SINGAPORE — Uniqlo's newest fashion campaign celebrating Singapore's beloved local cuisine has stirred up unexpected backlash online, with netizens pointing out striking resemblances to designs by a small homegrown brand.

The Japanese retail giant launched its UTme! Local Delights Collection last Friday (May 23) as part of its annual Thank You Festival. This limited-edition series features graphic tees showcasing five iconic Singaporean dishes: kaya toast, chilli crab, chicken rice, laksa and bak kut teh. Priced at $29.90 each, the shirts were created in partnership with Singaporean artists Tiffany Lovage and Kenneth Seow and are exclusively available at select Uniqlo outlets including Orchard Central and Jewel Changi Airport.

However, the collection quickly drew comparisons to Musoka Club (musokaclub.com), a local independent clothing label founded by Ms Elaine (who prefers to go by her first name only). The similarities became apparent when Uniqlo began previewing the designs on Instagram last week.

"I started getting messages from customers asking if this was our collaboration with Uniqlo," Ms Elaine shared. Social media users soon flooded Uniqlo Singapore's Instagram comments section with observations about the uncanny resemblance between the two collections. One user wrote: "Imitation might be flattery but copying without credit isn't - respect original creators!"

Musoka Club had previously launched its Dress Code: Kopitiam Series in July 2023 to celebrate Singapore's 58th National Day. That collection featured nearly identical food motifs - including all five dishes highlighted by Uniqlo plus an additional nasi lemak design - on premium quality tees retailing for $59 each.

The controversy highlights growing concerns about major brands potentially overshadowing independent designers' original work in creative industries worldwide. As of press time, neither company has released official statements regarding the similarities between their respective collections.