IN its latest Autumn/Winter 2019 collection, Uniqlo Malaysia is bridging the gap between the perennial duality and collaborative role of workmanship and craftsmanship, and questions how can one be defined without the other.
The seasonal theme focuses on structure evolving simultaneously with diversifying lifestyles, transforming it to a more comfortable silhouette, that is LifeWear.
With new form following function, the collection draws on the nature of artistry and is segmented into three ranges in line with the creative minds of four exceptional Malaysian personalities, striving to preserve their meticulous craft.
Outdoors range
Uniqlo’s intrinsic ties with the outdoors have always been apparent, so is nature and landscape photographer Ismael Ma who enjoys the great outdoors so much so that he decided to capture scenic views that have been shot countless times with his very own twist.
Ma recalls: “A camera was given to me when I was a 17-year-old and about to embark on a student exchange programme to Egypt. During the year-long programme, I realised how much I enjoyed documenting my trip and surroundings.
“Living in Hawaii for four years has definitely made a huge impact on my nature and landscape photography, be it shooting up in the mountains above the clouds or below sea level, I enjoy the challenge and continue to chase the light.”
When it comes to interpretation, no one does it better than Uniqlo. Its progressive essentials in its Outdoors range aims to incorporate functional technology with authentic natural fabrics for layering with lightness and breathable materials.
Work and Craft range
Uniqlo presents its Work and Craft range with the founders of the World’s First Shatterproof Ceramic Reusable Cup Sttoke, Law Yi Shen and Samuel Soong - a concept to understand and rediscover work wear in order to seamlessly transition from work to play in comfort and style.
Driven by the idea of sublime workmanship, both parties took on a refined, attentive and practical approach to demonstrate their respective passion and craft that has undeniably set new standards in both quality and value, while redefining our expectations.
This season, Uniqlo is revisiting the iconic outerwear and casual basics comprising of jeans and vintage chino, sweatshirts, corduroy bottoms and cashmere, and Sttoke has successfully created a product that will revolutionise the game of sustainable coffee cups.
Law and Soong share: “Our mission is to enhance the lifestyle you live in through a product that not only represents a positive movement in working towards a sustainable future but is also practical and visually appealing.
“Since we have covered all corners of the globe, our interactions and experiences from our travels have helped shape what we create. We take inspiration from different coffee cultures around the world and combine it with our desire and dedication to make a difference within the industry from the farmers to the connoisseurs with Sttoke.”
Art and Design range
Architectural designer Pamela Tan explores various fields in art, architecture and design. Her work cuts across and blurs the boundaries between disciplines to bring to us storied narrative and values in all form.
Both of Uniqlo and Tan’s crafts share strong relevance to our culture, as they aim to propose speculative ideas that seek the subtle unseen and unveil the unknown delights in all scales.
The Uniqlo Art and Design range features modern minimalism that can be dressed up or down with focuses on cashmere, merino wool and EZY ankle pants, to Tan’s exhibited sculptural model Bandar Arkib Taksonomi (Taxonomy Archive city) that reveals the future state derived from architectural extrapolation of Kuala Lumpur.
She explains: “It is in stasis – out of time – and speaks of the past, the present and an awaited near future. The ‘city on a table’ is an architectural translation of Kuala Lumpur which is mainly conceived in a form of collection that houses objects, knowledge, stories, events and traditions of the capital city that would remain constant as part of the metropolis in the light of time.
“The characters of KL city are disguised as a taxonomy archive city- a collective remembrance given urban form.”
