Have you noticed how eager guys are picking up others’ unwanted T-shirts and soles these days? Five-dollar washed stretched cotton prints and old-school Adidas sneakers get snatched up almost as quickly as a can of Coke on a hot afternoon. Vintage clothing has always been popular among the ladies, but these days, more and more men are getting in on the trend. And with new stores like Filthy at hip Haji Lane opening and more online options to scour, it’s no wonder men’s hand-me-downs are all the rage.

Why it’s Hot

Certainly, the main reason why vintage is always fashionable is because vintage pieces are all one-offs. This assures trendsetters that they are wearing an exclusive piece that no one else will have. “I buy vintage because it tends to have a royale one-off look...and let’s face it, no one likes to rock up to a club looking like the goose next to him,” exclaims vintage lover Phil Gallagher, who runs the vintage clothes website www.istealmemories.com. “Also, vintage clothing is made from damn fine cotton that you just can’t find these days,” he adds.

Chang, owner of vintage store The Attic at Far East Plaza, which sells apparel for men and women, agrees. “Vintage used to be for people on a budget. Now it has turned more glamorous, even for men,” he states.

Indeed, vintage clothing is on a roll. While stores selling vintage women’s wear and vintage-inspired clothing have mushroomed, stores focusing on secondhand menswear have also piggybacked.

Guys wear seconds and vintage clothing for many reasons. Gallagher reckons “chicks dig a well-dressed original man,” while many industry observers cite aesthetic appeal, versatility, uniqueness and quality of older clothing as key incentives.

Vintage Advantage

Fashionably attuned blokes scour flea markets, op shops and online stores for one-of a-kind looks, but with more and more stores opening, men are also making their way down to stores like Filthy at Haji Lane and Daytripper at The Heeren for some rare finds, and you should too. Filthy, for one, is essential for dead-stock Comme des Garçons shirts that sell for a fraction of the cost, as well as the imported jeans from Japan. Daytripper and Oppt Shop at The Heeren are also where men stock up on T-shirts, jackets and jeans, while the more adventurous even trod to 24-hour Mustafa Centre in Little India for ’80s Casio watches.

And then there are those who love the web for their choice vintage buys. Insurance Consultant Halim Abdul, for one, searches Ebay for preppy Oscar De La Renta ties to match his tailored shirts and shiny leather soles for that über chic executive look that no one else is likely to sport. “There’s a great variety of items you can find on Ebay, and you’ll almost always come up with a whole list of what you want to choose from,” he says.

But to make men’s vintage truly work for you, we say: Mix it up with other pieces from your wardrobe to let your personality shine through. Look to old movies for inspiration or gather pieces to assemble that Italian playboy look like Jude Law’s character from The Talented Mr. Ripley. You can often get the look without digging too deep into your late grandpa’s raggedy chest box if you refer to our directory list below. Also, match your vintage clothes with authentic vintage shades and customized jewellery for a totally killer look that is as original as it is affordable.

Secondhand stuff has come up against this bizzare local notion: Wearers of vintage clothing will inherit the bacteria of the previous wearer and result in BO (body odour). What do you think?

Isa, 19, Student
“No, that’s not true! I’ve been buying vintage wear and haven’t found it a problem. Unless you have BO yourself, then maybe.”

Halim, 28, Insurance Consultant
“It is definitely a myth. Regardless of whether it is vintage or secondhand, it is always advisable to give it a good wash before wearing it for the first time."

Winston, 22, Student
“Of course it’s a myth. I haven’t had issues with vintage clothing and smells. But if it looks like a rag, I won’t buy it.”

Directory

The Attic
#01-146A Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Rd., 6732-3459.
Look hard enough and you can find rare Penguin polo collared tees alongside rare rock concert ones.

Daytripper
#04-27 The Heeren, 260 Orchard Rd., 6733-6678.
T-shirts are the main staple here, with a respectable selection of jeans and jackets.

Filthy
20 Haji Lane, 9747-2251.
Branded finds like Comme des Garçons and Vivienne Westwood here are certified gems.

House of Japan
55 Haji Lane, 6396-6657.
Can’t get enough of torn jeans and printed tees with vintage Disney images? You can get them here at a fraction of the original cost.

Mustafa Centre
145 Syed Alwi Rd., 6295-5855.
Eighties Casio watches are the main vintage finds here.

Oppt Shop
#04-36 The Heeren, 260 Orchard Rd., 6733-9406.
This hot favorite is where some of the best vintage tees can be found, as most are scoured from the US and Japan.

