Cover Kage (left) and
Keng How Chong
Kage (left) and Keng How Chong
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Kage and Keng How Chong herald a return to their roots, pouring their creative energies into their new streetwear label AAI and their creative production house MO.Studio
B iro, named after the ballpoint pen, defies the odds in a market where upmarket local menswear brands are few and far between. Defined by quality, timeless wardrobe essentials and Japanese craftsmanship, it has earned an ardent fan base of regulars. The creative forces driving the label are brothers Keng How and Kage Chong. The former, the elder of the two, speaks to Tatler Singapore for this story.
In 2007, the brothers launched e‐commerce store Massiveoutfit, initially selling brands imported from the US. Sometime in 2010, they began thinking about creating their own streetwear label, but changed course after a year of planning and sample development. “We grew tired of what we created and with the streetwear idea. We decided to [pivot] to something that was more sophisticated, like a good menswear brand,” Chong explains.
The shift marked the birth of Biro. The pair spent three years researching menswear, exploring factories in different countries. Ultimately, Japan became their manufacturing partner and in 2013, Biro was officially launched. Pointing out that the label has significantly evolved over the years, Chong says: “It started with an approach to artisan craftsmanship [that saw us work] with some of the best makers and manufacturers in Japan. Over time, we [ventured] into something more elaborate and [unconventional].”
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To illustrate, he brings up the brand’s F. Classic line, introduced a few years ago with the intention of reducing waste. “Over the years, as we sold clothes at trade shows in various fashion capitals, we found it very [resource‐intensive]. Each show meant making samples and spending 30 to 40 grand. To us, that’s quite wasteful, [especially if ] nobody buys the clothes. Additionally, we needed new samples for each season to showcase to buyers,” he says. “So we created F. Classic—[the ‘F’ in its name stands for] ‘Fundamental’, ‘Forever’, and ‘Future’—a range of staple items that, whether five or 10 years down the road, will be present in every show or every line sheet that we present to retailers or buyers. This way, we can reuse patterns and materials.”
Above AAI’s offerings
include jackets,
long‐sleeved
T‐shirts
and pouches
AAI’s offerings include jackets, long‐sleeved T‐shirts and pouches
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Within the F. Classic collection, the brothers incorporated a unique fabric called loopwheel fabric, or tsuri ami in Japanese. “It’s [made using a] traditional way of weaving cotton that uses old‐school knitting machinery developed by the Italians in the 1920s. [This technique was then] adopted by a few Japanese factories, which exposed the beauty of loopwheel fabric to a wider discerning audience in recent years,” he explains.
Hinting at a further evolution for Biro, Chong lets on: “For our next one or two drops, we’re doing something that isn’t so safe anymore, so as to give a distinct identifier to Biro.”
In 2017, the duo opened multi‐label concept store Shouten. “We didn’t open a Biro boutique store. We opened a store with creative products that had artisanal value to complement our brand,” says Chong. Reflecting on the initial stages of running the store, he describes it as relatively smooth, fuelled by their optimism at the time. However, challenges began to emerge over time. “After two to three years, reality kicked in. We needed to get our numbers right. Before we made money, we were spending a lot of it. Our business acumen, especially in fashion, wasn’t great,” he admits candidly.
The duo operated the store for two years in Kitchener Complex before moving to Mandarin Gallery for three years. “The first year was great, but the second and third [were tough],” he says. “Because of Covid‐19, business was bad. As we emerged from the pandemic, we relocated to Great World in August 2022.” They eventually cut the lease short and closed in March last year.
As Chong tells it, there were many reasons for the closure. “We had been persevering long enough and needed to cut our losses. I’m not an operator. I couldn’t manage the store well [and staffing was a challenge]. To close it was a relief,” he confesses. “While it didn’t mean we failed, it was a lesson. It felt like a next step to better things.”
Above MO.Studio’s
experiential design
for Suntory Whisky
Kakubin’s The
Art of Japanese
Highball music
and tasting event;
the key visual the
brothers created
for Suntory
Whisky Kakubin
MO.Studio’s experiential design for Suntory Whisky Kakubin’s The Art of Japanese Highball music and tasting event; the key visual the brothers created for Suntory Whisky Kakubin
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He also shares that in 2023, the brothers arrived at a critical juncture when Massive Outfit Studio (MO.Studio), their creative studio launched in 2022, was approached by Beam Suntory NYC for a global pitch. Balancing this opportunity with the struggles of managing the store became overwhelming. “I couldn’t hire more staff, but also couldn’t split my time,” he says. Closing the store enabled the duo to fully focus on the pitch. The result? Success. “Fortunately for us, we got the job.”
