Against Lab

Country

Malaysia

Price

Entry

Founded

2015

Founder

Shawn Tan, Cloakwork

againstlab.com @againstlab

Against Lab was founded in Kuala Lumpur in 2015 by retailer Shawn Tan and Malaysian graffiti artist Cloakwork, joined by a marketing-side co-founder, all three pooling backgrounds in retail, illustration and brand strategy. Built around an 'all endeavour, no surrender' ethos, the label fuses local hip-hop, graffiti and street culture into graphic-led capsules and has shipped collaborations with Casio G-Shock and Tokyo sneaker boutique Atmos, including a 'Year of the Dragon' 2024 release. A decade in, Against Lab is stocked in Japan, Singapore and Taiwan, with past pop-ups in Hong Kong, making it one of Malaysia's most consistent streetwear exports.

Timeline4

2015—2022·7 yrs

2015
Founded in Kuala Lumpur
Designer Shawn Tan and graffiti artist Cloakwork launch Against Lab in Malaysia, fusing Southeast Asian graphic art with street silhouettes.
2017
Regional Recognition
Against Lab gains attention across Southeast Asia for collection drops that double as art exhibitions and zines.
2019
International Collaborations
Collaborations with brands and artists abroad expand Against Lab's reach beyond the Malaysian market.
2022
Streetwear Festival Presence
Against Lab becomes a fixture at Southeast Asian streetwear festivals and pop-ups, supporting the region's emerging scene.

2015
Founded in Kuala Lumpur
Designer Shawn Tan and graffiti artist Cloakwork launch Against Lab in Malaysia, fusing Southeast Asian graphic art with street silhouettes.
2017
Regional Recognition
Against Lab gains attention across Southeast Asia for collection drops that double as art exhibitions and zines.
2019
International Collaborations
Collaborations with brands and artists abroad expand Against Lab's reach beyond the Malaysian market.
2022
Streetwear Festival Presence
Against Lab becomes a fixture at Southeast Asian streetwear festivals and pop-ups, supporting the region's emerging scene.