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Spades Is The Multi-Label Store Focused On Community & Creative Expression

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Fashion

Spades Is The Multi-Label Store Focused On Community & Creative Expression

Run by a group of Gen Z entrepreneurs, Spades might just be the future of retail in Singapore.

by Rebecca Rachel Wong  /   July 18, 2021

A style commune. Credit: Spades

For the last year and a half, avid hunters of vintage fashion and supporters of indie cult brands would have known Spades as a multi-label store housing vintage and Singapore labels like Reduxing and Solars Rebirth.

Fast forward to this month and the brand has changed its M.O. and gone through a rebirth of sorts.

The first major change is a move from its former home in Thomson to 48 MacTaggart Road which is situated a stone’s throw away from Tai Seng MRT station. At a little over 1,300 sq ft, the new space is almost three times the size of its previous location. The store officially opens its doors on July 16.

Credit:Spades

The new Spades store comes with a cool loft vibe.

“It’s a gem hidden in an industrial area that is not saturated by surrounding retail stores,” describes Moh Ee Jin, one of the five Gen-Z co-founders who also holds the role of director of design and curation. “This allows us to focus on our own growth instead of competing with others.”

READ MORE: Where To Shop For Fashionable Vintage Finds In Singapore

Other members of the Spades team are founder and creative director Shane Tan who had previously ran several vintage pop-ups; Gloria Liew; Greg Tan; and Harry Chow. Aged between 19 and 23, they bring with them prior experience of working in sales and retail management.

Reminiscent of its roots, Spades still stocks vintage pieces. As Tan notes, about a third of the store is made up of items from Reduxing and Solar’s Rebirth.

The former has built a fan base for reviving archival pieces from the likes of Raf Simons and Alexander McQueen. Meanwhile, the latter is a favourite of those looking for grunge chic merch like T-shirts and varsity jackets.

READ MORE: Could Dover Street Market Singapore Be The Coolest Store In Town?

However, the team envision Spades to a multi-label collective that seeks to represent up-and-coming brands and creatives. To wit, there’s more diversity in the range of brands, with natural dye labels like Stilnook and handcrafted accessories like Visual Jargon in the mix.

Credit:Spades

The store currently stocks 16 under-the-radar labels from Singapore and the region.

At present, 16 brands are stocked at Spades, including under-the-radar labels that are fast gaining traction. They include Singapore labels like Veblen Supplies, Koterie, Cherub, Wildflower wax co., Mobius Mise and Flipside, as well as Malaysian brands like Ghostboy and Notinlist, and PIN SKTBS from China.

While the majority of the brands are currently from our shores, the folks here hope to ride the segregation between “local” brands and bigger, internationally recognised ones.

READ MORE: Watch Video: Youths In Balaclava, The Singapore Label Inspiring Us All

“We believe that all brands are someone’s hard work and dedication invested over time, and the terms ‘smaller’ and ‘local’ stifle brands from expanding into something more,” explains Moh.

Spades also hopes to ramp up efforts in building a sense of community, seeing the space as one where people and various subcultures bond over their shared love for design and creativity.

Credit:Spades

Shoppers during the soft launch of the store, prior to its official opening on July 16.

As Moh and co. observes, there exists a sense of animosity and competitiveness in Singapore’s general climate. “With the way people are brought up here, competitiveness is ingrained in us as Singaporeans,” he says. “When it comes to things like fashion, we feel there exists this sense of exclusivity that people may feel is intimidating.”

READ MORE: Thom Browne’s First Flagship Adds To The List Of Newly-Opened Boutiques In Town

He adds: “People want to be the best, to have the nicest pieces, the perfect music taste and live up to these unspoken standards of being ‘cool’. The animosity comes when people start to create impressions of each other based on trivial things such as materialistic desires, wealth and status.”

Ahead, the team tell us more about what we can expect.


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https://www.femalemag.com.sg/gallery/fashion/spades-singapore-store-shop-mactaggart-road-vintage-brands/
Spades Is The Multi-Label Store Focused On Community & Creative Expression
image

Why the rebrand?

Moh: “The new space is an entirely different experience from what came before. With a complete directional shift, the new Spades sets out to be what it originally envisioned: an avenue for everyone as a community to learn, socialise and create.

For a year and a half, Spades was a vintage store with the same aspirations but drifted from the original idea. With the new space, we are putting ourselves back on track and setting out to achieve what it was meant to be.”

What sets your store apart?

Moh: “What sets us apart is our drive for the community. We want to break the current status quo in Singapore and be a driving cultural force here.

We are unique in the sense that we are more of a space than a store − think of Spades as a medium for creative expression. With design outlets in Singapore being sparse and out of reach, we want to create a realistic stepping
stone for aspiring creatives to elevate their brand.”

