Top 30 Instagrammable Stores In Singapore These days, store design is all about creating spaces deemed ‘Instagrammable’ to capture the attention of Millennials. Need some inspiration? Take a look at our favourite Instagram-worthy stores in Singapore from Jewel Changi, Orchard Road and Dempsey Road to the CBD, Chinatown, Tiong Bahru, Bugis and the City Hall region. JEWEL CHANGI 1. Apple Jewel Store The 8m-high curved glass façade makes an impressive entrance against the Jewel Vortex waterfall. Up your IG game with “The Magic of Jewel Photo Walk”, a photography workshop where Apple staff impart invaluable tips and tricks for your Apple iPhone, one of the 200 products on display in this sprawling customer experience center. Address: 78 Airport Boulevard 2. Durasport Jewel Store A quick glance at Durasport’s façade will leave shoppers awed — the spacious ultra-performance sports store is wrapped in high-grade stainless steel, made to appear as if in dynamic motion. Think a scene straight out of Star Wars’ revolutionary battleships, with segments that provide hands-on experiential zones via simulators for serious cyclists, skiers, climbers, and triathletes. This allows shoppers to test the various sportswear or equipment before making a decision to purchase. Address: Jewel Changi, 78 Airport Boulevard 3. Skechers Jewel Store The 5,000 squarefeet duplex store’s interior has been designed with an overall modern and sleek look, achieved through the use of bright lighting, neon signage against cement panels. This store also offers a range of exclusive shoes for customization. Address: Jewel Changi, 78 Airport Boulevard 4. Pokemon Center Singapore At the Pokemon Center Singapore, water-type Pokemon were chosen to decorate the store as Singapore is an island surrounded by water. Therefore, greeting you at the entrance is a Lapras being ridden by Pikachu and head to the back to view a Gyarados doing the “Merlion”. These make fun photo spots within the store. Address: Jewel Changi, 78 Airport Boulevard 5. Naiise Iconic Jewel Store Spanning almost 9,500 square-feet across its twostorey space, Naiise Iconic truly brings together local collaboration, retail technology, and unique experiences including a tea-bar and cafe that customers can only get in-store. Address: Jewel Changi, 78 Airport Boulevard 6. Make Hero A new “affordable luxury” Japanese skincare and cosmetics concept store, Make Hero is thoughtfully divided into dedicated skincare, haircare and perfume sections for customers to test the samples available. The hip pink facade and feminine interior also make this an Insta-worthy shop. Address: Jewel Changi, 78 Airport Boulevard ORCHARD/DEMPSEY 7. Dover Street Market The multi-label store – the fourth in the world after London, Tokyo and New York – stocks 25 designer brands that range from Comme des Garçons and Anti Social Social Club to Céline and The Row. Housed in a converted army barracks with high ceilings, black cagelike grills as racks, and a colorful ‘cashier’ hut, customers would be forgiven if theymistake this for an art gallery. Address: Block 18, 18 Dempsey Road 8. Siri House A new multi-concept space that is equal parts design showroom, restaurant/bar and retail nook. It’s certainly swanky, with a touch of island life vibes from the foliage wallpaper motifs and wooden wardrobes stocked full of trinkets. The creativity extends to Siri House’s Art Space, which will showcase new exhibitions every quarter. Address: Block 8D, Dempsey Road 9. Chez vous Hideaway An experiential space where people can relax, have fun, and of course, take a load of pictures in the 1,800 square-feet salon which holds seven different Instagrammable zones. Address: Ngee Ann City Tower B, 391b Orchard Road 10. Reebok Vector Club Reebok just opened their newest flagship store at Orchard Central. For the first time in Singapore, you’ll be able to find their line of classic apparel in their new Vector Sport concept store – perfect for both hypebeasts and sportswear enthusiasts alike. Address: Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road 11. Sephora Takashimaya Sephora Takashimaya is the first store in Southeast Asia to offer Skincredible, a skincare consultation service that helps you determine your skin needs and the “Fragrance Boutique” concept. The ceiling to floor screens