YO U T H S I N B A L A C L AVA
This 13-member collective banded together in 2015 to create fashion that reflects their tastes and experiences. With a unique aesthetic that blends the languages of streetwear, Singaporean youth, film, music and various subcultures— so different from ever ything going on locally at that time—it quickly gained a reputation for being a rebel and an outsider. It wasn’t too long, though, before mainstream recognition came knocking at its door. In 2017, it hit retail holy grail—Dover Street Market—and fashion insiders the world over quickly sat up and took notice. Last year, it upped the stakes with a Par is Fashion Week debut and now, Youths In Balaclava is stocked at the most cutting-edge global retailers, from SSENSE and Selfridges to 10 Corso Como and Galeries Lafayette.
The idea of bringing together different people from different backgrounds to exchange ideas and collaborate creatively. It’s a platform for these creative individuals to find an outlet for their voices without the need for any pr ior art background or a well-rounded résumé.
One advantage is simply the recognition of what we do and for that to be deemed as accomplishments; we were able to make a name for ourselves, not just locally but on a global platform. People now understand that we are able to produce basic, everyday apparel in addition to a full collection with layers in our concept.The best part of it is, we enjoy what we do—what we used to do just for fun is now our actual job.
We want to pay homage to the rejects of every era while injecting our personal life exper iences into the styles we create, through fabric.
The radicals who are not afraid of the dark: Martin Scorsese, David Bowie,Tim Burton, Salvador Dalí and Gravity Boys, to name a few.