Loke Shi YingDesigners of 4 labels came under one roof at Blackmarket‘s inaugural standalone fashion show – the Blackmarket Manifesto 2010. And how apt the name of the event was, for the show spoke volumes of how the Blackmarket brand, despite being only a carrier of labels, has carved such a good reputation for its loyal support to local and regional designers.
UrbanWire takes a closer look at the 4 labels who presented at the launch.
FrüFrü & Tigerlily
There’s something intriguing about the trio behind FrüFrü & Tigerlily. Constant to their style, their label seems to take upon a demeanor of nu-rave girls hanging out in clubs and being madly obsessed with electronic music. Take for example this collection – a notable fluorescent purple triangular shape was juxtaposed against a background of black on 2 outfits (so reminiscent of glo-lights in a club), making the collection so subtly relevant to the music-loving audience at Zouk. The other outfits in the collection featured mixing different shapes while keeping a sharp and prim silhouette.
Gian Romano
It’s easy to tell that Gian Romano has big ideas behind the clothes he designs. This Spring 2010 collection, being his second show with Blackmarket, was very well-presented and paired, with all the outfits related to an emphasis on sex appeal. Citing his references to ideas of S&M and the red light district, it’s no wonder that his collection was a show of grommets, string detail, skinny pants and leather.
Max Tan
At first look, Max Tan‘s collection is obviously telling of what his collection is about – a new interpretation of the classic white shirt. But by the time the third outfit is revealed on the runway, you’d be much more blown away by his impressive interpretation of the classic rather than how you ‘got it’ upon first glance. Reworking and incorporating current styles such harem pants and one-piece jumpers to styles from seasons ago like the asymmetrical skirt into a single collection gave the audience a unified visual treat that didn’t bore or tire. Max Tan’s collection presented itself as neat, solid, and slightly androgynous.
Tangle
And the last of the collections was the Spring 2010 collection of Tangle, under Christy Chow. This collection featured outfits for both sexes that were set apart by their fresh cuts and shapes. The outfits showed hints of rock and edginess fused with romanticism of floral prints in very wearable daily pieces, styled up with black leather boots and chains, truly bringing out the message of mixed movements.
Blackmarket turns 1 this November.
All labels and runway pieces will be available at:
Blackmarket
Opens daily from 12pm to 9pm
Address: 19, Jln Pisang
Website: www.theblackmarket.sg
Telephone: +65 6296 8512
(All pictures courtesy of Jeri Soh via Blackmarket)