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FOR LOCAL TALENTKEEPERS The only freestanding

boutique on the main Orchard Road,

this is a beacon for fresh Singaporean

creativity. You will find an impressive

edit of the city’s labels here, including

socially conscious clothing from

Matter, Carrie K’s playful statement

jewellery and hand-poured scented

candles from A Dose of Something

Good. The shop hosts artists in residence

and events such as workshops and

performances throughout the year.

Look out for the new Keepers pop-up

at Changi Airport. 230 Orchard Road

(www.keepers.com.sg)

It’s di�cult not to be blind-sided by the shiny-bright façades of Orchard Road, where the most heavyweight, high-end international designers have set up shop. But past all these twinkly lights a crop of collectives championing home-grown brands are uniting in their fight against sky-high rents and elbowing their way in. Elsewhere in town, the enclaves of Little India, Chinatown and Arab Street lure shoppers with their curious antiques, carpet bazaars and intricate textiles.

MYTHOLOGY Located in a beautiful

old Chinese shophouse, this destination

store was created by the very well-

travelled Apsara Oswal who has

brought together under-the-radar

labels from all around Asia. Pick up

a piece of ‘wearable art’ made by

Singaporean Lionel Low, a designer

the store supported by funding his first

capsule collection. Hand-perforated

suede jackets from Balinese brand Off

Duty share rails with contemporary

batik dresses by Kuala Lumpur-based

Fern and beautiful tie-dyed silk kaftans

from Indian brand Lailah Collection.

88 Club Street (www.my-thology.com) �

The New Majestic Hotel lobby, clothes at Keepers, below, and Books

Actually, left. Opposite, Fred Lives Here furniture shop at Pact

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70 Condé Nast Traveller January 2016

ATELIER ONG SHUNMUGAM Taking the surnames from her Chinese

mother and Indian father, Priscilla

Shunmugam has created a modern

Singaporean label fiercely proud of

its heritage. She originally made her

mark on the city’s fashion scene by

reintroducing a contemporary version

of the Chinese cheongsam dress,

and her pieces weave in stories from

history, picking up influences from

Japanese kimonos and Indonesian batik

with a nod towards the fading Singapore

Peranakan culture. 16 Raffles Quay

B1-36, Hong Leong Building (www.

ongshunmugam.com)

THE CONCEPT STOREPACT A group of like-minded lifestyle

brands have huddled together under

one roof to create a space with a clever

retail mix. Book yourself in for a haircut

at Pact+Lim, browse gorgeous design

products at SPUR Hauswerks, choose

semi-precious stones from jeweller Killari,

and sniff the concoctions of perfumers

Code Deco in a glass conservatory beside

the kawaii-style manicure stand. The big

draw is the outpost of Kilo restaurant,

serving seafood cerviche and sake-butter

ravioli alongside its signature Mojitos. 181

Orchard Road, 02–14-23 Orchard Central

FOR BOOKS

KINOKUNIYA When it opened in 1983,

this shop initially sold books to Singapore’s

large Japanese community. These days, the

shelves are still heaving with colourful

manga titles, but they now sit alongside

American graphic novels and DC comics.

The store is especially focused on the

latter genre, hosting comic-related meet-

the-author sessions for customers. It’s a

treasure trove for discovering hard-to-find

Clockwise from above: a display at Mythology; a dictionary at Keepers; jewellery cabinets, ceramics and candles at Keepers.

Opposite, from top: the living room at the New Majestic Hotel in Chinatown; jewellery at Pact

STEVE KING, EDITOR AT LARGE, DREAMS ABOUT SANDY ISLAND, QUEENSLAND. IT APPEARED ON A MAP IN 1872 BUT IN 2012 IT WAS FOUND NEVER TO HAVE EXISTED

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ISLAND STYLE

publications, with stock ranging from

Chinese and local literature to music

scores, and fine-art and history books.

391 Orchard Road, Takashimaya Shopping

Centre (www.kinokuniya.com.sg)

BOOKS ACTUALLY Yong Siak Street,

now a hub for independent cafés and

boutiques, is also home to Kenny Leck’s

enchanting bookshop. He carefully

assembles a range of titles from poetry

to art, mixed with cookbooks and

independent magazines. Supporting the

neighbourhood literary scene is the

in-house publisher Math Paper Press,

which promotes young writers and

photographers. Venture to the back of

the shop to find handmade stationery

and vintage bric-a-brac souvenirs. 9 Yong

Siak Street (www.booksactually.com)

FOR INTERIORS

ORIGINALS Australian Geri Murphy

brings a fresh twist to Singaporean

homeware with her unique finds from

India and Indonesia. She sources carved

wooden Javanese-style day-beds made

from old houses, bright-blue cabinets

from Rajasthan, bamboo lanterns,

African baskets and dip-dyed linen

throws, all as lovely as they are unusual.

896 Dunearn Road, 02-03 Sime Darby

Centre (www.originals.com.sg)

JUNKIE’S CORNER This place is an

Aladdin’s cave of collectibles. Head

down an overgrown track near the Turf

Club to a huge, tired-looking warehouse

stuffed to the gills with well-priced

antiques. Allow at least an hour to search

through the layers of marble-topped

tables, Chinese vases, Seventies jukeboxes

and apothecary cabinets. Bring cash and

prepare to haggle hard with owner Uncle

Charlie. 2 Turf Club Road

BAO YUAN TRADING Hidden behind

the stalls of cheap tourist tat on Temple

Street is a row of kitchenware shops

selling the best selection of Chinese

porcelain in town. Come here to stock

your cupboards with blue fish rice bowls,

brightly coloured vases and traditional

tea sets. Old but not strictly antique, the

collection includes one-off pieces such

as squid-shaped chopstick rests and little

snail napkin holders with prices starting

at just a few dollars. 15 Temple Street

FOR STAYING OVERNEW MAJESTIC HOTEL This quirky

boutique hotel is centrally located in a

heritage building in buzzing Chinatown.

The garden room is the one to book,

with its own private verandah and a

vintage cast-iron outdoor bathtub.

Collaborations with local artists and

installations from nearby galleries are

displayed in the lobby. 31 Bukit Pasoh

Road (www.newmajestichotel.com).

Doubles from about £130

Local know-how

‘Singapore is a young, fast-growing,

multicultural city and what’s so

interesting right now is the tension

between old and new. I love Tekka Market. I’ll go there to have a roti

prata for breakfast and shop for food.

You’ll find the most amazing curry

pastes and powders, and there’s an

uncle and auntie who only sell freshly

grated coconut – they’ve been doing

it for more than 40 years. By contrast,

my neighbourhood, Everton Park,

has become more gentrified, with

independent cafés such as Nylon Co�ee Roasters, The Provisions

Shop and Strangers’ Reunion. The

co�ee shop embodies Singapore

– whether you go for kaya toast and

soft-boiled egg, kopi-o (co�ee) or

teh-o (tea) – no matter who you are

and what your station in life, everyone

meets and mingles there. It’s a place

for conversation. Jalan Besar is a

great area to walk around. The General Co sells good espressos and

upstairs is a little craft store that also

runs workshops. Visit Windowsill Pies for its delicious fig and rhubarb-

vodka tarts.’ www.matterprints.com

Renyung Ho FOUNDER OF FASHION

LABEL MATTER

PAULA ELLIS, DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR, ADORES THE BEAUTY OF GREAT BARRIER ISLAND, NORTH OF AUCKLAND, WHERE THE ETHOS IS ‘NO SHIRT, NO SHOES, NO WORRIES’

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