Puma Redefined

As you may have noticed, I am putting the "elegant" back into elegantexile and bringing you more news from Singapore's vibrant designer scene. Following a serious financial crunch, I have only been able to shop on the day before I left the little pretentious island. But what a day. I have already described to you the joys of the Armani Exchange sale, but my best experiences were at the Heeren Shopping centre, where I was looking for an obscure music cd (anyone have Laterlus by Tool, Chathuranga will blow you for it). All things considered, Heeren is a fuckall mall. It is made for young people with little money and even less style. Basically those multi-cultured, multi-coloured losers who try and look Biker, but end up looking like road kill.

Nestled between the cheap crap and Swatch stores, I chanced upon a Puma store. Not just any Puma store, THE Puma store. In this magical world, Puma collaborates with Alexander McQueen, Mihara and Neil Barrett. Together, they create amazing shoes:

1. Sports shoes with dress details. Like Barrett's sports shoes with leather soles or patent leather uppers, embroidery or antique details. On the flip side, McQueen mixes utter techno with old-skool brit quirkiness. Mihara serves up flawless Japanese "you better be fucking rich if you want to spend so much on an seemingly empty shoe" minimalist style. There is serious fun in trying to locate the subtle Puma claw which is hidden somewhere on all the shoes. Basically fusion and fashion orgams abound. These shoes are a serious match for the sports shoe offerings of Gucci, LV and Prada (the only real players in an overcrowded game).

2. Clothes from the above affialiations. I find them a bit overpriced and in a non-discernable market niche (if you want overpriced funky t-shirts, go buy Diesel). But if you are the type who is into Y-3 by Adidas or the entire "wearing expensive sportswear to go clubbing"scene, then by all means, buy the clothes too.

It is a trendy little shop tucked away near the DBS atm at Heeren. And it is here in which I feel the shop fails. It is a shitty location, in a shitty mall and the owners obviously did not have the cash to buy a larger collection of the SGD$500 leisurewear masterpieces. The sooner someone better heeled finds the shop, buys the franchise and places it on the second floor of Paragon, Takashimaya, Forum or the Hilton, the better. Even the forgotten Palais Rennaisance would be arite.

That being said, I think have my clubbing shoe situation sorted for next term (which is a problem at the moment, since my friends think my Gucci shoes are Adidas with one less stripe). Unless ofcourse the puny little place doesnt have my size. Curse Chinese men, for their small feet and smaller imaginations.

Too bad they are the only people who earn enough to set up a limited edition Puma shop, or buy its products.

P.S to pre-empt the South Asian assholes who will be commenting on the "gay-ness" of this post, I politely ask that you fuck yourself and grow up. Clothes maketh the man....bitch.