A fashion and art festival at a supermarket in Jurong? Here are five ways you can #supportlocal and get those creative juices flowing…
When you think of warehouse-priced shopping – groceries and household goods – Bigbox Hypermart usually comes to mind. But as a venue to host a fashion and art festival? We’d never have expected that one. Located amongst shopping malls in Jurong, the eight-storey supermarket will be hosting the inaugural Outsider Fashion and Art Festival from 20 to 22 October, and we think this one’s worth the trip…
Dubbed the “anti-elitist fashion art festival”, the weekend-long bash organised by Untitled Collective will feature up-and-coming local and regional designers and artists, as well as big names from the fashion and art scene. Visitors can expect a slew of immersing and interactive exhibitions, as well as modelling workshops to unleash your inner Gigi Hadid. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s in store.
Converse debuts latest collection
Sneakerheads, rejoice! Occupying a huge space at the venue, Converse will be debuting its localised version of its Holiday 2017 Reverse Seasonality concept, as well as its latest instalment of the ‘Forever Chuck’ campaign which will feature a new generation of models and designers, and their role in revolutionising Singapore’s fashion industry.
Strut your stuff at this modelling workshop
You want to be on top? Singapore’ agency Basic Models Management will be conducting two free workshops (Introduction to Modelling and Introduction to Catwalk) over the weekend. The agency has successfully placed models – both male and female alike – in major fashion capitals such as London, Paris, Hong Kong, New York and Milan. With the Miss Js of Basic Models to guide you, you’ll be working the catwalk in no time.
Introduction to Modelling, 21 & 22 October, 2.30pm. Introduction to Catwalk, 21 & 22 October, 4.30pm. Sign up for the workshops here.
Go fashion forward with these designers
Headlining the festival is Singapore-based artist Simon Ng. Known for his contemporary and metaphorical artwork, he has also collaborated with Voltaire Vision to create stunning art and fashion pieces from the fashion label’s 2017/2018 collection. Another local artist to keep an eye out is the founder of Desinere, Melvin Ong, who teams up with French design team 1=X to create avant-garde and visionary masterpieces.
Regional artists include China’s fashion label Lanneret and Hong Kong’s Makin Jan Ma who have made cameos at Shanghai Fashion Week showcasing their latest collections. Malaysian designer Man Chien, Hong Kong’s Methodology, and Elle Fashion Week’s Praphat Somboonsitti and Ekkapoom Treechairusmee of label Q Design and Play will also exhibit their Design and Basiq lines at the event. Feed your style inspo further and check out Hong Kong’s experimental brand Absurd by Absurd Labroratory, London-Shenzhen based minimalist fashion label Alias, Taiwan’s East-Meets-West Batice, eco-friendly Ms Yeeyee from China, and of course, Singapore’s very own Faculty, bringing you grey couture.
Get in touch with your arty side
Immerse yourself in a performance-based installation by artist Sab Koh where you’ll be invited to lie next to strangers while listening to stories of hope, personal experiences and beliefs. And if you’re looking for more Sab Koh goodness, check out his stash of memories collected in a span of eight years!
Other captivating exhibitions include Winnie Wong’s ‘Eggxistence’ for all things eggs, and ‘What’s In A Face’ which displays typography through typefaces, FriendlyJerry’s self-explanatory ‘Bottled-Up Emotions’, Andrea Goh’s visual metaphor of the common habit of not thinking before acting, Danny Young’s artworks to raise awareness of the LGBT Community in Singapore, Kelly Limerick’s unique characters, and Ragamuffin’s assembly of product branding to show brand dependency of consumers to fit their lifestyles.
A bonus treat for budding artists
Outsider will also showcase 45 creative pieces by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts’s (NAFA) Class of 2017 fashion graduates from 20 to 29 October at Bigbox.
Outsider Fashion and Art Festival, 20-22 October 2017, 11am-10pm, Bigbox Hypermart, 1 Venture Drive, Singapore 608521. NAFA Graduates Showcase will be extended until 29 October 2017.
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