Spades
image

The brand has spoken about the sense of competitiveness that exists in Singapore and how it hopes to break down the barrier. Do you think this competitiveness exists amongst local fashion brands as well?

Moh: “We feel that this sense of competitiveness and animosity is very much apparent now because of social media, with people forming ideas of each other solely based on what they post online, creating false impressions of people while neglecting real-life interaction.

We think this animosity does exist amongst people here in Singapore, not so much the brands themselves. We hope to rid this competitiveness by getting people to talk to one another, and the problem with creating online impressions of each other. Through this, we hopefully nurture a community that is more supportive than competitive.”

As part of your vision, Spades seeks to rid the idea of “smaller” local brands being segregated from bigger brands. How does it aim to do that?

Liew: “As a store, we want to focus on evening out the playing field and allowing smaller brands to be seen alongside more widely recognised brands. We aim to showcase brands seamlessly throughout the store, regardless of price, status or country of origin.

Expect to see products from a brand made by an individual displayed next to brands that have teams of people working on each collection.”

Spades
image

How else does Spades hope to create a sense of community?

Moh: “We hope to build a strong sense of community through events that anyone can be a part of, from music to art. We hope to host numerous events that encompass each and every aspect of the creative industry, such as music shows, art fairs and fashion events. We’re also looking to collaborate with brands to do pop-ups and brand showcases.

We want people to visit the space not just to shop, but to have a good time, meet new people and find their style or new music.”

Tell us more about the vibe and aesthetic of the new space.

Liew: “For the retail space, our interior designer was inspired by the original lofts at Thomson – making a comfortable and homely space out of a warehouse but with tasteful materials in our furnishing. By having almost all our furniture loose, we are able to make the retail space flexible, allowing us to host different events and pop-ups in the future.

For the current configuration, we placed a lot of focus on our ‘living room’ area, to prioritise conversations and discussions that we hope to have with our friends and patrons. The racks are placed in a way that easily helps our patrons identify different sections of our store, and provides sufficient space for them to linger and explore.”

Spades
image

How does the store’s design and other aspects help to facilitate conversation and interaction?

Moh: “We want people to think of Spades as a space rather than a store. While we do sell clothes, our space is meant to be a place where people can come and socialise and bounce ideas off each other, and bond over this shared love of design. The store has a lounge area for people to sit, talk and make friends while shopping.”

How do you go about curating a multi-label store and choosing which brands to be part of it?

Moh: “We’ve curated our store meticulously by scouring through different platforms and looking at up-and-comers in the scene. These people are starting brands not just as a means of monetary gain, but an expression of their creativity.

We want to showcase the work of people who care about their designs and have high aspirations for their brands, and see their work as an extension of themselves.”

Why will customers be excited about the brands that are part of Spades?

Moh: “We are proud of all the brands we have stocked because of how diverse our selection is, encompassing different price-points from $20 to high-end pieces as high as $3,000 plus. We have brands that cater to both guys and girls, clothing ranging from the high-end archive to vintage and also a range of accessories to choose from.”

Spades
image

What can people look forward to from Spades’ own line of garments?

Moh: “Our Spades line will consist of ready-to-wear pieces that will appeal to everyone, to be launched during our opening. Expect comfort, quality and style. Our cut-and-sew pieces will start with T-shirts, and we’ll progress to bigger things in the future.

Our garment line is designed by me, and I’m currently studying fashion. The inspiration is clothing that anybody can wear, with custom cuts and fitting as well as comfort in mind. Clothes that are simple and easy to wear, reflecting our brand.”

Most brands will be wary of opening a brick and mortar store given the current retail climate which has gravitated towards online retail. What would you say to people who say you’re brave to open a physical store in a time like this?

Tan: “We are extremely serious and intentional about our mission to build something lasting in Singapore. Online retail sites can open and close within days and cannot facilitate interaction and relationship-building as much as a physical space can. This huge step in building the foundations of this store reflects our commitment to achieving those aims (of having a lasting legacy).”

Spades
image

More independent and youth-oriented brands are popping up in the Singapore fashion scene today. Why do you think so?

Moh: “I think with social media and the internet, accessibility has given the youth a headstart and it is easier to get inspired and learn how to go about starting a brand.

With platforms such as Instagram, it is easier to start something and share it with people. Learning about clothes-making and finding suppliers is also more convenient with the Internet’s endless resources. People can also find references and look at old shoots and collections for inspiration.

That is what drives youth today to go about starting more and more brands.”

Spades
  • TAGS:
  • asian designer
  • asian fashion
  • Retail stores
  • shopping in singapore
  • singapore retail
  • spades
  • vintage fashion
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MCI (P) 032/12/2022. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2023 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.