Q & A

Dancer Marcus Tan, also known in the dance community as Marzipan, is one half of the robotic dance duo ScRach MarcS with his wife, Rachel Lee. The 33-year-old, who has been dancing for the past decade, is a sneakerhead who enjoys experimenting with colour.

How would you describe your style?

A mix of the classic and new. I'm always trying out different looks and styles, depending on my mood and the season. Recently, I was into the vintage look, with items such as T-shirts and sports jackets. I'm also into colour, especially with shoes.

When did you get interested in fashion?

When I was younger, I liked buying sneakers. But back then, I didn't have my own income, so I couldn't buy many pairs.

I started getting into fashion seriously around 2007, during a dance trip to Japan. The people there had great fashion sense and nice clothes were so easy to find, so it was eye-opening. My interest grew from there and about three years ago, I realised I had more shoes than Rachel.

Who are your favourite designers and which are your go-to brands?

I'm into Japanese and American fashion. I like brands such as Momotaro, Japan Blue and Levi's.

I don't support the fast-fashion industry, but Uniqlo is my go-to for basics. I like Brixton for hats.

For shoes, I like Asics, Nike, Adidas and a few other brands such as Saucony.

Who are your style icons?

I get most of my inspiration from looking at what people wear in magazines and videos or on the street.

But perhaps, Michael Jackson is a style hero for me. When I was growing up, he was a dance legend and was always wearing clothes that made him stand out.

What are your favourite pieces in your wardrobe?

For shoes, there is my Asics GEL-III and I have two pairs of them. They are part of a collaboration with another brand that recently closed down, so that makes them even rarer.

My first pair is especially meaningful to me because I went through a lot of trouble to get hold of them.

I purchased the shoes online from Australia, but I think the seller tried to cheat me by sending a different pair.

I ended up having to get a friend who lives in Australia to go to the seller's city to help me get the shoes.

There is also my Puma x The Weeknd noragi-inspired jacket (photo above) which I bought at Tangs for about $400 and my Uniqlo denim jacket with a graphic design on the back (photo below) that was customised by a friend.

For accessories, there's my watch, a Timex 40th Anniversary Easy Reader (photo below) that I received as a gift and my Porter x Stussy pouch bag that I got for about $75.

What are your weaknesses when it comes to shopping?

Sales, especially at Uniqlo, during which the prices of some clothes can be slashed from $60 to $5.

What is your favourite splurge piece?

My Nike Air Max 1 Premium Patta x Parry sneakers (photo below), which I have two pairs of as well.

I got my first pair brand new from a collector for about $5,000. My second pair was second-hand, for which I paid about $2,000 from another collector.

Do you regret any purchases?

Yes. I bought a really huge pair of military cargo pants without trying them on and let's just say I was swallowed by the pants.

What is your most recent fashion purchase?

A vintage Hunt Club (a former house brand of American department store JCPenney) shirt (photo below) that I got from a thrift store in Japan for about $60.

What's the best shopping or style advice you live by?

Try everything. You never know whether the style fits you and sometimes, you might surprise yourself.