What happens when two different entities separated by craft and geographical boundaries come together to create a collection grounded in commonalities?

The answer might be something like Common Frequencies, a collaboration between Indonesian footwear brand Hijack Sandals and Singaporean music-centric bar Offtrack released on February 28, 2023.

The idea for Common Frequencies came from the brands’ very own shared qualities. Despite coming from different borders and industries, some parallels exist between the two: the love of music, the Southeast Asian identity, and the drive to build communities in their respective turfs—Hijack Sandals aims to play a role in sustaining Indonesia’s sandal culture, while Offtrack seeks to help revitalize Singapore’s local music scene. This collection is a statement that commonalities can be an excellent impetus for groups and individuals to join forces, enrich each other’s perspectives, and create more things for all to enjoy.

Manic Offtrack Phthalo

Manic Offtrack Blach

Swift Offtrack Phthalo

Swift Offtrack Blach

Offtrack Apron

The collection comprises two pairs of Manic—a slip-on silhouette—dipped in Offtrack’s signature orange shade and Hijack’s phthalo blue. One pair is unmistakably vibrant—bright orange soles sit below blue uppers, with an orange cord passing through a magnetic FIDLOCK®️ hook. In contrast, the other pair is doused in black, save for a blue border line with orange stitching as an accent. As a final touch, every sandal is topped off with an Offtrack enamel pin on the front strap. Also included in the collection are limited-edition socks in two colorways, and an apron exclusively made for the Offtrack team.

Thanks to the collaboration, we had a chance to talk with Offtrack’s cofounder, DJ and architect Dean Chew, who shared his perspective on various things close to his heart—insights brewed over years of faithfully following his own creative instinct—from applying a way of thinking across disciplines and balancing your idealism, to embracing failures and doing what excites you in life. The conversation is put into a new episode of Expanded Perspective, which you can watch below. If you’re embarking on your own creative journey, this one will definitely give you a little boost in spirit.

On Friday night, March 10, 2023, our fun-loving creatives at Living Society Media hosted a showcase event at our Bandung store to commemorate the launch of Common Frequencies. The event features various installations, live DJ sets, selected vinyl records by PFA and the release of Living Society Media’s first-ever printed zine—also a milestone worth celebrating!

Finally, on Thursday night, March 16, 2023, we threw an intimate launch party at Offtrack featuring a joint lineup of DJs and live sets from Hijack Sandals and Dean Chew’s record label Darker Than Wax. On the deck was our creative director Tomy Herseta and our visual producer Ovan Mustofa, along with DTW’s Daryl Knows. Watch the recap of the fun night below!