Behind the Scenes at KIN

Last week we went down to Haji Lane to meet the boys behind KIN – Adrian J Tay, Christopher John Fussner, Daryl Chan and Suraj Melwani.

KIN's Storefront

We also had a chance to have a Q & A session with Suraj. Read on to see if the boys behind KIN are as cool as the store itself.

UJ: We love Haji Lane. How did you choose it for KIN?

S: Haji Lane has more room to carve out your own personality and direction. We’re big on the culture that this place is a part of. It has a lot more story to it than the average mall store. We’re also big on being part of a culture whereby you can see the same people who’ve been here forever – the other businesses that have a long history. We’re also trying to help kickstart that culture here that you see in many other countries.

UJ: Can you tell us a bit about the concept behind KIN?

S: Yes, we stock a variety of Independent labels for men that we see fit. We stock a variety of accessories and footwear. We’re highly influenced by art, design, music and more, so if it is apparent then mostly we will consider it for the store. We also love products with personality and backstory. We stock some brands such as Gitman Vintage that have been making shirts for so long, doing the same thing over and over,  so we decided to have them in store.

The Interior of KIN

UJ: What do you look for when choosing brands for the store?

S: Personality, design relevance and price sensibility now. Before we were big on the first two and didn’t care about the last one. Now we try to source more unknowns and interesting things with the whole internet shopping craze.

Stylish Shirts at KIN

UJ: What’s a day in the life like for the KIN team?

S: Thanks to Chris, everyone has all of their projects all set up and everyone is pretty much on their own. We just sit down and make daily decisions and such relating to production, distribution and more. We are sometimes meeting with vendors; we also run an online store so whenever we have new products, it’s usually reserved to shooting the garments and readying the photos for the online store. But everyday is interesting, even the days when we have to fold garments and do stocktake.

UJ: When did you boys all meet?

S: We met through the store. Daryl was working there. I noticed Daryl’s talent in the graphic field so we got him on board very quickly after. I met Chris through the store. We spoke and decided we would make a very good team. Chris is very open and his knowledge bank is very vast. We’re not only inspired by fashion or clothing itself, but by everything from production to culture to spirituality to sustainability, music, and more. From that we all get along very well.

UJ: Who is the coolest kid of all?

S: I think Chris takes it but to be honest, we’re all interesting in our own ways. Daryl has a quiet, stoic demeanor about him. He’s serious and reliable with the graphics. Chris organizes everyone and looks for ways where we can better the systems and workflows in the office so he’s been great in taking us to new levels. His PR skills are next level. I really enjoy working in Indonesia with the production people down there from sourcing leather to making shirts to doing footwear. So yeah everyone is kind of cool in their own right but Chris is probably the most friendly and outgoing.

UJ: I know you have your own brand SIFR, can you tell us a little bit about that?

T-Shirts by SIFR

Yes, we run that out of our studio. I have studied Fashion Design and I come from a garment manufacturing background. Chris (my partner) is very intelligent when it comes to product. He knows when something needs to be made and when something needs to go. It is a brand that combines relevance, edge and beautiful quality. We run it out of our own family factory so we’re very particular about what comes out.

UJ: Any plans for expansion?

We are currently working on something with Tangs for all the people who enjoy shopping in the city. Expansion was inevitable. People took to our t- shirts and they’ve believed in what we were doing. Everyone who’s seen the product has been quite taken aback by our dedication to quality and design relevance.

UJ: Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in Singapore?

Yes. I have a few that I always share. Business should just make sense. If the numbers don’t make sense then maybe it might be time to reconsider. Also, look to make an interesting and positive impact on people around you and you’re bound to do well eventually. Furthermore, keep trying to identify your business. Make sure it has an image and personality that people will resonate with and not just something soulless. Our store direction can be seen directly through our blog. It shows what we respond to. These are small but important things that should be paid attention to.

Come down to KIN at 51 Haji Lane to check out their stylish clothes and meet the cool dudes behind the store.