
Possibly the very best jeans money can buy, Nudie takes denim very seriously indeed. Proclaiming to offer not just jeans, but “a way of thinking, a concept and an undying passion”, this is definitely not your regular denim label. Working towards the goal of using organic cotton exclusive in the long run, the Swedish brand has gained recognition for their eco-friendly ways. The best raw materials and a slow production process ensure that every pair of Nudie jeans is a masterpiece.

Find a good selection of Nudie Jeans at The Denim Store, #03-09-11, Mandarin Gallery

Best Sneakers: Vans
Born in 1966, this iconic Californian sneaker brand continues to reflect the optimistic spirit of its founding decade. First popularized by skateboarders and BMX riders, Vans’ clean-cut designs soon found their way onto the feet of other sportsmen, including basketball players and even skydivers. Today, Vans is best known for its wide range of styles and colours and counts legions of hip, fashion-conscious individuals as fans of the comfortable soles and classic good looks of its sneakers.

Pick up your pair of Vans at in:Famous, #03-21, Mandarin Gallery

Available now at the Adidas boutique at Mandarin Gallery is the F/W11 collection of the adidas SLVR T-Shirt Series, a selection of 7 different tees (SGD89 each) designed by creatives from the fields of fashion and music, who have international impact including Edward Enninful (a well known stylist and fashion director of W magazine).

Available in sizes from XXS to XL and printed on classic unisex crew neck T-shirts, they won’t look out of place in any fashionista’s collection. Check out our Facebook fan page for the full album of images.

adidas SLVR is available at adidas, Mandarin Gallery, #03-13

If recent trends from the runway are anything to go by, sportswear-inspired fashion is going to be the next big thing. However, that is certainly nothing new to adidas SLVR, the sports brand’s casual chic line that has been churning out smart, sleek and effortlessly elegant sports-chic collections from the start. Creating innovative pieces fit for 21st-century living is at the very core of adidas SLVR so it is hardly surprising that for Autumn/Winter 2011, inspiration was found in space travel, which has lead to tailored clothes with a distinct futuristic vibe.

Under the creative direction of new designer Dirk Schönberger, this stylish yet utilitarian collection combines sports and fashion in intriguing new ways with bold details, a striking colour palette and form-fitting, sculpted silhouettes. Comfort, technology and luxury continue to be the mainstay qualities one can expect from adidas SLVR.

This season, the ladies can look forward to handsome military-style outerwear adorned with details like asymmetrical zippers, metallic accents and meshing. Versatility and innovation are also well represented in convertible jackets that come with customisable details (e.g. detachable sleeves) and the use of shimmery breakthrough fabrics.

For men, adidas SLVR pieces will bring you from outdoors to indoors with its offerings of functional coated canvas commando jackets and chic suits. Melding the rugged and the refined, one will find ribbon-trimmed shirts and sweaters alongside fishtail parkas, trench coats and quilted blouson jackets that are capable of enduring the elements. A classic palette of neutrals is interspersed with exciting pops of acid-bright colours, including a quirky electric blue known as Surf The Web.

On the footwear front, a new lean silhouette has been introduced via ultra-narrow, soft-soled sneakers in both low-tops and high-tops.

adidas SLVR is available at adidas, Mandarin Gallery, #03-13. Prices range from SGD159 to SGD309 for footwear, SGD79 to SGD599 for bags and accessories, SGD89 to SGD859 for apparel

When it comes to bags, we all love our leather. Luxurious, supple and soft, it will always have a place in our hearts. Yet, there will be days when we feel like dressing down or just need something more practical that we can be a little rough with. This is where the ever user-friendly casual bags come in. Stain and water-resistant nylon and machine-washable canvas are perfect materials for such bags. Whether you are going to the gym or heading out for brunch and shopping after, these roomy carriers will serve you well. With their bright colours and quirky prints, they are also visually arresting eye candies that will sit very prettily on your arm (or shoulder). Going back to basics can be very stylish indeed.

Tumi Voyageur
The Tumi Voyageur range is a great for both travel and daily use. Made of lightweight but durable nylon, these bags come with just the right number of compartments to appease our OCD tendencies. Despite its numerous interior and exterior pockets, silhouettes remain sleek and modern without any sign of bulk. The quinessential shopper has everything you will want in an everyday shopper. Bright and cheery, it comes with sturdy leather carry handles and trim.

The Voyageur range can be found at Tumi, #01-16, Mandarin Gallery

Stella McCartney X Adidas Pack Away Bag
The Stella McCartney X Adidas collection may be one of the best designer collaborations to date and the Pack Away Bag (SGD89) from the latest collection is proof of its continuing appeal. A mid-sized nylon tote that is simple and understated, it folds up easily into a fraction of its size and fits nicely into an adorable owl pouch. Slip it into your handbag and pop it out for use whenever and wherever you may need it, be it to hold your shopping loot, gym gear or beach essentials.

The Pack Away Bag is available in red and blue at Adidas, #03-13, Mandarin Gallery

Marc by Marc Jacobs 10th Anniversary Canvas Tote
Has it only been a decade since Marc by Marc Jacobs first started delighting us with its wonderfully cute and youthful offerings? To celebrate 10 years of never growing older, MBMJ launched a limited edition capsule collection earlier in the year to reward fans for their unwavering support. In the midst of this retrospective collection of best-loved pieces from the cult label, you will find these fun canvas totes (SGD230) that proudly declare that ‘Marc by Marc Jacobs Is Ten!’ in a child-like scrawl.

Grab your MBMJ 10^th Anniversary totes at Marc by Marc Jacobs, #01-11, Mandarin Gallery