Shopping for local designs in Singapore
On Aug. 9, Singapore celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding as an independent nation.
Though it essentially started as a colonial trading post, Singapore has been developed into a beacon of financial stability and excellence in urban planning and environmental initiatives. And while feats in the latter categories often play a large role in what travelers will want to see during their visit — tip: don’t miss Gardens by the Bay — it’s important to note that the cosmopolitan island nation, like many of its Asian counterparts, is a shoppers’ paradise. And a newly booming local creative scene has paved the way for a very exciting market of items visitors might not be able to find anywhere else in the world.
These are six buzzy independent shops that shine a light on the best made-in-Singapore products, from porcelain and bespoke suits to perfume and accessories. Keepers
Since debuting in September for a five-month spell on Orchard Road, Singapore’s most famous shopping boulevard, this pop-up founded by jewelry designer Carolyn Kan has returned to its temporary space and will be there through January 2016. Shoppers can pick up a camo-print canvas backpack from Gnome & Bow, an architectural rosegold ring from Marilyn Tan, sharp men’s trousers from the Do Collective and more. A Keepers satellite pop-up opened in Singapore’s Changi airport last month too, making it the perfect last-minute stop for souvenirs. Expect products from 11 brands such as Ling Wu’s sculptural handbags fashioned out of exotic skins and scented candles by A Dose of Something Good. Vitals: Orchard Green, at the corner of Cairnhill Road and Orchard Road; keepers. com.sg. Nana & Bird at K+
Georgina Koh started her quaint womenswear and children’s boutique out of her Tiong Bahru apartment before finally opening a standalone storefront in the neighborhood in 2012. Last month she moved Nana & Bird to K+, a new multi-venue curatorial space for local artists and shops near Orchard Road. Inside the warm space, women can peruse through the racks of modern Yumumu dresses and separates, which feature designer Yilin Lu’s eye for sculptural draping and eyecatching abstract prints and patterns. Vitals: Scotts Square, No. 03-03, 6 Scotts Road; nanaandbird.com. Supermama
Originally located in the Central Business District’s Seah Street, this design-obsessed shop relocated to a space inside the Singapore Art Museum last year. The mix-and-match inventory has everything from books to backpacks. For those in search of locally crafted goods, check out Supermama’s in-house collection of products that were designed by Singaporeans but made in Japan — think OneSingapore’s porcelain plates, each illustrated with one of 65 icons from all over the country, from the Singapore Sling to the three-pronged Marina Bay Sands building. Vitals: 71 Bras Basah Road; supermamastore.com. The Little Dröm Store
This colorful shop with a seemingly bottomless inventory of tchotchkes relocated inside the School of the Arts last year. Coowners Stanley Tan and Antoinette Wong are keen on providing a different look at Singaporean culture beyond the oftreferenced durian fruit or the Merlion (the half fish, half lion creature that has become the country’s mascot). Among the enticements on offer: gift-ready magnets from the owners’ Makan collection, which graphically celebrate Singapore’s popular hawker culture with retro signages advertising local specialties such as Hainanese chicken and rice or Char Kway Teow, the noodle stir fry. Vitals: 1 Zubir Said Drive, No. 02-01; thelittledromstore.com. Kevin Seah Bespoke
Kevin Seah started his career in menswear when he was 17 as an apprentice to a local tailor. More than 20 years later he still remains one of the most sought-after craftsmen when it comes to made-tomeasure and bespoke suits and shirts. His two-yearsyoung atelier in the fringes of the Singapore’s Central Business District is packed with a selection of the finest fabrics from mills from all over the world, including Vitale Barberis Canonico, Dugdale Bros & Co. and Harrisons of Edinburgh — all of them used to create the perfect smoking jacket or an elegant tuxedo. Custom neckties also can be made from the textiles. Vitals: 55B/C Boat Quay; kevinseah.com. Code Deco
After many years in the industry — including working for Unilever’s perfumery for nearly a decade — India-born nose Gauri Garodia launched her own label of fragrances in 2013 and opened the Code Deco flagship in March 2014. Largely unavailable outside Singapore (with only a handful of global points of sale), the shop is a great place to pick up a new signature scent like the earthy Marwar with its intoxicating base notes of vetiver and cedar, or the delicate and fresh Eaux de Rose. If you can’t decide on one, splurge on a collection of any six of Garodia’s perfumes in three-milliliter vials. Vitals: No. 02-22 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road; codedeco.com.sg.