Collaborating with Beam Suntory NYC, the siblings crafted a fresh brand identity for Japanese whisky Suntory Whisky Kakubin. Chong shares proudly: “We built the brand guide and playbook, which [the company] disseminated to its various markets last year, to use as a guide for their 2024 initiatives and campaigns.”
For the duo, it felt like destiny. In a Facebook post, Chong waxed: “10 years ago, we held our first Biro showcase in Raffles Hotel, supported by Suntory Kakubin. 10 years on, we lent our creative vision to the well‐loved Japanese whisky brand which celebrated its 100th year of brilliance & spirit of ‘kodawari’ (meaning ‘the pursuit of perfection’ in Japanese).”
The pair has been growing the studio for the past two years. “It brings us greater fulfilment than operating the store,” says Chong. “This corporate side of our work gives us a lot more drive and push, and allows us to explore our creativity, as the clients give us a lot of bandwidth. Our fashion‐related creative works [have expanded into] photography, videography and creative direction.” On top of that, the duo started working on a new streetwear label, AAI—which stands for “An Autonomous Individual”—last year, which Chong shares departs from Biro’s understated aesthetic. “While Biro veers more towards evergreen classic menswear, like Ralph Lauren, AAI is the opposite. It’s more contemporary and experimental. We play with colours, silhouettes and unconventional materials; it’s the first time we’re blasting bold logos on the back of our shirts,” Chong expounds.
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While both have roots in Singapore, Chong shares that they have been trying to expand Biro beyond our shores for years, whereas they have already checked that box with AAI, despite it being a relative newcomer. “Our preparations and visual presentations to select retailers and buyers have been well received, and this year, we’ll stock [AAI] products at United Arrows Japan,” he shares. “We’ve always wanted to work with [the select shop] for Biro, and now we’re getting that chance with AAI.”
On why they started AAI, Chong says: “It was during the pandemic when we were exploring developing a new brand. We didn’t want to dilute Biro, but we still wanted to create. People weren’t buying $140 T‐shirts [at a time] when everybody was working from home. We wanted [another outlet] to continue our passion.”
Revisiting their original concept of creating a streetwear brand is significant for the Chong brothers. “After 10 years of developing Biro and building the brand, we’ve come full circle. We’re ready to do this again. AAI has a lot more depth [than our original concept]. It’s more sophisticated. It feels right for us,” he states.
Read more: The Paper Bunny co-founder Jaime Lee on turning the brand into a staple of Singapore lifestyle
Above Biro veers more towards
evergreen classic menswear, like
Ralph Lauren
Biro veers more towards evergreen classic menswear, like Ralph Lauren
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Chong credits their mother for nurturing their interest in fashion from an early age. “She was a tailor back then, and would bring us along to her friends’ places and fabric stores in Chinatown,” he recalls. “We followed her every weekend, and knew all the uncles and aunties. At home, she cut and sewed her patterns, and we’d help her with cutting them whenever needed.”
Today, the brothers channel their early exposure to fashion in distinct ways. While jointly overseeing the fashion brands, their roles and approaches diverge. Chong’s role leans towards business development while Kage, who demonstrates merchandising acumen, excels in quality control and liaising with the Japanese factories. “Whether it’s for our brands or studio work, we share the load equally and work well hand in hand,” Chong concludes.
Credits
Images: Massive Outfit, AAI and MO.Studio
Topics
Nafeesa Saini is the Features Editor at Tatler Singapore, where she shapes long-form stories on culture, business, philanthropy, wellness, and the people driving change in Asia. With a deep interest in storytelling that intersects meaningfully with identity and impact, she has profiled a diverse range of visionaries, from scientific pioneers in AI and health to creative trailblazers and literary minds.
Nafeesa’s writing includes cover stories and profiles that spotlight influential voices, alongside commentary on the trends reshaping our world.
Off the clock, Nafeesa unwinds with fiction, a good thrift hunt, and ‘brainrot’ TikTok scroll—while always keeping one eye on her next cultural getaway, usually to Indonesia.
