Window-shopping in Singapore
There is no stopping summer or at least in the collections I’ve seen on the store windows in Singapore’s hot shopping destinations. Summer trends adorned the window displays from vibrant colors to playful details, subtle nudes, modern crafts, reinvented ’70s, Asian revisited, and animal prints. There’s plenty to get you into the summer vibe.
Singapore is practically infiltrated with designer boutiques and mega malls from Toa Payoh to Tampines and Boon Lay to Bedok. But the best place to start your shopping experience is definitely Orchard Road — the city’s most famous and premier shopping district.
For Singapore, it is always an ongoing desire to better the city. It has changed so much that I no longer recognize some parts of the city since I last lived there in the ’90s. It is one of the rare cities I know where you can find the same luxury brand just on the next establishment. It’s amazing how they survive and thrive. The 2.6-kilometer stretch has been transformed to a grand retail promenade featuring more than 20 malls with 800,000 square meters of shopping, dining and entertainment. Name a global fashion brand and it is certainly there.
“The quality is remembered while the price is forgotten,” Aldo Gucci at Gucci’s window A new addition to the many malls worth visiting is the complex encased in futuristic glass, ION Orchard. Opened in 2009, it is the Lion city’s first multi-sensory experiential shopping and lifestyle mall covering 59,500 square meters. Six duplex flagship stores of Prada, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana and Giorgio Armani are located at the prime street frontage of the development. Eleven-meter display windows presented the latest season’s must-haves and what a delightful window-shopping experience it was! Four of its eight floors are underground with subterranean arcades linking directly to Wheelock Place, Scotts, Tangs and Wisma Atria. During my visit, an exhibit of flowers formed in fashion’s accessories from bags to shoes welcomed the arrival of summer.
Further along the road, before the junction with Claymore Road is another luxury shopping retreat — Palais Renaissance. Then head towards the Somerset MRT station to visit the established 12-year-old Paragon, which just had a SGD45 million facelift in 2009. The new popped-out boxed glass facade features Prada, Miu Miu, Salvatore Ferragamo, Jimmy Choo, Coach and Gucci.
Italian flare at Marni, Paragon Further along the road, you will come across the newest developments. Mandarin Gallery, which just opened in January, showcases the street-chic collections of Emporio Armani, Y-3, Just Cavalli, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Boss Orange. While Orchard Central, by the junction of Killiney Road is for the young and young at heart with a glowing digital art membrane designed by local artist Matthew Ngui and upbeat soundtrack that rocks the outdoor pavement. Experience its unique million-dollar art trail installation and the world’s tallest indoor Via Ferrata climbing wall.
Then for the high-street enthusiasts, feast in the brands, Uniqlo, Forever 21, and Cotton On at 311 Somerset.
Summer prints at Just Cavalli, Mandarin Gallery Beyond Orchard, you must not miss the newest luxury retail and restaurant development, The Shoppes at the Marina Bay Sands at the Marina Bay waterfront. Covering almost 74,000 square meters, it showcases almost every luxury brands including Bulgari, Tiffany & Co., De Beers, Richard Mille, Hublot and Manolo Blahnik. The Marina Bay Sands complex, situated in the heart of the city’s business district, is a must-see. Three skyscrapers topped with a platform overlooking Singapore’s bay area, directly across the historic Fullerton hotel and durian design Esplanade theatres, opened in stages this year and 2010. The structural masterpiece has redefined the city’s skyline. The complex is centered around the Marina Bay Sands Casino with the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the shopping mall, the arts and science museum, and celebrity restaurants from Mario Batali’s Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza, which I had the chance to sample — any chance I get to flaunt Filipino talent, I seize — Filipina executive chef Karla Mendoza’s dishes at the pizzeria), Daniel Boulud’s DB Bistro Moderne, Testsuya Wakuda’s Waku Ghin, and Cut by Wolfgang Puck are more than enough to make your mouth water. The SkyPark on the 57th floor offers a 360-degree view of Singapore’s skyline. Opened during the F1 night race in 2010, Ku Dé Ta was voted one of the top 10 global hotspots by the New York Times. This 14,500 square feet venue features separate yet integrated outlets from a team of chefs, mixologists, sommeliers and DJs creating a restaurant, a bar, a club lounge and a poolside terrace. It is an experience all on its own.
Moschino’s whimsical take on fashion at Paragon I can never get enough of delectable food but enough of food for now. Let me go back to window-shopping! Get inspiration from the latest displays. I saw zesty and Crayola colors all over the place. Even classic bags got a splash of color this season. Infuse color to your basics or color block to get a quick of-the moment fix. Anything in stripes is also a fast summer update. The ’70s vibe was channeled in modern flares and gold details and accessories. Wedges are a girl’s summer best friends. Stay tall without the pain. Breathe easy this summer with relaxed looks like tunics over skirts.
It is difficult to be optimistic with all that has been happening around us but if just to escape and have all-things-beautiful — fashion is the answer. The season’s latest collections are happy, playful, light-hearted, youthful and vibrant.
Prada’s whimsical monkey print and stripes at ION Orchard * * *
Send queries and suggestions to jo@joyceorena.com or follow me on twitter.com/joyceorena.
ION Orchard welcomes summer with fashion accessories made with flowers
