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Come Down to Culture Cartel 2025 – A Celebration of Street Culture!

The booming hip-hop beats, the sting of fresh ink on skin, the rush of a limited-edition sneaker drop. Day 1 of Culture Cartel 2025 just wrapped up, and the hype was real.

Back for its fifth edition and bigger than ever, Culture Cartel 2025: ICONS Uprising has taken over Singapore EXPO for the first time, transforming 100,000 square feet into a playground for street culture. With OG legends who built the scene and rising names shaping its future, this is where the past, present, and future of street culture have come together.

With over 250 participants from 20+ countries, Culture Cartel 2025 has gathered artists, designers, musicians, tattooists, and toy collectors to provide masterclasses, panel talks, exclusive merchandise, and more. And there are still two days left to experience it all!

So if you’re still on the fence about coming down, let me tell you why it’s worth spending this weekend with Culture Cartel. Buckle up; because there’s a whole lot to unpack.

Culture Cartel 2025 Highlights

Culture Cartel 2025: Vault
These kicks are sacred.

New for 2025, the Culture Cartel Vault has quite the stash, showcasing some of the rarest and most valuable street culture artefacts from around the world that will make collectors out there weak in the knees. 

Highlights in the Vault include a never-before-seen Star Wars collection from Elim Chew, featuring a pristine 12-inch action figure line from 1978 – 1980, valued at over S$40,000. Hello Kitty fans, on the other hand, will swoon over Singapore’s largest Hello Kitty collection by Sofie Chandra, which includes a S$6,000 Hello Kitty x Louis Vuitton bag upcycled by famed designer Sheron Barber!

For streetwear heads, DJ Alex Baby brings the world’s most extensive Stüssy Tribe Jacket collection, featuring legendary pieces like the Rasta Dot, 8 Ball, and Metalheadz jackets. Meanwhile, toy collectors can geek out over 3,000 rare figurines spanning Japanese anime, superheroes, and vintage treasures from the 1960s to the 1990s, courtesy of Singapore’s punk rock pioneer Suhaimi Subandie.

Culture Cartel 2025: Stüssy Tribe Jacket collection
You have no idea how much I was yearning for these jackets…

Sit tight, there’s more! Conceptshop from Seoul presents archival Japanese streetwear from cult brands like Fragment Design, BAPE, Mastermind, and Supreme, while G-SHOCK superfan Ho Kien Meng reveals his prized collection of rare timepieces. Expect to see grails like the Frogman Mastermind – only 200 pieces of this in the world! – and the Takashi Murakami Frogman, valued at S$32,000. 

Simply put, this Vault is a street culture goldmine. So feel free to ogle all you want! 

Next, I can’t go without mentioning Culture Cartel’s biggest tattoo convention yet, bringing together over 180 tattoo artists from across Asia, Europe, and the USA. As someone who’s a blank canvas, watching the artists work live on their clients, carefully crafting their designs, was so fascinating!

Culture Cartel 2025: Tattoo Con
Somehow, I was the one squirming watching all these people get tattooed. They all looked so peaceful!

And the trophy for this year’s tattoo competition? A gothic marvel handmade by renowned Chinese artist ZHUSHI – with skeletal details, a lion statue with a golden crown, and a dramatic red beam of light that illuminates the structure! Winning this is no small feat, but with the talent gathered here, it’s going to be one tough fight.

Now for the elephant in the room – which is, in this case, the BMW M4 Competition Coupé that sits proudly at the Culture Cartel space. This is not just any M4! Performance Motors Limited (PML) has teamed up with Nicky Diamonds to create a custom car wrap, marking PML’s first bespoke wrap offering and Diamonds’ first foray into the automotive world. 

Culture Cartel 2025: Nicky Diamonds
Nicky Diamonds in the flesh!

Featuring his signature diamond emblem, the iconic Diamond Blue colourway (a nod to Diamond Supply Co.’s first shoe), and the number ‘98’ to commemorate the brand’s founding year, this car is quite the statement.

And in true Culture Cartel fashion, they didn’t just park the car at the event. No, they put it in a giant toy box – because if Culture Cartel is the collector’s paradise, this BMW M4 Competition Coupé is the holy grail! But before you start checking your bank account, I’ll save you the heartbreak – this one-of-one masterpiece is priced at S$621,888, and is exclusively available through Performance Motors.

I know many of us can’t even dream of owning this car, but don’t worry – you can still geek out about it over at the Horizon Drivers Club! They’ve touched down at Culture Cartek to bring car enthusiasts together with a lineup of supercars, classic rides, and interactive booths. As someone who’s recently started getting into cars, my curiosity was piqued! So, if you’re looking for people to yap about all things cars with, find your community here.