Vintage corner at Beach Road (no shop name)
#02-167 Beach Road Garden Complex, Beach Rd.
If you’re on a really tight budget, this is good for used Adidas T-shirts that sell for as low as $3.

Online retail sites like www.shadykids.com,
www.istealmemories.com and the perennial favorite www.ebay.com are where branded vintage like Oscar de la Renta, Vivienne Westwood, Dior and Comme des Garcons.

Tips on keeping your vintage real and fresh.

As part of Singapore’s eternal quest to be hip and happening, any area on the island that displays the remotest potential of being cool is sure to be snapped up by the urban planners at some point and re-made, re-named and re-branded.

Dempsey Road was no exception. The old British military buildings in this largely forested neighborhood have been home to antique and furniture stores for some time, the gorgeous red brick St. George’s Church, and expat football and rugby groups that play on its fields on weekends. Places like Wine Network (#01-03A, 13 Dempsey Rd., 6479-2280) are familiar establishments here; rustic, outdoorsy places where people stop by for a drink and snacks.

More recently trendy establishments like PS Café and The Hacienda moved in, bringing with them the fashionable set and pushing this neighborhood a few rungs up on the ladder of cool.

And now all this is Tanglin Village, a collection of over 30 businesses and organizations in three clusters Minden, Dempsey and Loewen—with new businesses joining this year. Here’s a peek at some of the cooler kids on the block.

NEW - Oosh & Yen Dining

(22 Dempsey Rd., 6475-0002)
A wine and dine development, this is a great place to hang out with friends. Enjoy the chill out alfresco bar and restaurant, cigar and wine cellar lounge, man-made waterfall—and superb Italian, Spanish, French, Asian and fusion cuisine to boot. Dine in style upstairs at Yen Dining, a spacious indoor Japanese restaurant with a gorgeous view of the landscape garden.

The Wine Company

(14D Dempsey Rd., 6479-9341)
Wine lovers sit up and take notice. The Wine Company has nothing but complete passion for wines and stocks an extensive variety of quality wines from most international wine-producing countries. Particular must-tries are the South African wines. Plus, you can organize events on the premises of this cozy establishment.

Linda Gallery

(#01-03, 15 Dempsey Rd., 6476-7000)
Established in 1999, this gallery specializes in contemporary Indonesian paintings and showcases works by reputable Asian artists like Jiang Shou, Wu Shaoxiang, Guo Jin and Li Zi Jian. It also provides art collectors with professional consultation.

Highwood Café

(40C Harding Rd., 6474-7282; Open daily 11:30am-11:30pm)
Highwood is a wine seller, deli and bakery all in one. It hosts private functions over the weekend and sells French-style baguettes, butternut pumpkins and corn canolas at the deli.

NEW - The Ballroom

(18D Dempsey Rd., 6479-9442)
Another innovative dining venture at Tanglin Village, The Ballroom is both a dining establishment and a dance floor of sorts for novices and experts alike. Boasting a modern interior and lots of glittering mirrors, this makes an interesting departure from an ordinary restaurant.

PS Café

(28B Harding Rd., 6479-3343)
Come here to watch the fashionistas and trendy types blow kisses—if you can get a table, that is. This uber chic café, which by the way only opens for dinner, is hugely popular and is often booked up days in advance. People come here not just for the excellent modern café food, but also for the buzz in the air.

NEW - Hacienda

(13A Dempsey Rd., 6476-2922)
This newly-open bar has already become a firm favorite with some. The brainchild of Michel Lu (the man behind Suba and Centro), Hacienda is fitted with lovely white drapes, minimalistic décor and a totally inviting alfresco area with neatly pruned bushes, fire torches, swings and candle lights. Look out for its refreshing, eclectic blend of music and the affordable fruit cocktails.

(Top, Left to Right)

Strike a pose in this gorgeous Raf by Raf Simons Maroon shirt, which comes with a graffiti-inspired photo patchwork on its sleeves. $399 from Venue Berlin

Hypnotize your friends when you put on this NYNE checkered shirt from NewUrbanMale.com $129

Street-Stylers will fall head over heels for this simple and chic white shirt by cult Japanese label, Neighborhood. $340 from Ambush/Surrender.

(From Left to Right)
This inspired twist from a regular men's shirt, featuring a Chinese collar and beautiful detailing from Woods and Woods, is a must for the initiated. $520 from Front Row.

