A decidedly Western-sounding China menswear brand Mark Fairwhale landed on Singapore’s shores with the celebrity-studded opening of their first flagship branch in Southeast Asia, at the newly-opened Iluma Mall at Bugis. Local fave celebs such as MTV Asia VJ-model Denise Keller, Channel NewsAsia presenters Timothy Go and Steven Chia were seen mingling among the about 200 invited guests on Apr 23.

Shanghai’s leading men’s apparel retailer showcased their Spring/Summer 2009 collection in front of the new store, which was designed with space and modern luxury in mind. Think the more high-end European touches of Massimo Dutti and Zara. 

 
The whole event started off with aurally inspired designs, which featured musical instruments.

The whole concept could have been described as stripped down rock star, with an array of scarves and electric guitars as props—but it rapidly developed into something else.
The rest of the presentation was inconsistent and lacked cohesiveness, with random changes into casual suits, then into shorts, followed by  the sudden addition of biker-inspired leather gloves and motorcycle helmets.
Overall, though Mark Fairwhale’s clothes aim to present a young and contemporary collection, it gave the feeling of being a high-end Giordano, with printed shirts that look shockingly similar to the kind you can find in stores within the adjacent Bugis Street.

The brand, though new in Singapore, is almost 9 years old and boasts about 900 outlets within China. According to the media release, Mark Cheung, its creator, apparently chose the name ‘Fairwhale’ to represent the “free spirit, strength and tenacity of white whales” that he wants his brand to embody.
It has 5 apparel lines, namely Mark Fairwhale vogue for Men, MFSPORTSO, Fairwhale Jeans, MF Next 1863 and Creative Urban Wear. Only the last 3 of them, which are all casual, are at the Mark Fairwhale Flagship Store, Iluma Mall.