The sidewalk’s the new catwalk as major labels embrace the everyday look. Sabrina Lee dives into the world of street fashion

Gone are the days when ‘street chic’ simply meant expressing yourself through a pair of distressed jeans and a T-shirt. The fashion industry is starting to take the concept seriously; even Singapore has seen a style renaissance, witnessing a rise in the number of independent labels available at ‘concept shops’ like Asylum, Actually… and Know It Nothing. Going against the grain doesn’t come cheap, and neither does paying for original designs. Savvy street-fashion buyers make regular trips to America, Paris and Japan to source the latest threads, and make it a point to educate their staff in the most up-to-date look.

Suraj Melwani, fashion design graduate and founder of Know It Nothing, defines street fashion as having ‘two schools of thought: one has its roots in hip-hop culture and the other with its future in comfort and simplicity’. His retail outlet on trendy Haji Lane boasts independent labels like New York-based Engineered Garments alongside clothes by Danish newcomers Wood Wood. ‘I’ve always wanted to explore the whole independent label scene and to give people variety,’ Melwani says. ‘There is a niche market in every country out there.’ Melwani is currently in the process of designing his own label, to be manufactured in Indonesia. Meanwhile, others like him have already started the production process.

At White Room on Haji Lane, designer Urica Sin works with four male designers to come up with the shop’s own line of men’s apparel called Furrmuse (which she also wears). ‘[I] definitely draw my inspiration from the streets,’ Sin says of her line. ‘Being streetwise also means paying attention to detail and, most importantly, owning a pair of great sneakers.’ While Know It Nothing and White Room cater more to a niche crowd, local shop What’s Good? aims to bring street fashion to everyone by stocking a range of popular international brands. ‘We realised that there was an absence of a streetwear culture in Singapore and decided to take our love and share it with the masses,’ says owner Ryan Xie. Since last October, What’s Good? has already established itself as the place to go for ‘introductory streetwear’ like skate brands Stüssy and Crooks & Castles. The label has also collaborated with Hong Kong’s Know1edge to produce an original monogrammed-line package retailing at $349 that includes a T-shirt, pair of jeans and cap – a reasonable buy for wearable art, streetwear aficionados claim, noting that some T-shirts sell for the same amount.