The Dynamic Duo: Monstore & Otoko’s New Space

by Pingkan Palilingan
21st December 2015
Idiosyncratic streetwear label Monstore and menswear boutique Otoko share a space in a new establishment at Gunawarman Street.

With the presence of malls that are so ubiquitous, sometimes we need an alternative space where we can find the exact things we want without having to swim through thousands of mall visitors. Luckily, Jakarta is nothing short of lifestyle-oriented establishment. Located in Gunawarman Street is a building that serves as a new home for streetwear-inspired clothing line Monstore, menswear boutique Otoko and Short CUT Barbershop. The presence of this establishment has definitely added more menswear options in South Jakarta.

  

Monstore

2015 happens to be a fruitful year for Monstore. Not only they moved its flagship store from Kemang to Kota Kasablanka Mall, the label also succeed in planting itself in Jakarta’s urban art community through a handful of collaborations (one of them is PLASTIC Art Exhibition) and the latest is their second branch in Dharmawangsa where it shares the space with Otoko and Short CUT Barbershop.

The spacious shopping area, coupled with the generous amount of light it receives from the shop’s floor-to-ceiling windows, are only some features that differ the new boutique and the flagship store. Plus, while browsing through Monstore’s bold and idiosyncratic pieces, one would be treated with an engrossing eye candy: huge murals (collaboration with local artists) that are painted on one side of the room.

Compared to its flagship store that boasts a vast collection (both past and new), the new boutique leans toward presenting the latter. Monstore is still fully-committed in presenting their streetwear-inspired pieces that seems to shout “I couldn’t care less” to anyone they pass by, but that’s exactly the one thing that keeps people coming back for more.

 

Otoko

After claiming the basement in Fairgrounds, SCBD as its home for more than one year, Otoko finally moved to a new space in Gunawarman, where the menswear boutique is now more conspicuous, “location-wise”, than when living in its previous residence.

The boutique stays faithful to its commitment in providing menswear that focuses on character, taste and quality. In terms of label, for the uninitiated, Otoko is known for their flair in gathering alternative brands that are very hard to come by anywhere else in the city.

Names like French menswear label A.P.C, Japanese ready-to-wear brand Visvim, Denmark’s functional streetwear brand Norse Projects, and Australia’s Vanishing Elephant are some of the names that one will encounter in Otoko. And it doesn’t stop there – the collection spans to a whole lot other things that are necessary to dress up a man from head to toe: cool kicks, hats, sunglasses, socks, and whatnots.

Otoko’s cultivated and polished characteristics prove to be a nice counterbalance to Monstore’s audacious spirit. With an established name and an array of esteemed labels, there’s no need for Otoko to shout for more attention.