Uniqlo UT pop up shop: Giving a little something back to the Singapore creative scene

I very rarely attend international brands events in Singapore.

With my niche focus on independent designers, and the fact these brands have massive marketing machines and the whole blogosphere to promote them – I’m going to struggle to add anything of value if I cover them on this blog.

However, last Friday I decided to break the rule and go to the UNIQLO UT pop up launch party which is part of a global pop up series by the brand, stopping in Tokyo, Taiwan, London and NYC among other cities around the world. The UTs are a collection of t-shirts which are ‘used as media for modern expression inspired by pop culture and collaborations with companies worldwide’ which UNIQLO as started producing and will be running and changing on seasonal basis.

Apart from this interesting concept for UTs (who wouldn’t like the funky take on regular t-shirts?), the reason I was interested was the fact they have collaborated with Noise Singapore - the local platform for emerging creative artists - to produce a range of t-shirts specifically for the local market.  Moreover, the proceedings from these sales go to Transmission, an experimental incubatory platform organised by PHUNK - one of Singapore's leading creative collaboratives to mentor young people from various creative disciplines.

Loved the display of flying tees at the event!!!

What I wore to London Fashion Week A/W13

Fashion weeks these days are as much about the shows, new trends and designers as they are about streetstyle. But nothing prepared me to the streetstyle mayhem at Somerset House where it was more like paparazzi frenzy!

The decision to attend London Fashion Week this year came late and I hardly had any time to prepare – or pack any outfits to bring from Singapore. But even if I did plan, my outfits after living eight years between Dubai and Singapore meant very little I owned was suitable for the freezing London temperatures.

But it’s not all bad. While I didn’t have time (or the budget) to shop for an LFW wardrobe I did manage to recycle the outfits I had worn and mix and match them with accessories and a few pieces I picked up between London and Beirut in the past few months.

Almost all my LFW wardrobe was recycled from stuff I had already worn and
owned for years! And when I have a bad hair day, my kafeyya is still the best solution ;-)

Bought in Beirut: MMM for H&M shoes at 90% off!!!

Being the fashion fanatic that I am, finding a great bargain makes my day!

So imagine when this bargain is the plexi heels I’ve been coveting from H&M’s most recent collaboration with Maison Martin Margiela. And I’m not talking half price here; yup I finally snagged me a pair for 10% of its original price!

This is no fake imitation I’m talking about. It’s the real deal which luckily for me, happens to be on clearance sale at H&M branch in Downtown Beirut, Lebanon.

Sometimes waiting does pay off ;-) These MMM for H&M wedges
cost me 10% of the original price! Talk about a great bargain!!

Maison Martin Margiela for H&M: My top 5 items

Truth is, as much as I try to steer away from covering big high street brands and international designer names on his blog there is always one category which still interests me and feel it’s worth covering; that is the H&M Designer collaborations (check out my Versace coverage here and here and Marni coverage here and here).

Reason is, well it looks like it’s only getting better and better and with some (but not all) of the pieces it produced, it is well worth the wait if you are a fan of the collaborating designer but can’t afford the real deal.

This season’s collaboration has to be one of the edgiest so far. As much as I’d love to pretend that Maison Martin Margiela (MMM) is a household name, well it is not. However, it is definitely one which is high on the radar of any fully fledged fashionista (or fashionisto as it proves very popular with men!) for its avant-garde edge and deconstructed cuts which is more likely to work in editorial shoot than on the average everyday pavements.

Personally, I love Maison Martin Margiela! It is fresh, inspirational and creative but I have to admit it would probably be on the list of those coveted labels which I admire in magazines but cannot see myself pulling off.

Surprisingly though, the MMM pieces for H&M do break this rule and I found myself (despite trying to resist it!) coveting some of the items which I would totally see myself in.

My kinda style! Love this look from head to toe...

Love this look but don't think can pull it off so left it off my list...