Growing up, owning my first pair of Converse shoes was an unforgettable milestone. After all, it’s a classic brand synonymous with style and pop culture – which eventually led me to add more of them to my shoe collection over time. Whether they were Chuck Taylors or Jack Purcells, they saw me through my Polytechnic days, adventures overseas and countless number of live concerts.
And as time passes, the brand has evolved. The newly-opened Converse Jewel Changi Airport store is evident of this, featuring an interactive AR mural that advocates for gender equality and sustainability, as well as options to customise your new pair of kicks. Here’s what to look forward to during your next visit down:
Most of us would’ve stepped into a Converse store to admire their latest drops, but Converse Jewel Changi Airport offers a whole different experience altogether. Not only does the store sport motifs inspired by skate and basketball culture, it also has sustainable murals within the store.
Walk around and you’ll be greeted by displays of everything from sneakers to accessories. As part of the opening special until 18th April 2021, enjoy 20% off when you buy two patches to customise your kicks with.
Patches come in design options like a rainbow or a smiley face, so you can wear a symbol of whatever cause you feel passionate about, whether it’s gender equality or sustainability.
Aside from exploring the latest fashion items to upgrade your wardrobe with, the store also provides educational and insightful messages about sustainability to complement your experience through wall murals.
The murals are even painted using sustainable Graphenstone paint that purifies air, just like how planting a tree would. As part of the Converse City Forests initiative taking place across the world where “trees” are planted where they usually don’t grow, the murals are a creative way to help improve the surrounding air quality.
Find out more about the wall murals:
While on your jaunt towards the new Converse store, don’t miss the City Forest Mural titled “Let Equality Bloom”, located beside #02-224/225. Conceptualised and painted by artist Tan Zi Xi (@messymsxi), it’s a colourful art piece depicting plenty of flora and fauna motifs like insects, fruits and flowers.
But it’s not just a pretty picture for the eyes. Scan the QR code and watch as parts of the mural come to life through movement via an Instagram filter. Make sure to spot three hidden “Easter eggs” on the mural as well, with each marking significant key moments in Singapore’s history of gender equality, such as the date AWARE was founded and the passing of the Women’s Charter Bill in 1961.
Fun fact: this mural has “planted” the equivalent of 9 mature trees!
We’re no strangers to blocks of HDB flats and new shopping malls spring up over plots of land that used to go untouched. The opposite of that is actually known as “rewilding” – where nature is left as it is to “heal”.
That sentiment is expressed in the 3D wall mural titled “ Bloom”, located behind the store’s cashier counter. Made from recycled canvas shoes and eco-friendly Graphenstone paint, it serves as a reminder to shoppers the importance of looking after Mother Nature.
When we set off for our weekend morning hikes around places like Green Corridor or Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, the eco-system probably isn’t the most immediate thing that comes to mind. But every little action we make can affect our environment, which is what Converse hopes to remind us with the mural “One Step Is All It Takes”.
Featuring a drawing of a classic Converse High Cut Sneaker atop the earth with greenery sprouting from within the shoe, it’s a symbol of how humans and nature go hand-in-hand to order for us to live harmoniously.
Fun fact: The tree on this mural was inspired by the Hopea Sangal species. The plant was only found in Singapore, and was assumed to be endangered until it was unexpectedly rediscovered in Changi back in 2002.
On top of the educational journey you’ll get to enjoy from the new store, you can also be part of the initiatives yourself.
Besides admiring intricate details of the mural via the Instagram filter that launches when you scan the QR code at the “Let Equality Bloom” wall mural, you can also pledge your support to break barriers for gender equality by snapping a portrait photo of the mural and sharing it on Instagram by tagging @converse_sg and including the hashtags #ConverseSG and #ConverseJewelSG.
Shopping doesn’t have to just be a case of swiping your card and relishing in the joy of your new purchase. At Converse Jewel Changi Airport, it can also be an insightful experience where you learn more about issues impacting our society, while also getting involved on a more personal level.
As part of the flagship store’s opening, there are also in-store promotions to look forward to. Available from now till 18th April 2021, take 20% off selected items that include shoes, apparel and accessories.
What’s more, shoppers will receive another 20% discount voucher with any purchase, with the discount redeemable on a separate minimum spend of $128 on regular priced items from 1st – 31st May 2021.
Whether you’re in search of a customised pair of shoes that is uniquely you, or simply want to learn more about social causes, you can count on Converse to make it happen.
This post was brought to you by Converse.
Photography by Clare Ong.
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