UNIQLO SG's food-themed tees draws flak for resemblance to local brand

Retail giant Uniqlo Singapore has drawn criticism for its latest UTme! collection, which pays tribute to the nation’s beloved local dishes.

The limited-edition series, created in collaboration with local artists Tiffany Lovage and Kenneth Seow, features designs inspired by iconic Singaporean foods such as 328 Katong Laksa, Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, chilli crab, chicken rice, and kaya butter toast. The tees are priced at S$29.90.

While many have praised the collection, some have called out striking similarities to a local brand’s earlier launch. "This is clearly a copy from Musoka Club, not cool at all," one Instagram user wrote. Similarly, Singaporean label Musoka Club accused Uniqlo of copying its "Dress code: Kopitiam edition" collection, which was launched in July 2023 to celebrate Singapore’s 58th birthday.

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Musoka Club’s collection features the same five dishes as Uniqlo’s, plus 'nasi lemak' ('coconut rice'), and retails between S$59 and S$79. The founder who identifies as Elaine told The Straits Times the resemblance was “too similar” to ignore, especially given the shared design elements such as illustrated arrows and brief food descriptions. Notably, Seow, one of the Uniqlo artists, follows Musoka Club on Instagram.

Elaine added that customers also messaged Musoka Club, confused about whether the Uniqlo collection was a collaboration with the local brand.

When MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out, a Uniqlo Singapore spokesperson said, "UNIQLO has proudly supported local since 2009, with a deep commitment to connecting meaningfully with our community. Our latest UTme! local delights collection was created in celebration of Singapore’s vibrant food culture, together with homegrown artists and beloved local food brands."

"Food has long been part of our cultural storytelling — for example, in 2017 and in 2020, we also highlighted local favourites such as chicken rice, laksa, nasi lemak, kaya toast & kopi and hotpot in our UTme! collection, as a tribute to everyday Singaporean experiences. We are aware of the recent conversations surrounding this initiative. We respect the dialogue it has sparked and remain committed to fostering open, thoughtful engagement within our creative community," the spokesperson added.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Musoka Club for a statement.

Several brands have come under fire recently for allegedly copying others’ designs. Last year, I, Robot director Alex Proyas accused Tesla co-founder Elon Musk of lifting visual elements from his 2004 sci-fi film for Tesla’s humanoid robots and self-driving vehicles. In a post on X, Proyas wrote, “Hey Musk, can I have my designs back, please,” alongside a collage comparing Tesla’s Optimus robot, Robovan, and Robotaxi to designs from the movie.

Prior to that, street artist Banksy publicly called out fashion brand Guess for allegedly using his mural in a store display without permission. Posting a photo of the Guess store in London on Instagram, Banksy urged followers to “shoplift” from the brand, accusing it of helping itself to his artwork and adding, “how can it be wrong for you to do the same to their clothes?”

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