Step back in time and beyond with this vintage white tuxedo shirt replete with red, white and blue ruffles. $109 from Oppt Shop

You can't go wrong with this classic black piece embellished with striking threads from Cheap Monday. $99 from Queen's Couture

(From Left to Right)
They say pink is the new black. Have the best of both worlds when you wear this chic Gaspardy Urkievich shirt. $299 from Inhabit.

You won't get boxed up even if you try when you put on this Energie shirt featuring boxy prints, $329

(From Left to Right)
Bring out the cowboy in you in this black nudie shirt featuring tattoo inspired embroideries. $269 from Style:Nordic.

Check out the cool red trims and extra tail in this pseudo tuxedo from homegrown label, Stray. $259 from White Room

Address Book

• Ambush/Surrender, 119 Devonshire Rd., 6732-2744.
• Energie, #02-01/02, The Heeren Shops, 260 Orchard Rd., 6738-2927.
• Front Row, 5 Ann Siang Rd., 6224-5502.
• Inhabit, #B1-03, Palais Renaissance, 390 Orchard Rd., 6235-6995.
• NewUrbanMale.com, #04-08/K4 The Heeren Shops, 260 Orchard Rd., 6738-8329.
• Oppt Shop, #04-36, The Heeren Shops, 260 Orchard Rd., 6733-9406.
• Queen’s Couture, #04-01, The Heeren Shops, 260 Orchard Rd., 6737-3125.
• Style:Nordic, 39 Ann Siang Rd., 6423-9114.
• Venue Berlin, #01-05, Palais Renaissance, 390 Orchard Rd., 6732-6140.
• White Room, #37 Haji Lane, 6297-1280.

1. Every girl deserves her Little Black Dress, and this cute edition, which comes with stones and beads, is an inspiring find. $125 from Mango. (#B1-38/39/40/49, Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Rd, 6736-2027)

2. Cute little Lolitas will look even more irresistible in this red bolero jacket that will go with just about anything. $125 from Nicholas (#02-04 Stamford House, 39 Stamford Rd., 6339-0223).

4. No girl will say no to this gorgeous pair of Lulu Guinness heels, embellished with luscious gold colored straps. $599 from Sole 2 Sole (#03-28/29 Mandarin Gallery, 333 Orchard Rd., 6836-3230).

5. Fall in love with this lovely and lush white furry throw from Marciano that is especially apt during this festive season. $409.90 from Marciano (#02-04/05, Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd., 6333-8078).

6. There is nothing more decadent for the modern woman than this attractive Fendi Palazzo bag, which draws its inspiration from the Roman Empire. $2200 from Fendi (#01-32 Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Rd.,6887-5981).

7. For a classic gift for the ladies, look no further than this black, checkered trench coat from Gap. $119 from Gap (#01-129-131 Vivocity, 1 Harbourfront Walk, 6376-9870).

1. You can’t go wrong with this stylish navy blue Fred Perry polo shirt for guys. It’s a classic. $249 from Asylum (22 AnN Siang Road, 6324-2289).

2. Denim lovers will relish in this redloop slim fit pair that is both sexy and comfortable. $199.50 from Levi’s Flagship Store (#01-11/12 The Heeren, 260 Orchard Rd., 6736-3501).

3. Break your piggy bank and impress your friends when you bestow on them this valuable artwork “Winter 1998” by russian artist Yuri Gorbachev. $76,900 from Opera Gallery (#02-1211 Ngee Ann City 391 Orchard Rd., 6735-2618)

4. Trust us, this pair of pf Fred Perry Tipped Cuff Plimsoll is a definite must for the modern man. $179 from Asylum (22 Ann Siang Rd., 6324-2289).

5. Any guy aged between 18-81 will look dapper in this attractive striped Raoul shirt. $109 from Raoul (#02-02/03 Paragon Shopping Centre, 290 Orchard Rd., 6737-0682).

1. Limited to 99 pieces worldwide, with each caseback signed by Mr. Raymond Weil himself, this ultra limited edition Shine watch is the perfect gift for the well-heeled. And at $39,500 per piece, this is a rare and precious find indeed. from Raymond Weil (#02-09 Raffles Hotel Shopping Arcade, 1 Beach Rd., 6339-3218).

2. This beautiful Hermes scarf, embellished with a horse motif, makes a perfect decorative piece or a modern accessory. Price on application from Hermes (2/F, Takashimaya,Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Rd., 6735-5228).

