Singapore, a hub city in Asia, is a small country located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula. Formerly a British colony, it served as a hub for transit trade connecting Western Europe and Asia. While known as a tourist destination, it also boasts a high ranking as the world's third-largest foreign exchange trading volume last year, making it a global leader in finance and economics. As a result, many Western investment banks and global corporations have their Asian regional headquarters there.

However, for jet-setters visiting for business trips or relocation, while well-known luxury brands were present in the malls, it was difficult to find clothing that satisfied both a work and resort lifestyle. Therefore, in 2013, two Japanese individuals launched Colony Clothing.

What is Colony Clothing, a select shop originating from Singapore?

"To transmit sophisticated Japanese fashion styles from Singapore." Colony Clothing is a select shop born from this idea. It was founded by Kozo Kawamura and Kensuke Sato, two people who were at the core of leading Japanese shops.

Tomoka Takada, a former buyer for Beams who has appeared in numerous media outlets, is also a well-known men's fashion influencer on social media, boasting over 90,000 followers on Instagram. Having become close friends with Mr. Kawamura and Mr. Sato, he decided to join Colony Clothing last year. He moved to Singapore alone, ahead of his wife and three young children.

"I thought the store's concept was interesting, and I felt I could utilize the experience I've accumulated so far, so I decided to move to Singapore last year. During my time at Beams, I had the opportunity to learn about the style of true affluent people through numerous overseas business trips, including Pitti Uomo. I was drawn to the idea of being able to propose a global and luxurious style within a new framework for both business and casual wear in Singapore, a rapidly growing city."

Colony Clothing's themes are "Jet Set" and "Luxury Resort." The brand focuses on two main areas: the business elite who travel the world and the casual wear they wear in their vacation destinations to recharge. While classic suits and jackets are sometimes appropriate for executives, the brand also aims to maintain a relaxed image when unwinding in airport or hotel lounges. Quality is essential even in casual wear for relaxing at a seaside cafe or by the pool at a condominium, or when going shopping with family.

"Singapore is a tropical country. Its land area is roughly the same as Tokyo's 23 wards, and the average annual temperature is 27 degrees Celsius. You can't change your clothes according to the seasons like in Japan. Instead, we propose creating a style unique to this place by feeling the seasons through materials and colors and patterns, and by using materials that are usually only used in dress clothes in casual wear."


The shop's interior was designed by architect Makoto Tanijiri. The combination of exposed concrete and towering natural trees creates a blend of inorganic and organic elements. Located in the UE Square shopping mall along River Valley, slightly away from the city center, the area is surrounded by office towers and condominiums. With many Japanese restaurants, the area attracts not only tourists but also many international businesspeople during weekday afternoons.

"In Singapore, a city where races and nationalities are mixed, Colony Clothing's theme is to blend various styles and cultures, such as luxury and casual, relaxed and classic. Amidst the changing global dress codes, we are confident that this is a global standard style that will be accepted not only in Singapore, but also in Tokyo, Asia, Europe, and America."

In March, Takada returned to Japan temporarily for work, intending to return soon after, but the country went into lockdown just before his planned departure. With no prospect of returning, he spent his days searching for ways to help from Japan. During this time, Takada continued updating his Instagram and YouTube program "TAKADA CHANEL," which he had been updating since his stay in Singapore, and his regular Instagram Live broadcasts attracted over 1,000 viewers. Furthermore, he single-handedly continued building an e-commerce site for Japanese customers. His passion for Colony Clothing is evident.

"We've started doing things little by little that we can do while in Japan. Until now, our physical stores were our top priority, but in the wake of the pandemic, we've decided to focus on using e-commerce (online shopping). We've been operating on our home country website for some time, but by launching a Japanese version, we're creating an environment where Japanese customers can easily make purchases."

The collection, personally sourced by the company, includes not only Italian brands with which they have had long-standing relationships, but also up-and-coming fashion houses discovered through new encounters. Furthermore, it encompasses original brands that they started themselves, beginning with finding factories based on the idea of "Wouldn't it be great to have clothes like this?" The collection embodies the lifestyle that Colony Clothing aims for.

"In this cutting-edge financial city, we utilize e-commerce and social media, but we also manually handle things like product packaging and shipping, video editing, and Instagram posting. I guess that's another example of a mix of digital and analog (laughs)."


Takada himself, who laughs as he says this, has always stuck to a style that's a little more casual, like something you'd see walking down the street, rather than following the mainstream trends or the shop's marketing. That was surely a new era of mixed clothing that transcended the boundaries between dressy and casual. Now, many buyers, stylists, and directors are launching their own media outlets to revitalize the fashion industry. He is a leading figure in that movement.

What jackets are jet-setters keeping an eye on this summer?

The brand that Mr. Takada is currently most interested in is SACCO. This jacket-only brand, founded by a German living in Singapore, uses patterns drawn by cutters on Savile Row in England, hopsack fabric from VBC Canonico, and is sewn in a factory in Naples, Italy, making it a global and diverse jacket brand.

