Name Brand: DEPRESSION
Name Designer: Andrew Loh & Kenny Lim
Established: 2006
Kind of Style: Street Goth
Instagram: @depression.tribe @sects.shop
1. Please describe yourself and your brand and its evolution in the past seasons.
Ex-creative team from ad agency Dentsu that got depressed with the
creative, or rather, lack of creative life in the Singapore design
industry. Lef us to set-up our own label and little indie t-shirt store
in 2006. From designing weird graphic tees targeting junior creatives
and hairstylists of Singapore, to becoming Singapore’s only street goth
fashion label. Unisex, monochromatic, punk gothic with a dark side and
accompanies by Chinese graphics. Once participated in Berlin, Seoul and
Singapore fashion weeks, also in showrooms in Milan and Paris as well as
being stocked in select shops from Japan to USA. Today, however, we only
design small quantities, capsule collections for the domestic market and
stocked in our own multi-label store Sects Shop (also some select stores
in Singapore). Sects Shop also carries brands that we love such as
Julius, Rick Owens and Juun J among others.
2. Best and toughest part of designing a menswear collection.
We’re both self-taught designers. Andrew’s background in graphic design
and was an Art Director, while my background is in English Literature
and Copywriting. Designing is fun and therapeutic, the toughest part is
in the manufacturing, which can be tedious and full of trials and
errors. Not a menswear designer, more of a unisex approach and a mixture
of masculine and feminine styles at the same time.
3. What sources of inspiration are your biggest influence?
Emotions and Psychology.
4. What was your favorite collection so far?
We don’t have a favorite collection.
5. How much of your success do you credit to the education you had?
I’m happy that we did not go through fashion school. Or rather, it was
frowned upon when I was a student (it’s of course, very different
today). As a result, Andrew studied graphic design and I graduated in
English Literature from the National University of Singapore. It’s a
boon that we were schooled in subjects related to creativity, but not
fashion itself. This way, it allows us more freedom when it comes to
design, giving us a more conceptual rather than technical approach.
6. What genre of music best describes your collection?
Psychedelic Folk meets Post-apocalyptic synth.
7. How do you choose your models for your shows and campaigns?
Someone who has sadness in his eyes.
8. Do you have any favorite male models?
@lucasjongg
9. Where do you plan to take your brand next?
We’re working on the new collection now and also a homeware line called
@intro_verted_studio
10. Beside fashion – do you have any special talents?
As mentioned, we just started our home atelier called
@intro_verted_studio where we spend our free time hand-making candles
and homeware using cement.
