Local streetwear designer makes history with IWC
SBTG’s celebrity fans include the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant, Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda and IWC’s CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr
CULT sneaker and streetwear designer Mark Ong has become the first Singaporean to create a limited edition watch strap for IWC Schaffhausen.
Ong, who also goes by the moniker Mr Sabotage and is the founder of his own sneaker customisation and streetwear label SBTG, has been a friend of the brand since last year. This marks his first creative project for them.
“I was pleasantly surprised and honoured when the local IWC team in Singapore got in touch with me,” he said. “Besides this being a huge honour, I also found it really cool that there is interest in the streetwear vibes from the luxury market.”
Ong’s foray into sneaker customisation was born when he decided to make and craft a pair for himself since he couldn’t afford the coloured ones he saw. He sold his first pair online in 2002 and the rest is history.
Celebritiy fans who have spotted SBTG sneakers over the years include the late Kobe Bryant, Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda and IWC’s chief executive officer (CEO) Christoph Grainger-Herr.
Work on the IWC x SBTG special edition strap took place over Whatsapp between Ong and IWC’s chief design officer Christian Knoop, because international borders were shut due to the pandemic.
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Knoop shared that there was “no formal brief”, but the idea was not to do another special edition watch – instead they should focus on an accessory such as the straps, closer to Ong’s creative territory.
The tiger camouflage pattern, which Ong often paints on sneakers, was picked as it is an SBTG signature.
Not only that, the military-inspired motif was a perfect fit for the IWC Pilot watches which the strap was designed for.
Made of calfskin and available in two different widths, it can be fitted on the brand’s various Pilot’s Watches such as the Big Pilot’s Watch 43, Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 and Pilot’s Watch Mark XVIII and XX.
When paired with the new range of colours in the Top Gun lineup, in particular the Woodland (Knoop’s recommendation) or Mojave Desert (Ong’s pick), the combination is a match made in heaven.
“The strap is an essential part of the watch and supports the attitude of the entire timepiece,” noted Knoop. “We have done a couple of very exclusive and bespoke straps in the past, but our project with Mark takes it to a completely new level (as his) artistic expression and his way of combining military and streetwear elements perfectly fit our idea of a contemporary interpretation of our iconic Pilot’s Watches.”
Ong shared that although this is his first time working on a watch strap, he approached it the same way he would when desiging a sneaker: “It is all about balancing the amount of pattern onto the panels without distracting the face of the watch.”
He added that the only challenge was the treatment of how to apply the pattern onto the watch strap.
Both him and Knoop tried a jacquard strap, which involves weaving the pattern with different coloured threads – much like embroidery – and fusing it with rubber strap components, but it did not pass the wear-and-tear tests.
“We then went for the sure shot – which was to print the pattern onto leather,” Ong said. “It sounds simple but the outcome is beautiful and has a premium feel to it.”
The IWC x SBTG special edition strap set is available in limited quantities on IWC.com and at IWC Singapore boutiques at ION Orchard and Marina Bay Sands.
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