Culture Cartel 2025: Horizon Drivers Club
Horizon Drivers Club – Car lovers, this one’s for you!

There’s just so much to keep you entertained at this convention. I mean, I would have never expected the SGP3x3 League 2025 to bring street basketball’s fierce competition to Culture Cartel! In addition, AlphaTheta is giving you the chance to try your hand at DJing for free! And don’t miss the Mix Us Happy 2024 finals, where the top eight contestants will battle it out live at Culture Cartel 2025. 

These are just a few of the many experiences waiting for you at this year’s event! Now, let’s talk about what you can actually take home, because you can’t leave Culture Cartel empty-handed. 

And if there’s one thing you have to check out, it’s the shoes.

First up, ASICS SportStyle is debuting the GEL-KINETIC FLUENT – a brand-new silhouette – at Culture Cartel 2025. But if you’re looking for something even rarer, why not try to cop one of the 150 limited ASICS sneakers exclusively customised for Culture Cartel 2025 by MONSOON PATROL?

Culture Cartel 2025: pfiynstudio
Speaking of shoes, look closely. This dragon is made of deconstructed shoes and apparel – wild isn’t it?

Then there’s the PUMA Speedcat, a shoe that’s evolved from racing circuits to a streetwear staple. Originally designed for precision and performance, this has been making waves in fashion capitals. I’m not really into sneakers myself but I’ve been hearing (and seeing) so many people raving about this shoe!

And that’s just scratching the surface. Culture Cartel is the place to find exclusive and rare kicks – ones you won’t even see in stores. So if you’re looking for a fresh new pair, this is where you’ll find it.

Footwear not up your alley? That’s alright, there’s so much more to shop for at Culture Cartel 2025. 

The Marketspace is where the streets come alive, featuring over 10 small businesses. From vintage digital cameras to stylish watches and streetwear apparel, this curated flea market is a great way to support local vendors!

Culture Cartel 2025: David Huynh's Dollar Bill Art
Just some of David Huynh’s unbelievably pristine designs!

Then there’s Canadian TikToker David Huynh – with over 2.3 million followers thanks to his viral dollar bill art – who’s bringing his work to Singapore for the first time. His aesthetic designs transform ordinary dollar bills into pop culture pieces of art, featuring characters from The Simpsons, Batman, Rick and Morty, Spiderman, and more. And Culture Cartel attendees can get their hands on a limited 100-piece release of his creations!

For those into eyewear and statement fashion, Oakley is making a splash with a selective collection of their signature pieces, along with their exclusive collaboration with Brain Dead under the Oakley Factory Team. They’ll also be offering an exclusive sneak peek at their SS25 Apparel and Accessories list, including one that is limited collection!

Culture Cartel 2025: Pharaoh's Horses
Peep the lady in the biker jacket on the right! She’s so cool.

This booth stood out to me the most! Attendees at Culture Cartel 2025 will be the first to access Pharaoh’s Horses’ exclusive line, which features a mix of rugged but refined silhouettes and premium materials. What a fresh take on vintage culture! The jackets, in particular, caught my eye for their prints and bolder designs – a nice contrast to the minimalistic styles commonly seen elsewhere.

For my folks who love to collect cards, you gotta drop by the 1 Collectibles booth. What started as a passion project in a collector’s attic has turned into a thriving hub for sports, gaming, and entertainment card lovers. The brand is showcasing rare finds and exclusive memorabilia as well. And if you’re just getting started on your collection(s), this is the place to gain expert insights!

Culture Cartel 2025: 1 Collectibles
A small glimpse of all that 1 Collectibles has to offer!

Culture Cartel 2025 entails so much more than what I’ve talked about thus far. So, be sure to make your way down and explore every nook and cranny – because you never know when you’ll stumble upon something you fall in love with!

🗓️Date: Till 19 January 2025
📍Location:
Singapore EXPO, Hall 5, 1 Expo Dr, Singapore 486150
💲Price: 

  • General Pass (1 day pass, 1 raffle ticket, door gift for first 100 pax): S$16
  • VIP Pass (1 day pass,1 hour earlier entry, 6 raffle tickets, door gift for first 50 pax, first dips on limited edition drops and more surprises): S$50

⏰Opening Hours: 

  • 11am – 10pm (General)
  • 10am – 10pm (VIP)

*Last entry at 9pm.

Don’t waste any more time! Get your tickets on Culture Cartel’s official website and follow them on Instagram to stay in the loop for updates. Have fun!


Photos By Brendan Tan of the DANAMIC Team.

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