Let’s face it, convenient as it might be, shopping online isn’t nearly as gratifying as heading down to the store. Especially when it comes to fashion, stepping through an entrance into a designer’s vision is part of the magic of getting something new. The fancy fixtures, the service, the smell and the feeling of it all – that and being able to try things in those suspiciously flattering mirrors. Besides, with a year spent on video calls and email, a little safely distanced saunter aren't we all doing for an experience that doesn't involve a screen? So this gift-giving season if you plan on doing your shopping the good old-fashioned way, here are 4 new stores to visit.
Salvatore Ferragamo at Takashimaya Department Store
Paul Andrew is coming up on his second year at Ferragamo and in that time he has made strides at the brand. Best known for the bow-adorned shoes many women know affectionately as the Vara, Andrew has updated the storied Italian house’s offerings with feminine new styles like the Viva that quietly updates the iconic original and the Boxyz that turned a whole new generation to the brand. At the Takashimaya store, that vision comes full circle. Rounder, less aggressive lines and an airier layout are punctuated with pink and teal velour that’ll resonate with the brand’s youthful new audience.
Available at Salvatore Ferragamo, Level 2, Takashimaya Shopping Centre.
Burberry at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Since taking the reigns, creative director Riccardo Tisci has brought a subversive edge to the house with collections that have continued to reinvent the storied British house in daring new ways with some of the most coveted accessories like the Pocket and TB bags. It is only fitting then, that the brand’s largest boutique here reflects that same vision of modern luxury. The oversized checked facade has given way to a clean marble and metal exterior and inside the contrast of wood, pastel velvet and mirrored surfaces reflect the same aesthetic tension his collections champion.
Available at Burberry, #B1- 103 & B2-78, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
Casa Loewe at Ion Orchard
The first of its kind in Southeast Asia, the flagship Loewe location is part retail experience, part gallery. The space is peppered with the work of nine international artist and designers ranging from a hand-dyed tapestry from textile artist Josh Faught to armchairs from Jerrit Thomas, creating a sense of discovery as you make your way through the different sections, offering a peek into the poetically random way that creative director Jonathan Anderson’s mind works.
Available at Casa Loewe, #01-11A/12, ION Orchard.
Alexander McQueen at Ion Orchard
Its third store here, Alexander McQueen unveiled their Ion Orchard boutique back in September designed by creative director Sarah Burton in collaboration with the Chilean architect Smiljan Radic. A coming together of the geometric and organic, the space plays with light and dark wood that illustrate the symbiosis of opposites central to the brand’s D.N.A. capped off with a cotton-based paper mache cladding developed specially for the space. The effect is one of warmth, with an almost intangible feeling of familiarity.
Available at Alexander McQueen, #01-09, ION Orchard.
