Uniqlo’s Graphic Tee That Features S’pore Towns Somehow Omitted Places in the West

UNIQLO is known for its reasonably priced apparel of a unique style and decent quality.

On top of all of that, they also frequently release special lines of T-shirts in collaboration with various other cultural icons such as Pokemon and One Piece.

As the next step in their genius marketing campaign, they have collaborated with Singaporean artist Ewejin Tee to launch something much closer to heart.

Singapore Towns UNIQLO T-Shirt

Very timely released close to our National Day is UNIQLO’s newest collection of T-shirts titled #UTWearYourHood.

These T-shirts feature 10 of Singapore’s towns in creatively designed graphics that represent each of the neighbourhood’s distinctions.

Here, take a look for yourself.

Image: UNIQLO

Toa Payoh featured in the iconic and nostalgic dragon playground, and Punggol is represented by my favourite Punggol Nasi Lemak. Have you tried it? I hope you have.

Image: UNIQLO

Yishun is very humorously represented as the ghetto neighbourhood, while Bukit Timah is designed with its iconic railway station.

Image: UNIQLO

One of Singapore’s cultural origins hail from the Peranakans, and their heritage houses are incorporated into Katong’s design. I personally thought it’d have been Katong Laksa. Too predictable?

And of course, for Tampines, one of their HDB blocks are painted with a mural of the old school TV test pattern. I was so glad I didn’t have to see that anymore. Now I do again.

Image: UNIQLO

Like Bedok’s Bak Chor Mee? So does the artist, apparently. And speaking of food, one can’t miss out on Tiong Bahru’s famous Chwee Kueh that I grew up with.

Image: UNIQLO

And last but not least, the Hollywood-featured Henderson Waves is featured in the Telok Blangah graphic, while the Serangoon design appears to have been chomped.

Get it? Chomped? Chomp Chomp?

With these T-shirts so cleverly designed (and very nicely, I must add), I’d expect them to be selling like hotcakes.

But wait, is something missing?

Yes, they’re missing out Ang Mo Kio. How could they miss out on my town?

Oh well, I guess I have Serangoon and Toa Payoh as regional neighbours to comfort myself. *sobs while I eat my sambal stingray at Chomp Chomp*

But I think one entire side of Singapore has it much worse – they were forgotten entirely.

If you’re part of that region, you’d probably have noticed it by now, along with a bunch of angry Netizens.

The West appears to have been left out.

Well, of course, they’re left out. They’re part of JB, aren’t they?

Okay, I’m just kidding.

But yes, it appears that none of the Western towns has been included. Jurong, Clementi, Bukit Batok, Choa Chu Kang, let alone the towns further out of Singapore such as Pioneer and Lakeside.

Understandably, the Westerners have flown into a fit of rage on online platforms such as Reddit and Facebook.

Image: AsiaOne
Image: AsiaOne

On top of being ready for war, Redditors have also hilariously pointed out that UNIQLO has a branch in Jurong Point without featuring Jurong.

Image: AsiaOne

Yes, of course, Jurong is part of JB what. No meh?

While there is currently no official explanation for this apparent discrimination, you can solve it yourself by designing your own T-shirt.

Yes, you can design your own T-shirt for only $29.90, and you could even using the in-store tablets if you wish.

So that’s something, I guess.

Maybe I’ll go make my own Ang Mo Kio design and incorporate the Jubilee Square or something.

Meanwhile, if UNIQLO wants to make it up to Jurong and the rest of the West, they’d really have to go the extra mile.

Like a lot of extra miles.

Like a Journey to the West.

Image: Tenor