Retail Scene for Concept Store in Singapore 2011

DE1216 Fashion Management Studio Research Project

Teo Jia En Name FM4A / 12565 Class / ID No. Goh Ling Ling Lecturer 2011 LASALLE College of the Arts Faculty of Fine Arts Singapore

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Retail scene in Singapore

The retail industry is highly visible, and a very key part of our economy.

It shapes the environment where Singaporeans live, work and play. In year 2008, the retail industry始s 20,000 establishments generated about $35 billion in retail sales and employed some 100,000 workers.

Singapore has a very cosmopolitan retail scene. According to a study by CB Richard Ellis, Singapore (16th) was one of the few Asian countries among the world始s top 20 to have a significant proportion of international retailers in their retail sectors. Over the past few years, established global brands like Sephora, Uniqlo and TM Lewin, have set up identity stores in Singapore.

These new brands, add to our many growing local brands, and with the opening of new malls like Orchard Central and ION Orchard, as well as the upcoming Marina Bay Sands, have evoked much excitement and affirmed Singapore始s position as a vibrant shopping paradise for locals and tourists alike.

Successful Local Multi-label Concept Stores: Blackmarket No. 2 & Surrender

In recent years multi-label boutiques have increased in Singapore. Retailers are seeing the necessity to make shopping a sensory experience rather than just merely purchasing items. From my research, I have selected two successful multi-label boutiques, Blackmarket and Surrender for discussion.

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Figure1: Snapshots of the Interior of Blackmarket No. 2

Blackmarket No.2 is a multi-label concept store founded by Jasmine Tuan.

Located at new shopping mall, Orchard Central, the store has a very strong individualistic and rebellious concept that runs through from its name, selection of products and dĂŠcor. The name conveys rebelliousness as Blackmarket implies a place where illegal goods are sold. The products sold are a curated collection that is generally in black, which suits the dark and macabre theme and highly stylized with irregular cuts and styles. The dĂŠcor of the store includes concrete flooring, bare stripped wooden furnishing, metal fencing on walls, drop light bulb lighting and a fake skeletal figure to boot, evoking the daredevil nature of the store. Customers will find delight in exploring the products on the racks and wooden crates and the collection includes a huge part of local and regional upcoming new and edgy designer brands.

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Figure 2: Surrender Store Interior

Surrender is a multi-label store catered for men. Located at the Raffles始 Arcade, the store founded by Earn, used to collaborate with Ambush that sells young and more vibrant designs but came out to start a store that serves preppy and stylish young men. The name Surrender implies an attitude of taking life easy, which conveys the luxury of being carefree. This attitude is conveyed through the products such as the shirts, pants and shoes that toe more on the line of spiffy casual wear rather than corporate wear. The store also offers scented candles and a range of facial cleansing products. The d茅cor of the store includes an antique cashier booth that was imported from a hotel in Europe, deer heads, antique museum display casing and wooden flooring which conveys a timeless and classic look. Customers will be easily at ease in exploring the store始s selection of preppy yet functional products.

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Successful International Multi Label Concept Stores: Park Wien & Podium Moscow

Figure 3: Park, Wien Store Interior

Park, Wien is possibly the starkest concept store in Europe, Park offers 50sqm of contemporary design on two floors designed by the architects SPACE+. The white walled, floored, curtained and coat-hangered store focuses primarily on ready-to-wear and accessories, by up-and-coming designers as well as the established houses. They also offer art books, fiction, magazines and periodicals. All the typically represented concept store brands are at Park: Hussein Chalayan, Haider Ackermann, Ann Demeulemeester and Peter Pilotto to name a few, but it is the small and thoughtful details that differentiates Park, such as the inclusion of book recommendations from the designers they carry to offer an extra level of personal insight.

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Figure 4: Podium, Moscow Store Interior

Podium, Moscow. From its first concept boutique launched in 1994, the Podium brand now operates 28 stores across its Concept, Jewellery, Sport, Home Interiors and Vintage brands. Operating in Moscow City as well as Paris, Kiev and Saint Petersburg, the company now employs over 1300 people.

The Moscow flagship occupies five floors in a historic building in the heart of the city, a self-described blend of fashion, luxurious jewellery, outstanding interior design objects, exclusive cosmetics and perfumery and rare art and fashion books. Each Podium store is designed specifically for the building and area, with a carefully curated selection of merchandise to suit the location and brand, achieved through a very selective approach to building its brand portfolio. Despite the selective nature the company now represents and sells over 350 premium brands.

Word Count: 760

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References Lee, Y.S., 2009. Raising the Standards of Singapore始s Retail Sector, Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore, [Online]. 8 September 2009. Available at: http://app.mti.gov.sg/default.asp?id=148&articleID=19781 [Accessed 29 March 2011] Doran, S., 2006. 11 Must Know Concept Stores Europe, Luxury Society, [Online]. 6 January 2011. Available at: http://luxurysociety.com/articles/2011/01/11-must-know-concept-storeseurope [Accessed 8 February 2011] Image References Figure1: Snapshots of the Interior of Blackmarket No. 2 [Online] Available at: http://dope.sg/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Screen-shot2011-01-26-at-PM-01.14.04.png [Accessed 12 April 2011] Figure 2: Surrender Store Interior [Online] Available at: http://www.highsnobiety.com/news/2010/06/12/surrender-relaunches-atraffles-hotel-arcade/ [Accessed 12 April 2011] Figure 3: Park, Wien Store Interior [Online] Available at: http://luxurysociety.com/articles/2011/01/11-must-knowconcept-stores-europe [Accessed 8 February 2011] Figure 4: Podium, Moscow Store Interior [Online] Available at: http://luxurysociety.com/articles/2011/01/11-must-knowconcept-stores-europe [Accessed 8 February 2011]