Orchard Road, with greater than 20 shopping centers on a 2.3-mile strip, remains to be a shopping destination in its own right, but for anyone wanting to discover small, independent brands, local shopping options were scattered at best – until the disclosing of Design Orchard in January 2019, with the official opening happening just last month.
According to FAR, The three-in-one concrete and glass complex on the corner of Orchard and Cairnhill Roads offers a self-proclaimed “integrated retail concept”: the primary floor is home to a showcase of over 60 Singaporean brands, curated by local retailer Naiise (pronounced “nice”), covering fashion , accessories, cosmetics and lifestyle products.
A second-level fashion/coworking incubator, Cocoon Space has a material library, pattern cutting tables and overlock sewing machines. The rooftop public garden offers stunning views of Orchard Road with an amphitheater and various lounge spaces for fashion shows, live shows and pop-up markets. During Active Fashion Week, basic yoga and barre classes were held on the rooftop garden.
Design Orchard is a three way partnership between the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), JTC Corporation and Enterprise Singapore to showcase homegrown brands and nurture local talent. It recently unveiled coworking and networking spaces on the upper floors.
As reported Harper’s Bazaar in SingaporeDesign Orchard is a coworking space, studio and state-of-the-art facilities and specialized rooms for designers and firms to conduct workshops, conferences and events.
