Ethnic Crossdressers

By Amanda He • UrbanWire
• email reporter • email story • printer friendly

Giving ethnic outfits an update and fusing them with other cultures through savvy mix-and-match allows fashion styles from the past to make a comeback with a different twist.

The owner and designer of Utopia apparels, See Yiling Sherry, 23, reveals that “although we [Utopia] specialise in batik[a hand-printed fabric of usually Indonesian origin], more than 85% of our customers are Chinese and not Malays and Peranankans”.

Sherry deduces that most of her customers prefer clothes not within their ethnicity because it would be more unique to be more in touch with another culture and defy traditions.

“I think most people are bored with the boring, corporate feel that rules our closet. Ethnic styles feature more colour, live and energy… Ethnic clothing gives people a sense of belonging, yet, can be trendy and unique,” she said.

The inspirations behind this ethnic clothes concept are by cultural fads such as The J-pop (Japanese Pop) culture which took root in Singapore about a few years ago. It was then followed by K-pop (Korean Pop) fascination. However, the Bollywood extravaganza that occurred last November and the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFAA) in May have sparked off a trend nearer to home – the Indian Bollywood fever.

Thus, Chinese and Malay fashion houses have borrowed accents of the Indian trends and inculcated them into their own traditional outfits. The UrbanWire brings you the hottest ethnic look from the hip and trendy streets of Orchard Road and Bugis Street.

Indian Style
Malay Style
Chinese Style
Where Else to Grab Them

Indian Style
The Indian fashion scene had taken on an East-meets-West concept and the once conservative community is taking on more daring and revealing Western cuts for their clothes. In fact, the popularity of Indian designs can be reflected by the designer Indian brand, Mumbai Se which opened during the month of August in upmarket Palais Renaissance. Indian accessories are also eye-catching and hip, so do match your clothes with these accessories to complete the Indian package.

Malay Style
The Malay fashion scene has their infamous batik skirts. However, some rules are meant to be broken. Check out the batik dresses and tube tops that will definitely make a statement at any party. To complete the look, try these batik sandals.

Chinese Style
All races that blend their own uniqueness with Chinese style clothes are head turners. Red, a wearable and popular colour, and white do goes well with the skin tone of Indians and Malays. Take note: dragons are a definite no-no unless you deliberately want to look like a gangster back from the 70s.

Where Else to Grab Them
Here’re additional shops for those who are rearing to get their hands on these ethnic inspired clothes:

• Bugis Street Shop Bugis Street J95 Tel: 63882448
• MaZZario #03-124 Far East Plaza 14 Scotts Road Tel: 67360284
• Chinatown shop houses Alight at Chinatown MRT station
• Little India shop houses Alight at Little India MRT station

Credits:
Models: Tan Beizhen, Geraldine Goh and Amanda He
Products Courtesy: Utopia, Silk Land Pte Ltd, Bus Stop, Shibuya, Warehouse, FCUK and Bugis Street