Mandarin Gallery Blog

Once upon a time, sneakers were associated with scruffy boys who play basketball and could not care less about fashion. But that is all in the past now. Today, these casual, comfortable shoes are enjoying a chic makeover as a staple for the insouciantly stylish. A throwback to the simpler days of our youth, the sneaker has long since gone beyond its humble athletic origins and become full-blown fashion statements. Here are three brands that have brought the fine art of canvas footwear to new heights – help yourself to a pair (or two) of these very cool kicks!

Feiyue
A French brand with a Chinese name? That should be intriguing enough to warrant a closer look at Feiyue, which has been making waves in the sneakers world since 2006. Originating from Shanghai, China in the 1920s, the company was acquired by a team of innovative sneaker enthusiasts who infused it with a European aesthetic and improved quality. At the same time, they have also managed to retain the shoes’ vintage authenticity, resulting in a unique blend of cutting-edge design and classic charm. Take your pick from its extensive collection of low, mid and high cut models.

Superga
If it is good enough for Alexa Chung, it is good enough for us. A favourite of the British IT girl, Superga has been churning out its iconic plimsolls since 1911 in its native Turin, Italy. Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, the brand has made Chung its new face because she encompasses Superga’s fun, effortless style and personality. Its fresh, rubber-soled good looks is famed for its high quality and versatility. It can even be washed to create that cool, worn-in vintage look, just like your favourite jeans!

Both Feiyue (SGD79 to SGD119) and Superga (SGD69.90 to SGD76.90) are available at in:Famous, #03-21, Mandarin Gallery

Forfex
The anti-thesis of the retro-styled canvas sneaker, the distinctly avant garde Forfex is the brainchild of talented young designer Giovanni Forbice. Featuring bold details like brightly coloured felt petals and sharp studs, these sneakers are definitely not for the faint-hearted. With names like Sex Studs and Killers, these loud, dynamic sneakers do not merely make statements – they demand to be stared at. If you like to let your shoes do the talking, you should be making a beeline for a pair of Forfex right about now.

Forfex retails for SGD170 to SGD420 at Ambush, #03-14, Mandarin Gallery

Contrary to popular belief, men are not necessarily averse to shopping – in fact, many of them like to indulge in retail therapy as much as the average women. At Mandarin Gallery, we do not play favourites with the genders and there are fabulous buys for the boys as well. We scoured the shops for the hottest boys’ toys and this trio of new arrivals at BAPE, The Denim Store and Ambush came out tops!

Uniform Experiment (Ambush)
Started in 2008, the Uniform Experiment is an experimental project for men’s clothing and accessories. Treading the line between novelty an universality, the label strives to provide an alternative to conventional menswear by contradicting the existing rules. The results are often refreshingly original.

Top Pick: Uniform Experiment X LASONIC iPod Boombox, SGD1440

Uniform Experiment is available at Ambush, #03-14, Mandarin Gallery

Sanders (The Denim Store)
Hailing from the United Kingdom, Sanders is an established shoemaker that has been producing quality men’s footwear since 1873. Crafted from the very best English hides and local oak-bark soles, Sanders’ shoes are designed to be refined, sturdy and fit for the gentleman.

Top Pick: Suede desert boots, SGD319

Sanders can be found at The Denim Store, #03-09-11, Mandarin Gallery

BAPE
The ultimate vanguard of street cool, BAPE constantly churns out the kinds of things that induce a near-slavish cult following. From neon sneakers to Baby Milo t-shirts, the brand has the remarkable ability to turn its products into highly covetable collectors’ items. It single-handedly proves, with its legions of older fans, that being hip is not just for the young.

Top Pick: Camouflage backpack, SGD469

Bape is located at #02-02/03, Mandarin Gallery

The future is bright, so invest in some good sunglasses. Contrary to popular belief, a good pair of shades that will adequately protect your eyes from harmful ultra-violet rays need not cost you a limb. Granted, designer eyewear can go for up to SGD1000 in some cases, but if you will just keep an eye out for a good bargain, there are definitely more attractively priced options out there. Even as they are kinder to your wallet, you need not have to worry about having to compromise on style. Catering to the young and painfully hip, there is no doubt that cult Swedish denim brand Cheap Monday, acetate sunglasses trend-setter SUPER by RETROFUTURE and Robert Geller (for the modern gentleman) will up your chic quotient effortlessly.

