One of Singapore’s most enduring multi-label stores has morphed into a different creature altogether

Actually is no more. At 313@Orchard, where it stood with its unusual façade, the Actually store has morphed into sister brand Outside in April. Staffers revealed that Actually “will merge” with Outside, but the former will not keep its name. Some of the brands Actually stocked will be “absorbed” into Outside, although we did not see the small Nanamica collection they carried last year, which we thought was an admirable merchandising move, considering that the Japanese brand by Eiichiro Homma (who also consults for The North Face purple label) is relatively unknown here. But those in the know love the brand as a precursor to the whole Gorpcore trend, now still strong and is adopted by The North Face’s own Urban Adventure sub-line. Other Japanese brands they carried included the bag maker F/CE by Satoshi and Asami Yamane and the outdoor label Snow Peak (now with significant presence at Outside).

Established in 2005/6, Actually is one of the earliest “indie” multi-label fashion stores on our island that retailed smallish streetwear brands such as the British “lifestyle” label Lazy Oaf and the Swedish jeans wear line Dr Denim. It was conceived by former music executive Paul Khor, who had envisioned the space as a sort of urban bazaar that predated another popular store Goodluck Bunch. The first Actually outlet, as we remember, was in a shop house in Seah Street (although we, too, recall another earlier location somewhere in the vicinity). And they went through different iterations of their name: Actually+ and Actually Actually (our favourite!), cheeky takes on one of the most-used, redundant words in our speech. Unlike the other multi-label stores at the time, Actually was not a sleek outlet assembled to amplify its fashion cred. It had no pretensions being the general store that always reminded us, until they moved to Orchard Road, of those small shops in Tokyo, such as Freak Store or, one of our favourites, a gem of a outdoor retailer, Function Junction, in Shibuya.

They went through different iterations of their name: Actually+ and Actually Actually (our favourite!), cheeky takes on one of the most-used, redundant words in our speech

Actually closed a few times until they finally decamped for Orchard Road, first at Orchard Gateway in 2014 and then 313@Orchard in 2024. While they did not totally pull away from their enticing jumble, they did become more of a “hipster haven”, even selling at Orchard Gateway the nifty Audio-Technica Soundburger turntable. When they relocated to 313@Orchard, they gave themselves that unusual store front and reworked the ellipsis on their logotype to three big dots above the name. And they took on a more Gorpcore positioning, with brands such as the Danish label Nordisk (which seemed to be from Nordisk Camp Supply Store in Tokyo, also designed by the Yamanes) and the Korean Cayl, alongside Nanamica, as well as the bags of Outdoor, Japanese edition. The merchandising was urban-smart with considerable outdoor-performance practicality thrown in, which worked fantastically in a mall dominated by T-shirt-centric stores, such as Wellbred (now closed) and Aape.

By 2016, Paul Khor’s passion for outdoor pursuits led him to open, well, Outdoor. There have been several Outdoor shops of somewhat similar looks. Their first was at Orchard Gateway, where the predominant brands at the time were Fjällräven and Chums, and footwear by Keen. But, their most characterful store is at the corner of North Bridge Road and Bali Lane in Kampung Gelam. (The second level, we were told is still an Actually shop, although it won’t be for too long.) The 313@Orchard space is their most compelling by far (they now stock the Japanese trail-and-camping brand And Wander) and is consistent with the trend of clothing and accessories with an outdoor bend. To us, it’s the store front that is a pull. Replacing Actually’s all-white façade and the blue logo, it’s now a predominance of orange (with blue and yellow accents) that plays up the disc-like details, reminding us of Mastercard!

Photo: Chin Boh Kay