Young Second-hand Fashion Retailers in Singapore
Upstairs Garments, Zabu Boutique and Rookies & Haus Concept Store
The second-hand resale market has been hitting its stride in Singapore in the past year. Online resellers are opening up physical spaces as a way to separate themselves from the countless faceless profiles on resale platforms and e-commerce websites. Secondhand designer vintage stores have, in the past years, been rebranded as showrooms, suggesting specifically chosen pieces that come together to express a style identity within a collection. Three new shops have opened their doors to the public in the past year. Retail spaces Upstairs Garments stocks wholly designer vintage, Zabu Boutique carries carefully selected 2000’s vintage and Rookies & Haus Concept Store platforms, a mix of regional brands, Japanese vintage pieces and even has an inhouse cafe. It is clear that fashion retailers are now looking to offer an edited stockist and a physical touchpoint to enhance the shopping experience.
The spaces are founded by friends for the most part. For Upstairs Garments, Adrienne Chrisdee, Ong Ker Hsien, Xavier Eger and Vegas Lee are friends who bonded over fashion and became business partners. Zabu boutique’s Pradeeprajraj and Cherry are partners in real life. And Rookies & Haus Concept Store doubles up as a clubhouse for friends to hang out. The entrepreneurs behind these initiatives are creating a community on their own terms, mixing business and pleasure.
Upstairs Garments, their retail space resides in the attic of a shophouse in Tanjong Pagar. Images courtesy of Upstairs Garments.
Fashion enthusiasts bond over niche fashion
Upstairs Garments was created based on the founders’ common interests in collecting fashion. Vegas started with a fascination for Nike’s Flyknit shoes in secondary school which evolved when he discovered Milieu, another designer vintage store based in Singapore, which introduced him to brands like Comme des Garçons. Ker Hsien was into hypebeast fashion at first but fell in love with Japanese brands through the book Japanese Fashion Designers: The Work and Influence of Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, and Rei Kawakubo which he chanced upon at the library. Xavier was drawn into archive fashion after searching for balloon pants, which led him to Yohji Yamamoto. Adrienne’s first deep dive into the world of fashion happened when she met Vegas, who could not stop talking about Comme Des Garçons. She now gets inspiration from the outfits her favourite artists wear.
Screenshot of Upstairs Garments TikTok Page.
The team behind Upstairs Garments cite the influence of vintage fashion content on Instagram, Tiktok and Youtube for a new generation of Singaporean fashion enthusiasts to discover brands with historical significance from the early 1990s to late 2000s. Japanese brands Yohji Yamamoto and Comme Des Garçons, as well as Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs and Marina Yee from the Antwerp 6 have substantial resale value on the second-hand market, and have been the gateway brands for Upstairs Garments to start their collection.
The retail space is a snug shophouse in the middle of trendy Tanjong Pagar which acts as a retail space and meeting point for fashion activities. “We wanted a space where we could showcase our collection meaningfully and let go of certain pieces that are no longer in our rotation. Vegas, for example, had amassed clothes that didn’t even fit him—it was getting excessive!” enthused Ker Hsien. “We were looking for a space to gather on weekends, invite friends, spin on the decks, and discuss our shared love for clothing. We were certain we wanted it to be a place where fashion was experienced beyond just consuming clothes.” explains Vegas. “We also believe that the best way to experience clothes is to feel, try on, and style the pieces in person. This hands-on experience continues to be a motivation to continue building and expanding what we have to offer. Furthermore, being in a room full of the clothing we love from our favorite designers is an unparalleled experience. Especially in Singapore where archive clothes are such a rarity, we hope to provide this joy to our local customers.”
Each person has a distinct role that plays to their strengths and specific interests in fashion that shapes the personality of Upstairs Garments. Adrienne and Vegas lead the creative vision and direction of the Instagram and webpage, Ker Hsien manages PR and inventory, and Xavier oversees finances and procurement. While they have individual responsibilities, they contribute equally and make final decisions together about what ends up on the racks. They take turns to feature in the videos that they post on Instagram and Tiktok, creating a sense of familiarity with their customers, and fostering a sense of community that in turn drives sales.
Closing the gap between online and IRL
Zabu Boutique at Burlington Square. Image taken by Fashion & Market.
Zabu Boutique at Burlington Square. Image courtesy of Zabu Boutique.