Cheap Monday
Having made its name with well-made skinny jeans that are surprisingly affordable, Cheap Monday turned their talent towards designing sunglasses that are based on the same ‘cheap and good’ brand philosophy. Other than giving small modernising touches to retro-inspired, timeless silhouettes, the Cheap Monday eyewear collection also consists of bold, futuristic models like the Terminator-worthy Precognition Silver. At just SGD59 a pop, it seems almost silly not to grab a pair (or three, just for variety) of these instant classics.

Cheap Monday Eyewear is available at The Denim Store, #03-09-11, Mandarin Gallery

SUPER by RETROFUTURE
The first brand to produce a complete range of colourful, high-quality fashion sunglasses, SUPER has certainly contributed much to the phenomenon of acetate sunnies. If there is anything to be said about these bright, candy-like eyewear, it is that they are unfailingly fun. At the same time, by adopting ZEISS lenses, they also provide you with an extremely high level of eye protection. With a veritable army of celebrity fans, such as Kanye West, The Kills and Jessica Alba just to name a few, it seems clear from the start that it will be quite impossible to stop at one with these.

SUPER by RETROFUTURE sunglasses are priced from SGD199 at The Denim Store, #03-09-11, Mandarin Gallery

Robert Geller
If exuberant youth underscored the aforementioned eyewear brands, Robert Geller takes you down a quieter, more grown-up but no less stylish path. Discreetly good-looking with not a trace of trendiness, these are sunglasses for Wayfarers-lovers and traditionalists who know what works for them and stick with it. Sounds like you belong with this group of discerning shades-wearers? Chances are a pair of Robert Geller will be your kind of sunglasses poison.

Pick up your Robert Geller classic eyewear (prices from SGD280) at Ambush, #03-14, Mandarin Gallery

There is an emerging trend of luxury street wear and it seems to be gaining momentum. While this may seem absurd to many of you, there is a growing appreciation for quality, stylish everyday threads that is differentiated from their inferior counterparts by their top-notch materials, immaculate construction, blissful comfort and admirable durability.

The price tags may seem overly large for wardrobe staples like t-shirts, sweaters and tank tops, but if we spend so much of our time in clothes like these, why not invest? Here are three brands that take street wear very seriously indeed.

Elizabeth And James
As the Olsen Twins are fast becoming fashion superstars with their designer line The Row, their more casual sister line, Elizabeth and James, is also holding itself up to be a formidable player in that no man’s land between designer and high street. Exuding effortlessly cool downtown chic, the brand is contemporary without being trendy. Its well-made basic t-shirts and tank tops have won it many fans among the young and fashionable while the ultra-soft cardigans and sweaters will become your prized favourites in no time.

Selected pieces from Elizabeth and James retails from SGD274 to SGD802 at TriBeCa, #02-05-08, Mandarin Gallery

Kai-Aakmann
With such a curious sounding name, it is hard not to take a closer look at Korean label Kai-Aakmann. Designer Soonjin Park’s modern take on the interaction of feminine and masculine elements in her clothes has resulted in a surprisingly pleasing aesthetic that is almost genderless.

Specialising in soft jersey pieces, the brand is largely inspired by youth, street culture and nature. Carefully constructed to compliment the human form, each piece drape and folds in just the right way.

Kai-Aakmann is stocked at Ambush, #03-14, Mandarin Gallery. Prices start from SGD70 for a tee

Willow
Australian fashion label Willow gives street wear an edgier, more glamourous spin. The Bachelor Girl collection is a masterful fusion of the pretty and the tough, the young and the sophisticated. Featuring shiny, black feathers and leather, it is a varied showing that consists of little tweed dresses, printed wide-legged pants, tee dresses and draped capris. Top pick goes to a highly versatile tank top with a leather front and mesh back that can be worn in a million and one ways.

Willow is available at #02-16, Mandarin Gallery. Prices range from SGD519 to SGD819