3. Look like a million bucks when you put on this handmade necklace embellished with ribbons and pearls from homegrown label Nicholas. $59 from Nicholas (#02-04 Stamford House, 39 Stamford Rd., 6339-0223).

4. Get on your high horse with this one-off Silver keychain with an attractive horse motif. $330 from Uomo (#03-K1 Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd., 6732-9671).

5. Spoil your friends with this Cirque ring embellished with 140 diamonds and white gold. Price on application from Roger Dubuis (Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10 Scotts Rd., 6262-2828).

1. Seduce your other half with the timeless Chanel No. 5 intense bath oil that will certainly set the mood. $130 from Tangs (310 & 320 Orchard Rd., 6737-5500).

The classic CK One fragrance gets a makeover just in time for the Christmas season. The CK One Electric is funkier and zestier, and with a new bright green colored bottle to boot. $77 from Tangs (310 & 320 Orchard Rd., 6737-5500).

2. Whoever says cufflinks can’t be stylish. This Raoul piece even comes with a watch and a compass for guys on the go. $149 from Raoul (#02-02/03 Paragon Shopping Centre, 290 Orchard Rd., 6737-0682).

3. This handy unisex black Porter bag is stylish, spacious, portable and the perfect fit. What more can you ask for? $277 from Porter International
(#03-07/08, Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Rd., 6235-2103).

4. Samsung phones are all the rage right now, and the ultra cool and black Ultra SGH-D830 is certainly the one to get. $698 from Hello! @ Orchard (#01-01 Crown Prince Shopping Centre, 270 Orchard Rd., Hotline 1610.

5. Get this killer hi-fi and DVD set, the Sony DAV-DZ720, for the tech savvy. Its sleek design and thoughtful finishing should do the trick. $749 from The Sony Gallery (#04-01 Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Rd., 6733-1876).

Cult fashion houses Ambush and Surrender in Far East Plaza have done much to inject culture and identity into Singapore’s fashion scene. Stocking exclusive indie labels such as Head Porter, Medicom, Original Fake, UNKLE, Neighbourhood, Acronym, Visvim and Good Enough, both stores have gained a big enough loyal following over the years to allow them to step out of the overcrowded mall to the more exclusive neighbourhood of Devonshire Road. Now housed under one roof, they have more room to play and display.

The décor of the double storey shophouse is art in itself. Level one is a mini art gallery with open space and white washed walls. Level two carries Ambush’s and Surrender’s underground fashion items, and the air is filled with incense. T-shirts with attitude, bags, punk accessories, quilted leather sneakers are illuminated with art, and black-and-white photos of classic race cars and Damien Hirst inspired toys. Earn Chen, owner of the store, reveals some of his plans to I-S.

Tell us about your new store, its location and the shophouse. Why did you decide to move here?
We wanted to get out of Far East Plaza. We started out really cool there but we’ve outgrown it. The new location is perfect for us: A shophouse in town. The gallery is very important for us too—we want shoppers to experience the art before they even see the clothing. In the gallery, we now have Ambush/Surrender artworks on display. It’s a platform for local artists and artists from overseas that we admire. We try to have an art show every six weeks. The next art show will feature Rostarr from New York.

How about the interior design? Whose efforts are behind the décor?
We basically brought over stuff from the old stores and fine-tuned it. I have a friend, Jasper from FUUR Architects, who took James’s (James Lavelle is a co-founder) concepts and made them happen through his work.

Your store previously stocked mostly streetwear items. What made you switch to high-end fashion?
We have always stocked exclusive labels. They are not something the average person can easily afford. Our prices compare to Prada and other designer wear. So I won’t say we are moving from streetwear to high-end fashion because we are still selling the same stuff, and our prices have always been at those levels. I guess you classified us as streetwear because we were at Far East Plaza.

Surrender is your in-house label. Can you tell us more about it?
Surrender is basically a record label cum clothing label. In Singapore we are a design and production unit for the record label, everything else runs in our headquarters in London. We try to incorporate a blend of music, film and clothing.

Have you brought in any new labels lately?
For Surrender, we brought in a new label called Supreme from New York.

Any previews for I-S readers?
We have a recent collaboration with Allan Forbes from Poster Pop, an artist based in LA. We commissioned him to a collection for us. He designed some logos and did illustrations for t-shirts. We’ll have lots of collaborations come next year and behind the gallery we’ll start a cafe. Surrender will be releasing a new album and we’ll go on tour.

