Sunday 8 April 2012

The Society of Black Sheep: Bringing a real edge to Singapore's fashion scene

I love edgy fashion. In fact I admire people who wear it so confidently and pull it off so easily. Maybe you don’t see so much in Singapore but if there was anyone to dare, they wouldn’t find a better place to get those cutting edge pieces than The Society of Black Sheep boutique in MBS.

It is the last place you'd expect to find edgy fashion. The kind of boutique that wouldn't look out of place in Notting Hill or Greenwich Village and here it is, next door to the Gucci and Prada superstores in The Shoppes at MBS.

While I am really not edgy by nature, I’m rather adventurous in my sense of style and always up for experimenting and trying different styles on. Boring is definitely not an option here!



So when I went to The Society of Black Sheep, my mission was to find some looks which can convince even the ‘safest’ of dressers and add a little spice to any dull wardrobe. Let’s face it, not everybody can pull off a head-to-toe fashion forward and edgy look so doing it in the right doses is key to making it look effortless, fun,
 and more individual.

The boutique itself is quite eclectic too, stocking carefully selected pieces from all over the world – anything from the UK-based avant-garde shoe label Atalanta Weller and my favourite  Bolongaro Trevor, to Australian independent label Injury and Paris-based cheeky Lick my Legs and the list goes on… But what’s even better is that the boutique also sells a fair number of Asian and local labels like Singapore’s Amuse, Yumumu, and Hansel for clothing, Carrie K. for accessories, Ling Wu, and Malaysia-based Saku for bags.



Men or women, it is definitely the place to go to if you’re looking for unique pieces which reflect a very individual style and if you’re the kind of person who dresses for themselves and not for others and has the confidence to pull it off. That is what being a black sheep is all about!

The looks I picked? Well, I wanted some variety so here are my top 6 looks from TSOBS taking on a more edgy style step by step.





Look1: Injury dress with cape and Atlanta Weller wedges
I love the cut of this dress with the chiffon double cape in black and white which can be worn on or off or just the way you want to! This is the tamest of all the looks with the shoes and the cape giving on a subtle edgy vibe without going overboard especially if you’re new to this.




Look2: Bolongaro Trevor dress, Atlanta Weller booties and Saku clutch
If you like your dresses more simple, then this is an alternative way to wear that LBD with a cutting edge attitude. This jacquard power dress is very flattering with its draped pleats and lightly padded shoulders and the structure means it looks sophisticated but edgy at the same time. And those booties? needless to say it was love at first sight.




Look3: Kaal E Suktae dress, Ling Wu purse, Atalanta Weller booties
To brighten things up a bit, I picked this beautiful printed dress with an open back from one of the hottest Korean labels Kaal E Suktae. I love the print, cut and colours of this number which is dressy but not safe! Teamed with the same booties, the whole looks is now much more edgy with a touch of elegance. And how cute is that blue python bag to complete this eclectic look?




Look4: Lick My Legs top, Injury skirt, Ling Wu clutch, Atalanta Weller wedges
My favourite look of the lot! I was so happy when I passed by the shop window few days after my visit only to see the same look has been put on the mannequin! ;-) Debating my next job choice as a display designer now!

Everything from the two-layered skirt and this funky silk top to the cool wedges and the clutch make this look works! It is edgy yet understated (by my standards) and the colour palette of black/white/red with just a hint of leopard print in the shoes just works to perfection. This is the way to go for edgy cool!




Look5: Lick my Legs dress, Alatanta Weller wedges
If you follow my facebook then you know by now that the print on this dress is that of a condom! Surprisingly though, it actually looks very artistic and the fact that it is not too obvious makes it even more interesting. Want edgy, sexy and tongue-in-cheek kinda look? The leather condom dress is what it takes!

Seriously though, the fit of this dress is so perfect that even though I’m no big fan of leather attire, I found it quite cool and wearable.




Look6: Bolongaro Trevor Jacket, Amuse skirt, Atalanta Weller wedges
Well you knew this was coming! Yes that was the first pieces I picked… it is neon yellow!!!! It is actually a see-through skirt with grey snakeskin mini shorts underneath. The lacey jacket goes very well in balancing the sheerness and lightness of the skirt and the shoes add the final shocking element for a totally out of the box look. I doubt I pull it off well but hey, it was worth a try :-)


The Society of Black Sheep is on #B1-64 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sand.