When I heard that Secret Fresh at Ronac Art Center was to be the venue of the launch of Swatch’s recent collaboration with designer toy company Kidrobot, I thought, “Of course. That makes perfect sense.”
Secret Fresh, after all, is the store that specializes in designer toys, and was instrumental to its gaining more of a presence here in the country. They’ve even hosted a number of Kidrobot artists over the years, including some who are represented in this new collaboration with Swatch, notably Tilt.
Both Swatch Philippines and Secret Fresh dressed the place up for the event, with large versions of the Kidrobot x Swatch line in the windows; even the concrete posts of the Ronac Art Center were wrapped in tarpaulins showcasing the items and artwork of the selected artists, namely Frank Kozik, Tara McPherson, Joe Ledbetter, Tilt, Mad, Gary Baseman, Jeremyville, and SSUR.
Eight kooky, playfully designed watches of the selected Kidrobot artists were on display in nice wooden-crate-looking stands, as well as their accompanying dunnys (the signature “toy” of Kidrobot, which comes in a variety of designs).
Also on view was a ninth, exclusive watch that one can only get as a member of the Swatch Club. This exclusive bonus watch is a variant of the yellow Frank Kozik one, a milky translucent version with the dunny getting the yellow treatment. Its accompanying dunny is a bigger one, of the eight-inch variety.
Secret Fresh also had on hand a number of the very exclusive Special Sets, a complete edition of all eight watches and their respective toys, with an additional dunny for the Frank Kozik watch coming in at a whopping 20-inch edition, all encased in a serious steel carrying case. Only 300 of the Special Sets were made available to the public worldwide.
Many excited fans were there early to make sure they got the watch they wanted (or set). The first shipment almost sold out that day, but thankfully there is a new shipment out in Swatch stores today.
Look for the Kidrobot x Swatch collection at Ronac Art Center on Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills and Swatch stores in SM Megamall, Glorietta 4, Green-belt 5 and TriNoma; Swatch Kiosks in SM Mall of Asia, SM City North EDSA, SM City Davao, Glorietta 3, Rockwell Power Plant Mall, Greenhills V-Mall, Shangri-La Plaza, Robinsons Place, Ermita, Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall, Festival Mall and Ayala Center, Cebu; and hole in the wall Shops in Alabang Town Center and Ayala Marquee Mall, Angeles, Pampanga.