Who are your customers?
Mainly youths, as well as working adults, young professionals, creative people and more recently fashionistas because of the location.

How do you advertise? How do your customers know you’ve moved?
We don’t advertise. What we carry is mostly exclusive. We are the only stockist in Asia, besides Japan, for most of our labels. People who are looking for those brands know to look for us. The last time we launched something—Neighbourhood in Surrender, the response was overwhelming. A pair of jeans costs around $950 and we managed to sell 100 pairs in two hours, with restrictions of one pair per customer. Lots of customers flew in from Hong Kong, London and China and queued up just for those jeans. This may sound arrogant, but in Singapore I don’t think even Gucci is able to pull off something like that.

What music do you play in the store?
Rock and down tempo mix tapes from friends. We’re playing on loop now Benji B from London. We really like his stuff.

Do you think the local market is big enough? How far are we from the Hong Kongers or Japananese who are more willing to spend on premium fashion?
Singapore is right behind Hong Kong and Japan. Singapore’s doing alright based on the amount we spend given our population.

Do you have plans to take over the local fashion scene?
No...no ambitions for that! We’re pretty low key.

What are you going to do with all this space?
No runways for us. We’ll have more space for art, music and we can start throwing parties for our friends.

Welcome to the world of Tokidoki, brainchild of Italian illustrator and artist Simone Legno. Best known for creating works for brands like Fornarina and Le Sports Sac, his illustrations, dubbed “Tokidoki,” are a melange of cute skulls, cows, tulips, rainbows, bunnies and chirpy birds, and are a big hit among fashionistas who like their bags, T-shirts and accessories colourful and eye-catching. We talk to the likeable and talented Legno about the concepts and ideas behind his works, and what makes him such a hit.

Tell us your story. How did Tokidoki come about?
I started out as a graphic designer for ad firms. Back then I had clients like Toyota and Saatchi & Saatchi. I also did some random projects like store window displays and decorations, and illustrations for mobile phones for Motorola and MTV. Illustration wise, I’ve been sketching since elementary school. My walls at home have became a Simone Legno gallery of sorts. So I decided to launch my website www.tokidoki.it featuring my illustrations, which subsequently turned into a very popular website.

In a lot of your work, you have female characters as focal points. Who are they?
I put together lots of wonderful qualities a woman should have, which is not just about the aesthetics. It’s the shyness, the sweetness, the gentleness and the sensuality a woman possess that I want to portray in my works. I think my girls in the illustrations are very different from the manga girls from manga comics. Manga comics usually feature girls with very expressive postures and big breasts. But in mine, they are more accurate, like real Asian women. They express lots of elegance and sensuality, but I wanted to express through them other aspects like fun and cuteness. So the accompanying cute characters like the birds and flowers are the best way to bring out this “cute” aesthetic. My designs were mostly Japanese influenced until two years ago. Now they’re a mix of LA glamour, featuring glamorous girls with diamond studs and coloured hair. They’re more punk-rock! I’m sure with the experiences that I go through and all the travelling that I do, my work will keep changing.

What you’re doing is considered fashion collaboration/crossover, especially with the bag range for Le Sports Sac. Do you worry about becoming mass market with this kind of work?
There are certain items that become more mass when they collaborate with big brands. I don’t want to burn the market and end up being mass market myself. If I wanted to be a super millionaire, I would have been one. I’ve had people who wanted to take Tokidoki in that (mass) direction, but I didn’t want it. I would have been 20, 40 times bigger right now if I had.

I wanted to concentrate on creating more artsy and sophisticated products in the long run.

So do you see the Le Sports Sac collection as a as work of art?
I really hate to say that what I do is art, but comparing them to lots of things that are considered art these days, yes, I do consider my works as art. I try to put the best of myself out there. I’ve had lots of people who consider themselves as art and fashion critics, who speak about my work as art or fashion icons. So I would say yes. But basically, I just create works that I like.

Which fashion designers and artists do you respect? Have they influenced you in any way?
I have artists I like, but I won’t say they inspire me. I look to the iconography you find on the streets. In Japan especially, you’ll find big institutions like banks or insurance companies that use cute mascots in their everyday iconography, and I like that.

You have many fans, and are very popular and sought after now. What do you have to say to that?
Yeah. [Laughs] My illustrations are now licensed by Fornarina, among others. It’s a very big fashion label, which has stores in Rome in the main street where Prada, Gucci, Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton are. When you go abroad and you start to make it in the US, you end up getting very respected back in Europe!

