UNIQLO x SHENTONISTA: Ready, Set, Go — Behind The Scenes

We couldn’t have been more psyched to partner with one of our all-time favourite brands for our next Shentonista campaign, and for the four individuals we chose to rep UNIQLO’s all-new EZY Ankle Pants, this was where it all began: the brand’s flagship store in Orchard Central, where they put their looks together for the shoot.

Bino was first to arrive for his fitting, fresh from work but preparing to leave town again for a trip to Japan over the weekend. He came fully ready to get styled, without the hassle of a work bag or jacket, and picked out darker hues for his EZY Ankle Pants—suitable for any day in the office.

Mark, on the other hand, had ridden a bicycle to the store, and true to his easy-going nature, gamely tried on the EZY Ankle Pants in a variety of colours, from beige to dark green—cracking jokes all the while, but also seriously thinking about what he could pair them with, and actively throwing out suggestions.

Next up was Andrea—again, looking different from when we last saw her. In fact, with her hair pulled back, and in a plain tee, her look reminded us of the time we first spotted her at Market Street two years ago. She wasn’t afraid to try on the printed options for the EZY Ankle Pants, initially going for a striped version before settling on a houndstooth design.

Last of the day was Olivia—whose day job had only ended, and who still had to check on her side business. Nonetheless, she was excited to try on the pants, although the choice was pretty clear for her: she went for shades of grey or black, all the easier to match with her monochromatic wardrobe.

As the day of the shoot rolled round, one thing threatened to derail us: the weather. With all the gloomy skies we’ve been having, the heavens literally could have rained on our parade. But on the day, we were blessed with clear, albeit cloudy skies—perfect conditions for us to photograph Bino, Mark, Andrea, and Olivia who were all ready to show us how to rock both comfort and style.

We were back on familiar soil for this campaign, treading the same ground we usually do on our regular shoots. This time, though, we’d arranged to meet four people we’d shot previously, and gave them a challenge: style the EZY Ankle Pants their way, to showcase their own, very unique personalities.

The morning started early with Mark; though, for the father of two, this wasn’t as early as he’s probably used to. Mark chose an army-green pair of pants, and went with a classic combination of a casual dark blue t-shirt and white sneakers to dress up the look. A lightweight navy jacket, as well as a printed calico tote, helped him to transition from his office to a meeting effortlessly. Although he was first for the day, he had his arsenal of jokes and silly faces ready, and fuelled by his morning coffee, he powered through his set with nary a hair out of place.

We’re quite used to dealing with suspicious stares and even some stern warnings by security personnel just doing their jobs, but even so, it was time to quickly move on to our next location to meet Bino. In his grey pants, striped short-sleeve shirt, leather sandals, and straw fedora jauntily perched on his head, Bino looked like the consummate jet-setter, ready to depart for a tropical vacation. Running your own travel blog has its perks, especially when it comes to being comfortable in front of a camera, and once Bino got into the swing of things, the shoot went pretty smoothly.

After a quick lunch break we met with Andrea. Here, we were met with curious glances from passers-by; after all, it’s not easy for a sweaty bunch of people with a tripod, camera, and bright orange cables to hide in plain sight. The glances were short-lived, however; Andrea proved to be the quickest and easiest candidate to shoot that day. Perhaps it stemmed from the confidence she derived from her rock-inspired ensemble of a pair of houndstooth-printed pants styled with a KISS tee, leather jacket, and matching clutch and boots. The sun was finally out in full force, and, as it glinted off the building, made for the perfect, suitably dramatic backdrop for Andrea.

Last for the day was Olivia, who made the trip to the CBD from her office all the way in Pasir Panjang  just for us. The work day wasn’t over for her yet—she still had to head over to her other office, where she runs her side business, before she could call it a wrap. Still, Olivia showed no signs of fatigue; indeed, she worked all her best angles like a pro, and even attracted an inquisitive crowd of onlookers. Her dark grey pants and elegantly draped top provided stark contrast to her striking tattoos and piercings, and bold shoes and bag; once again, the fading light of the day helped to frame Olivia’s every shot.

Mark, Bino, Andrea, and Olivia all showed us that a great pair of pants can take you places, and that style doesn’t have to be compromised for comfort or versatility. We were also inspired by their stories, fuelled by their desire to keep on moving and growing, and we couldn’t have asked for a better beginning to what we hope will be just the start of more to come with UNIQLO.

A big thank you to everyone for being a part of this, to the security personnel who were kind, and of course, to UNIQLO for this opportunity.

This is a SHENTONISTA project for UNIQLO, featuring their all-new EZY Ankle Pants. Shop for men here, and women here.

To read Mark’s feature, click here.
To read Andrea’s feature, click here.
To read Bino’s feature, click here.
To read Olivia’s feature, click here.