UNIQLO is proud to announce the opening campaign launched ahead of the opening of UNIQLO Orchard Central, its first Global Flagship Store for Southeast Asia and Singapore, on 2 September 2016, at 10am. Titled “Your Stage Now Live”, the campaign first turned the hoarding around the store into an urban canvas designed collectively by Tell Your Children.
Tell Your Children is a local art collective made up of illustrators and artists Deon Phua, Kevin Too, Lydia Ong and Russell Ong. The illustrations showcase the many different ways that Singaporeans love to express themselves, created based on submissions from the local community. The same artwork will also be featured on the limited-edition canvas tote bags that will be available exclusively at UNIQLO Orchard Central from 2 to 4 September 2016.
In addition, UNIQLO has also engaged the likes of renowned artists including photographer Ivanho Harlim and film director Tai Heng in producing the official film and visuals for the campaign. The film and the visuals feature a stellar group of local talents from incredibly diverse backgrounds, such as beatboxer Dharni, musician and carpenter Kelvin Ang, eighty-year-old rocker Mary Ho, and skater and cinematographer Juffrie Friday.
The opening campaign introduces the UNIQLO Orchard Central store concept, “U+S and The World”, which is taken from the words ‘UNIQLO + Singapore’. The store is envisioned as the definitive place where UNIQLO will share the creativity, style and culture of a new Singapore with the rest of the world.
This is just the beginning of what the Global Flagship Store wants to achieve in the long term, which is to provide a space for Singaporeans to experiment with style and creativity, express themselves, and to showcase their culture to the world.
Your Stage Now Live: Social media contest
To celebrate the opening of Singapore and Southeast Asia’s first Global Flagship Store on 2 September 2016, UNIQLO invites Singaporeans to express themselves, be it through dancing, singing, drawing, cooking or even by dressing up creatively in UNIQLO!
Simply upload your entries on Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #YOURSTAGENOWLIVE and stand a chance to be featured on the Your Stage Now Live website as well as on the digital screens in UNIQLO Orchard Central. The five most inspiring entries every week, from now till 1 September 2016, will win a SGD100 UNIQLO gift card!
Working with local collaborators
In line with UNIQLO Orchard Central’s aim of offering Singaporeans a platform to express themselves and showcase their creativity to the world, different elements of the store were co- created with local collaborators. Aside from the hoarding design by Tell Your Children, other elements such as the store’s video content on its monitor displays, original in-store music and curated spaces within the shop floor will all be co-created with local production houses, brands and individuals. The artists involved include Syndicate, an audiovisual collective and independent record label; Michael Ng, or Mindflyer; and William Chan, a multi-award winning designer, creative director, film director and founder of multidisciplinary design and motion design studio called TMRRW.
The store’s exclusive shopping bag is designed by four illustrators, based on their perspectives of Singapore.
Soh Ee Shaun is an artist, illustrator and educator in Singapore. He enjoys the process of experimentation in his works – juxtaposing shapes, lines and planes into a complex web of harmonious colours and playful forms. The artwork for his shopping bag is inspired by the busy, bustling mid-day metropolis of downtown Orchard Road and the cacophony of cars and trains rushing to and from the city.
Adeline Tan, also known as Mightyellow, is an illustrator and visual artist who takes inspiration from her surroundings as well as popular culture. Her shopping bag design is a reflection of all her favourite things in Singapore.
Wu Yan Rong is a Singaporean graphic designer and illustrator, who works mainly in traditional mediums. Much of her work is inspired by nature, especially marine life. Her design for the shopping bag is inspired by the marine specimens that can be found in Singapore.
John Fan is an artist and designer whose work is inspired by his personal reflections. His questions and findings form a puzzle in his head that he tries to solve through illustrations or other visual means. The concept behind his shopping bag design is Comfort, something that he loves best about Singapore.
Engagement with the local artist community will continue to be a large part of the UNIQLO Orchard Central store post-opening, with a continued emphasis on the exchange of ideas, creativity and self-expression. A permanent creative space will be carved out for more exciting displays, performances or even workshops in the future.
For more information on Your Stage Now Live, visit the website.