"Zacco, founded by Alexander Hascher, a German living in Singapore, is a lightweight, single-breasted jacket offered by Colony Clothing for jet-setters. It's an elegant piece that can be worn in a variety of situations, from the office to a hotel lounge during leisure time. About 10 color variations are released each season, and in addition to basic navy, gray, and brown that can be worn for business, the collection also features popular resort-style colors such as orange and purple. This season, by using hopsack yarn with a melange finish, the jacket has a deep and nuanced color rather than being a single solid color."



In his YouTube channel "TAKADA CHANEL," which he also appears in, Zacco introduces this season's collection in detail. The brightly colored jackets blend in and stand out against the backdrop of Singapore's streets. They would surely also look great in a tropical resort or the lounge of a luxurious hotel.

The Mitsukoshi Isetan online store offers a selection of items not available in physical stores.

"Starting this July, we've made it possible to view items that weren't previously available at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , through the Mitsukoshi Isetan Online Store. This is a new initiative, and we believe it will provide an opportunity for you to experience the world of Colony Clothing more deeply."

Mitsukoshi Isetan Online offers an original collection from Colony Clothing that is not usually available at the Isetan Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building . We asked Mr. Takada to introduce some of the must-have items for this summer. Each item embodies the spirit of Colony Clothing.

A "lounge shirt" that values relaxation time.

"Jetsetters living in Singapore typically return to their respective countries on weekends. Their off-duty time is precious, often involving a trip straight from the office to the airport and relaxing in a lounge. Even after taking off their jackets, a stiff-collared shirt can leave them feeling tired from work. That's why we designed this original lounge shirt. Using Thomas Mason shirt fabric, commonly found in business shirts worn by executives, it's a versatile piece that can be worn both formally and casually."


"The dress shirt, with its slightly rounded collar tips, has a relaxed silhouette and slightly dropped shoulders. Every detail, including the collar's design to look good even without a tie, is carefully considered and the shirts are all sewn in a specialized Japanese shirt factory. The mint green shirt I'm wearing today is one of these lounge shirts. We believe that the wide range of colors available will help you feel like you're escaping from the ordinary into something extraordinary."

Bringing the luxurious feel of Alcantara to shorts.

"In perpetually sunny Singapore, shorts are functional for both tourists and locals when dressing casually. But if you were asked what kind of shorts executives can easily wear, you might hesitate for a moment. Cotton slacks-style shorts or creased linen shorts might come to mind, but Colony Clothing has released shorts made of Alcantara (artificial suede)."


"It looks and feels just like suede, but it's easy to care for – you can wash it easily, and it won't shrink or fade. This technique of transforming casual shorts into something luxurious is something only Colony Clothing, with its expertise in everything from street style to classic and luxury, could create."

A luxurious "beach parka" to wear as a set.

"This is a bold attempt to create a zip-up parka using VBC Canonico's wool x silk Solaro fabric, which is usually used for dress clothing such as suits and jackets. Solaro, which shows brown and purple depending on the light, is a staple suit fabric in Southern Italy, but it is rarely used in casual wear. Moreover, the idea of using a glossy, high-quality material for a beach parka is a mix that I think is typical of Colony Clothing's approach of combining seemingly contradictory elements. I think it would be the perfect garment to wear while relaxing and reading a book on a beach chair by the pool, or to throw on when returning home from the sea in an air-conditioned office."


"The zippers are accented in gold, and Gurkha shorts made from the same material have been released, so you can wear them as a set. I also recommend them as casual wear for adults."

A linen shirt in colors that suit the light of a resort.

"We named this pullover shirt, made with Albini's linen fabric, the 'Poolside Shirt.' It's literally a shirt you wear over your swimsuit by the poolside. The front features pleats extending from the placket down to the hem, reminiscent of a concealed-button dress shirt. The body silhouette is relaxed, and the placket opening is wide, making it easy to slip on over your head, eliminating the awkwardness often associated with pullovers."


"In resort areas like Singapore, wearing it directly against your skin with a wide-open neckline can look great, but in Tokyo, that might be a bit too much. That's why the front opening is designed so that it still looks good even when worn with a crew neck T-shirt underneath. The color variations are also chosen to look great in the bright sunlight of a resort."

A "lounge jacket" that can be used from the lounge to the airplane.

"This Milano rib knit jacket, making its debut this season, is a piece Colony Clothing is very proud of. It's made in a Japanese knit factory, with meticulous attention paid to the yarn. As the name 'lounge jacket' suggests, I think it's perfect for enjoying a cigar or a cocktail in a hotel lounge. Because it's knit, it's wrinkle-resistant, and you can easily roll it up and toss it into your bag. It's also just right for taking out and throwing on when relaxing in an airport lounge or on an airplane."


"The color combination with the piping is a key design point, and the C mark on the chest pocket is shaped like the initials of COLONY CLOTHING, so it's like a club jacket from Colony Clothing."


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