PETALING JAYA, Dec 31 — Although it occupies just two-thirds of a shoplot and bears a minimalist sign that simply states its three initials, it’s hard to miss SRP’s bright orange façade.
Its immediate neighbour is a convenience store while traditional businesses like mechanics’ workshops fill up the rest of the row.
It’s not out of place, however; some of Petaling Jaya’s most popular and hipster-friendly cafes and lifestyle stores also have their addresses here, including Awesome Canteen, Ilaika and Kakigōri.
SRP or Sick Reading Project, with its focus on designing and producing wardrobe staples for the sartorially-inclined, fits right in.
Their shop may be new (it officially opened at the end of October) but the brand behind it, Shuren Projects, has been racking up a steady following since making its online debut in 2012, with most orders coming from Europe and the United States.
The five co-founders — Kwan Pei Choong (PC), Lim Theng Wei, Daniel Chow, Joe Koh and Shuren Ho — all come from different backgrounds and have nothing to do with fashion design, but banded together due to a shared passion for well-made apparel.
Starting with and still mostly known for their finely-tailored men’s shirts, Shuren has since expanded their collection to include other menswear essentials.
Having a brick-and-mortar presence means that customers now have an option besides buying online; they can view, browse, try the actual designs and buy off the rack.
“We wanted a shop so that we could interact with our customers,” PC explains while Joe adds: “We can get direct feedback this way; with online sales, we have no contact with our customers at all, they don’t even email us but just buy directly.”
Another benefit, they realise, is that it’s opened up their local reach. “There are those who have known about our brand for years but never bought a single item. Now that they get to try the pieces on, they would!”
Additionally, customers can get styling tips from these guys at the store. “Very often, we have customers asking how they should wear a particular piece,” says Joe. “Here, we can show them. If you know how to style it, a shirt can last a lifetime.”
SRP also carries a range of consignment goods, which will change from time to time. At the moment, they are featuring small leather goods from Thai label, Labrador, and a Tiger pin by Pantun Pins, a collaboration that pays tribute to the Malayan Tiger.
That’s also SRP’s mascot that can be seen in a number of their designs, including their shopping bag that’s given out with every purchase.
The shop’s orange façade is also linked to the magnificent animal, besides the fact that Theng Wei wanted a shade that would stand out.
The consignment items are meant to offer a little something more besides just apparel, as the idea is to provide a complete look to every customer.
SRP’s range, while not big, is pretty diverse; you can find shirts, jackets, T-shirts, pants and shorts that can be worn casually or styled for occasions.
One of their bestsellers, the Noragi outerwear shirt, comes in more than 10 fabric options. For a touch of utilitarian, try on their Portraits in Olive collection, where shirts and jackets are fitted with a slim survival whistle.
Their newest offering is named Shuren Repair Personnel, an abstract interpretation based on societal sentiments of dissatisfaction and the urge to resolve problems, of wanting to repair things and that includes people’s minds.
“We came up with a range of workwear-inspired apparel, built around what a technician or a repair personnel would wear,” PC explains. The collection includes shirts, pants, shorts and just to complete the idea, a set of screwdrivers as well. “It’s for people who want to fix themselves.”
That defines SRP too. Their aim is that every time someone walks into the store, they’ll find something new or a new interpretation of their values. Even the initials SRP may change to represent other things.
For now, they coined Sick Reading Party to link their brand with Joe and Daniel’s love for reading and the idea of a book club that’s not too nerdy, while “sick” in this context is slang for “excellent.”
What’s in store for SRP next? Come 2018, you can expect at least two new major collections and as they’re often asked why they don’t offer footwear, that could be in the pipeline too.
They’re also planning a pop-up event that pools together local clothing brands, which will run for two weeks before Chinese New Year. Those brands can choose to continue placing their products at SRP if they wish.
Like their Shuren Repair Personnel range, SRP is a constant work-in-progress where it seems ideas never stop. For the time being, at least one thing’s for sure: To locate their store, just look for the bold orange shopfront.
SRP is at 29, Ground Floor, Jalan 20/13, Paramount Garden, Petaling Jaya Tel +603 7865 8864 Opens 12pm-7pm; closed Mondays
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sickreadingparty/