Is there anywhere else you’d like to see your work? Or have you already conquered the world?
What I would love to do one day is a collaboration with an airline, and perhaps decorate a aeroplane. Singapore Airlines, maybe?

While it may not be as prolific as the more hyped Singapore Fashion Festival, this year’s Singapore Fashion Festival, happening Oct 31-Nov 5 across different venues in town, still has some interesting shows in its lineup. Notables includes The Designers Show, where local and regional fashion designers such as Daniel Yam and Celia Loe will be showcasing their works, alongside international talents. Here’s what not to miss.

Singapore Fashion Designers Contest

Eight emerging designers will have a chance to strut a 12 piece collection down the runway at City Square, Raffles City Atrium. These finalists have been short listed from 36 entries from this year’s recruitment to discover new talent. Names to look out for include Or Beng Hua and his “Women in the Wings” collection, and Shannon Lee’s “Fragmented Progressions.” The prize at stake is a $100,000 overseas design scholarship for the overall winner and cash prizes for the top three. The top two winners will also enter the Asian Young Fashion Designers Contest as Singapore’s representatives.

As a side show, past winners Angelynn Tan (2002), K.Mi Huang of Womb Wardrobe fame (2001) and Leslie Chia (1992) have also been invited to show their works in progress via a 10-piece collection.
Nov 1, 7pm. City Square, Raffles City Atrium, 252 North Bridge Rd., 6318-0238.

The Designers Show

The Designers Show is certainly one of the festival’s highlights, and will be held at the Singapore Expo. Both local and established overseas fashion designers from around the region will use this as a platform to showcase their collections to potential buyers. Nicholas Men’s, Abyzz by Desmond Yang and Tian by Ben Wu are making their local debut amongst the vanguard of Singapore designers such as Celia Loe, Daniel Yam, Individual Expression, GG<5 and Womb Wardrobe. International participating designers include Hannii and Margaret Anne from Australia, and XQ Zhang from Hong Kong—so look out for a diverse collection.
Nov 2-4, 10am-6pm. Singapore Expo, 1 Expo Dr., 6580-8308.

Asian Young Fashion Designers Contest

The young crème de la crème has been handpicked from Asia’s fashion circuit and will come together to compete for three cash prizes worth a total of $16,000. The champion will be additionally awarded with a scholarship at the Raffles Design Institute. In conjunction with this event, the AYFDC will showcase a twenty-five piece collection from Weerasak Wongsathapornsakun, last year’s winner.
Nov 4, 7pm. City Square, Raffles City Atrium, 252 North Bridge Rd., 6318-0238.

Silent Auction

If you’re a real fashion fiend, and would like to get your hands on some designer outfits and fashion accessories, go online at www.singaporefashionweek.com.sg/auction_items.html or bid during the fashion week’s Gala Night held at Shangri-La Hotel. Items up for bidding include a vintage inspired ring by Marilyn Tan, a bronze leather brace by Resham M and unique fashion pieces donated from Kim Chul Ung, Heng Nam Nam boutique and Brit Eley Kishimoto. Funds go towards the Singapore Fashion Fund in support of its continuous efforts in nurturing emerging talents in Singapore and around the region.

Which Star Wars character are you?
I’m a TIE fighter pilot (TI 5850). I’m just one of the many soldiers in the movie. But unfortunately I’ve been mistaken as Darth Vader many times!

Darth Vader? So have you ever made kids cry?
Unintentionally, yes. Some parents like to bring their child close to me. And then the kids will just start to bawl and cry. We try to be observant. If kids look uncomfortable, we won’t force them to approach us or shake our hands.

We’re curious. What happens if you guys go to the toilet?
We get stares and very amused people who sometimes whip out their camera phones very excitedly!

Do you guys get harassed while in costume?
Yes, occasionally there will be people who hit us from the back! That’s why we have one or two members who are not in costume to take care of us. They are also there because our mobility, vision and hearing get affected when we are in costume.

501st Singapore has been cosplaying and doing charity work. Where do you get your funds?
501st Singapore is a non-profit organization. We are all fans who own our own costumes so we are mostly self-sufficient. Because of copyright governed by Lucas Film, we are not supposed to collect payment. When it comes to private events, we usually request for payments, to be channelled to charity.

OK, last question! Who’s the Darth Vader in your life?
No one really...erm, my boss?!