Zabu Boutique is run by Cherry Pretty and Pradeepraj. Zabu, meaning "universe", is a nod to Cherry’s Burmese roots. Cherry started selling second-hand vintage clothes online and at a spot in Sim Lim Square. It was named StyledCXO Vintage. This first venture was an important experience for her before it wound down during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2022, Pradeepraj came into the picture and co-founded Zabu with a new concept and a stronger emphasis on branding. Now, Zabu Boutique is dedicated to an effortless cosmopolitan style that is reminiscent of the clothes found in 2000s TV series like Sex in the City and at an affordable price point ranging from SGD39 for a simple top to SGD65 for Diesel jacket. On sourcing trips, vintage garments are screened carefully by Cherry’s impeccable eye before they land on the shop floor. Zabu Boutique also launched an in-house womenswear line, produced in small quantities at a factory in Myanmar. So far, she has released the Kate top, inspired by the cheongsam and the bodycon little black Maeve dress, with long boho sleeves that fan out.
From 2022 to 2023, Zabu presided online. Without a shopfront, the couple spent time expanding their digital presence. It paid off as they gained popularity amongst local and international customers on Instagram. Eventually, Singaporean fans of Zabu Boutique started calling for a retail space to allow more interaction with the pieces they sell. They settled at a unit in Burlington Square Mall, an unlikely spot for a fashion boutique given the mom-and-pop stores that have settled there over the years. Even though the location is slightly off the beaten track, it is known to a younger, more adventurous crowd. Being in close proximity to LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts also helps with regular footfall from arts students.
Screenshot of Zabu Boutique’s Instagram Reels Page.
When casting models for shoots, Cherry’s eye for girls with style and attitude has created a universe that expands on Zabu Boutique’s signature cosmopolitan style. “I don't necessarily go for people who have a large Instagram following, I like girls who have a whole personality,” explains Cherry. Customers even become models after being spotted on the shopfloor. “Some of these girls go on to get commercial jobs because they’re spotted on our (Instagram) page,” says Cherry.
The word Zabu encapsulates Cherry and Pradeepraj’s working system as they build from an online presence to a physical one. Zabu exemplifies the rising practice of utilising both online and IRL touchpoints as vital channels for communications and sales.
Video of Rookies Store. Video taken from Rookies & Haus Concept Store’s Instagram.
Community building
Rookies & Haus Concept Store is the newest retail space amongst the three that opened in late December 2024. Located on the first floor of Golden Mile Tower, it has become a hotspot for teenagers to hangout. On an Instagram post, they describe themselves as a “judgment free zone where everyone and anyone is welcome to discover their own personal style.” Rookies at the front is a retail shopfloor, whilst the back of the shop is Haus, their inhouse cafe. Together the two work symbiotically to encourage more visitors to spend a longer time within the store. With great coffee and matcha served there, the mix of fashion, music and lifestyle works to their advantage.
The brands available at the store are a reflection of their ethos for community building. What stands out is their decision to stock local and regional brands that they believe deserve the support of a physical retailer. Devil’s Play Craft, a local leathersmith who designs studded belts, wallets and leather accessories in a distinctive Western style is an example. Their vintage selection is a mix of punk rock, metal and rockabilly styles. Band tees, bowling shirts, old Levis are some of the vintage finds stocked. Regional brands include Thai T-shirt brand Homeward Bound, Singapore’s Lasik Industries and OMO from Indonesia. Rookies & Haus Concept Store is one of the few independent local retailers championing young regional brands in Singapore.
The cafe is inviting, and decked out with music posters and showcases their record collection). For their soft opening party in January this year, the team invited La Birria Tacos to create a special taco for their guests. DJs from the adjacent creative communities were invited to spin, including Fernyfern from the neighbouring zine shop, Shrub and Kopi Cats’ a music collective with resident DJs DZorder and Moonpiercer.
Screenshot of Rookies & Haus Concept Store Instagram Reels page.
The Rookies team publishes Instagram stories every other week to introduce their favourite brands and items to their audience. With detailed explanations of the culture that surrounds a specific vintage piece, the content helps to educate and draw new customers into the shop.
Across the three initiatives, strongly edited stock is becoming a differentiating factor for these youth-run shops. The individuals behind Upstairs Garments, Zabu Boutique and Rookies & Haus Concept Store rely on their personal tastes, leveraging their personal connections and forging new ones to successfully run their niche fashion businesses.