77th Street (Streetwear Brand)
Encyclopedia
77th Street is a clothing company based in Singapore
founded by Elim Chew
in 1988 with a small shop at Far East Plaza
, Singapore.
Today, 77th Street has a stronghold in local street wear fashion and accessories scene with a chain of 12 retail outlets around Singapore, 1 retail training centre at ITE
College East and the 77th Street Plaza located in the popular shopping district of Xidan
in Beijing
, China
.
77th Street was the first fashion retailer to win the prestigious “Most Distinctive Brand” of Singapore Promising Brand Award
given by The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) and Lianhe Zaobao
in 2004.
. It started with a humble beginning at Far East Plaza level four with only a 180 square feet (16.7 m²) store. With the help of her sister, Ms Sulim Chew, who was in charge of sourcing trendy items from Britain
, the second shop was opened three years later in 1991 at the same mall but on level three. Subsequently, about one new store was opened every one to two years.
77th Street’s first overseas expansion attempt was a joint venture store in Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia with a Malaysian partner in 1995. Seeing the potential for 77th Street to franchise in Malaysia beyond KL, this joint venture was later sold to the partner, whomh has now renamed the company to another name. In 2003, 77th Street secured and signed an agreement for a 400000 square feet (37,161.2 m²) mall which was conceptualised into a youth shopping cum activity belt in the popular shopping district of Xidan
, Beijing
, China
. The following year, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth & Sports (MCYS) and Senior Minister for State for Trade & Industry and National Development was the Guest of Honour for the official opening for 77th Street Plaza at the Xidan Cultural Centre. Not only this marked the company’s first business venture in China, it was also the first Singapore retailer to set up a shopping mall in China.
YOG bid. It had also collaborated with CityCare, a volunteer group, to make 50,000 car decals to giveaway to drivers to display as a gesture of supporting the country's bid.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
founded by Elim Chew
Elim Chew
Elim Chew is the founder of the street wear brand, 77th Street.-Career:Elim's first attempt into the retailing turned out to be a huge success in the retail scene...
in 1988 with a small shop at Far East Plaza
Far East Plaza
Far East Plaza is a shopping centre in Singapore, located in the heart of the Orchard Road shopping belt. Opened in 1982 together with a metro that has since closed down, the mall had cheap fashion and food outlets. Over the past few years, Far East Plaza has been a center for youth culture in...
, Singapore.
Today, 77th Street has a stronghold in local street wear fashion and accessories scene with a chain of 12 retail outlets around Singapore, 1 retail training centre at ITE
ITE
ITE or Ite may refer to:* ITE, LLC a Product Development Services Company located in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA* Information Technology Equipment* Institute of Technical Education * Institute of Transportation Engineers* In-the-ear hearing aids...
College East and the 77th Street Plaza located in the popular shopping district of Xidan
Xidan
Xidan is a major traditional commercial area in Beijing, China. It is located in the Xicheng District.The Xidan commercial district incorporates the Xidan Culture Square, North Xidan Street, as well as many supermarkets and department stores...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
77th Street was the first fashion retailer to win the prestigious “Most Distinctive Brand” of Singapore Promising Brand Award
Singapore Promising Brand Award
The Singapore Promising Brand Award is an annual award conferred to recognise outstanding efforts of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Singapore in the promotion of their brands...
given by The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) and Lianhe Zaobao
Lianhe Zaobao
Nanyang Sin-Chew Lianhe Zaobao , commonly abbreviated as Lianhe Zaobao , is the largest Singapore based Chinese-language newspaper with a daily circulation of about 176,000. Published by Singapore Press Holdings , it was formed on March 16, 1983 as a result of a merger between Nanyang Siang Pau and...
in 2004.
History
Elim founded 77th Street in 1988. It was her first foray into the retail industry and has since established a firm footing in the street wear scene in SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. It started with a humble beginning at Far East Plaza level four with only a 180 square feet (16.7 m²) store. With the help of her sister, Ms Sulim Chew, who was in charge of sourcing trendy items from Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the second shop was opened three years later in 1991 at the same mall but on level three. Subsequently, about one new store was opened every one to two years.
77th Street’s first overseas expansion attempt was a joint venture store in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia with a Malaysian partner in 1995. Seeing the potential for 77th Street to franchise in Malaysia beyond KL, this joint venture was later sold to the partner, whomh has now renamed the company to another name. In 2003, 77th Street secured and signed an agreement for a 400000 square feet (37,161.2 m²) mall which was conceptualised into a youth shopping cum activity belt in the popular shopping district of Xidan
Xidan
Xidan is a major traditional commercial area in Beijing, China. It is located in the Xicheng District.The Xidan commercial district incorporates the Xidan Culture Square, North Xidan Street, as well as many supermarkets and department stores...
, Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The following year, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth & Sports (MCYS) and Senior Minister for State for Trade & Industry and National Development was the Guest of Honour for the official opening for 77th Street Plaza at the Xidan Cultural Centre. Not only this marked the company’s first business venture in China, it was also the first Singapore retailer to set up a shopping mall in China.
Youth Olympic Games YOG 2010
77th Street put a team of local designers together to create T-shirts inspired by Singapore's Youth Olympic GamesYouth Olympic Games
The Youth Olympic Games is an international multi-sport event first held in Singapore from August 14 to August 26, 2010. The games are held every four years in staggered summer and winter events consistent with the current Olympic Games format. The age limitation of the athletes is between 14 to 18...
YOG bid. It had also collaborated with CityCare, a volunteer group, to make 50,000 car decals to giveaway to drivers to display as a gesture of supporting the country's bid.