with extravagant videos of people having fun with all things beauty also make great IG Story moments. Address: Takashimaya Shopping Centre, 391 Orchard Road 12. Surrender Store This independently owned, single-location store is one of the hippest shopping destinations in Singapore. Hard-edged galleristas, unabashed runway worshippers, and cool kids come here for trendsetting designers from Asia, Europe, and beyond. Address: 268 Orchard Road CBD/CHINATOWN/TIONG BAHRU 13. Gentle Monster The Marina Bay Sands store, like its ION counterpart, contains a series of abstract installations that are futuristic and fascinating. Address: 2 Orchard Turn 14. Oplus Oplus is the first locally grown single label eyewear brand with a true manufacturing background. To showcase their ethos of “minimalist in its designs but maximalist in its craftsmanship”, the goldtinged boutique baths in light and sleekdisplay cases. Address: 6A Shenton Way 15. Monument Lifestyle Store & Cafe Monument Lifestyle brings together two of the best things in life under one roof – shopping and eating. Currently, the store carries retail products from carefully curated brands for men only. Address: 75 Duxton Road 16. The Social Space The decor, with its long rustic wood table and rattan furniture, gives us instant Bali vibes – not to mention the killer smoothie bowls you’d expect to be slurping in Seminyak. The retail aspect of The Social Space showcases beautiful pieces by businesses with an ethical or environmental purpose, and social enterprises. With its ethical boutique, refill station and a social enterprise nail salon on the way, The Social Space is so much more than just a beautiful new cafe. Address: 333 Kreta Ayer Road 17. Straits Clan Straits Clan aims to facilitate cross-pollination between professionalsfrom a wide range of industries, and it does so in great style. With its welcoming atmosphere captured in a palette of onyx, concrete, rattan and lush tropical greenery that effortlessly ties in with the neighborhood, members are warmly invited into this beautiful, calming space. Address: 31 Bukit Pasoh Road 18. White Label Records Settling into the swish neighbourhood of Ann Siang Hill, White Label Records is a hip record store by day and trendy bar by night. The stylish space is also the perfect hangout for music enthusiasts to kick back and relax over some food and drinks, browse through an endless list of records and catch popular DJs in action. Address: 28 Ann Siang Road 19. Cat Socrates An unorthodox, catfriendly retail store, Cat Socrates is a cozy, endearing Indie lifestyle store with various books, accessories, apparels and art from local artists and designers. With its warm and inviting atmosphere and unique interior, it’s a perfect place to snap a photo which shows off your love for your furry felines! Address: 78 Yong Siak Street 20. Calla Lily A lush and intimate space designed to reflect the personalised service provided at Calla Lily. The feminine design really speaks to the personality of the brand inspired by gem setting. The boutique uses contrasting textures and flexible furniture in blush palette that make the space Insta-worthy. Address: 56 Eng Hoon Street 21. Books Actually Housing the largest collection of Singapore publications, English literature books as well as trinkets and stationery, Books Actually is a unique vintage quaint bookshop with a relaxing atmosphere. A favorite place amongst avid readers to snap a “inspo” quote for their Instagram feed. Address: 9 Yong Siak Street BUGIS/CITY HALL 22. Raffles Boutique Previously known as the Raffles Gift Shop, the new Raffles Boutique takes its place at the restored Raffles Arcade featuring a brand new retail concept. Shoppers will be able to enjoy a cuppa and homemade pastries at the refreshed Ah Teng’s Cafe while browsing well loved souvenirs and gourmet products that are set amidst a heritage gallery that showcases the illustrious heritage of Raffles Singapore. Address: 3 Seah Street 23. Gallery & Co. Retail and gift shops located within a museum are hardly eye-catching, but Gallery & Co. defies that norm – A concept store set up by renowned names such as Unlisted Collection, Foreign Policy Design, and Luxasia, Gallery and Co. carries unconventional tote bags, stationery, and art from collaborations by Southeast Asian and International artists. Address: National Gallery, 1 St Andrew’s Road 24. Lee Hwa Jewel Space A new experiential boutique, modelled after that of an art gallery, aiming to connect with the millennial shoppers. Customers can spend their day in the boutique browsing the products, learning more about jewellery and creating bespoke pieces at a workshop. Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard 25. Love, Bonito Love, Bonito’s third and largest store at the newly-reopened Funan mall is a feminine and fun retail wonderland that encourages you to touch, feel, play and take lots of photos. Fresh as a peach is the entrance of the new store, with lots of peachy-cute curves and a modern-retro vibe. Lots of space to breathe in all the fast fashion goodness, and also queue up to pay for your purchases. Address: Funan, 107 North Bridge Road 26. Tong Tong The Tong Tong shop is a darling little corner in Shaw Towers – shoppers can’t help but notice this mysterious looking tunnel that directs you to places unknown. The interior of the shop has retro tiles and speckled with vintage Chinese memorabilia. Address: 100 Beach Road 27. Supermama Store Supermama works closely with many design/art studios in Singapore and traditional craft facilities in Japan to produce meaningful “omiyage” (contemporary giftware) that represents the Singapore culture. Using culture as a context to design, Supermama delves into the fine line between cultural artefacts, everyday objects and the concept of basic luxury – that everyone can own a piece of heritage. Address: 265 Beach Road 28. Aesop No retail guide would be complete without including an Aesop store as a designated stop. Inspired by Singapore’s rich maritime history, Aesop Raffles City is an intriguing mix of modern design and nautical tradition. From the two-toned palette to the slick finishes, you are stepping into a slice of history from the moment you cross the door. Address: Raffles City Shopping Centre, 1 Harbourfront Walk 29. Sifr Aromatic Store Unlike most perfume shops and perfume counters in malls, there will be no “assault of the senses” when shoppers enter. It’s a VM treat with midnight blue wall, solid wood fixtures, literary quotes and books on the shelves. The vintage-style French perfume bottles, Egyptian glass vials, miniature trees which upon a close look were stands to hang aroma pendants, and the rows and rows of perfumes, complete this multi-sensory store. Address: 42 Arab Street 30. Kapok NDC Store Located on the ground floor of the National Design Centre (NDC), it is a perfect place to indulge yourself in good design. The new cafe area extends to the serene courtyard, overlooking the classic architecture of the historic St. Joseph’s church. The full-fledged lifestyle retail concept spanning 2,300 squarefeet space, will showcase over 100 labels from international and Asian brands, of which Singapore-based labels will take up a quarter mix. Address: National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road This article is based on the session, ‘Store Design for an Instagrammable Age’ presented by greater group’s Asia Design Director, Nina Miranti, at the Singapore Retail Industry Conference & Exhibition 2019. The free guide, ‘Top 30 Instagrammable Stores in Singapore’, can be downloaded here. Download your free guide here! Read More
Store Design And Instagrammable Age: Inside The Mind Of The Millennial Shoppers In its 28th edition, the Singapore Retail Industry Conference & Exhibition has consistently delivered practical information, proven techniques and ground-breaking ideas that address hot topics and the latest strategies in the world of retail. This year, I had the honour to join over 500 other industry experts and professionals to present my insights on “Store Design for an Instagrammable Age”. In today’s fast-changing retail landscape, “Instagrammable moments” are now part of many retail design briefs, where clients are requesting myself and my team to consider social media platforms when designing retail projects. I attribute this growing retail trend to the “Millennial moment”, the coming of age of the world’s two billion Millennials who with a combined spending power of $2.5 trillion, show no sign of slowing down. Their shopping habits can be a deciding factor in what makes or breaks the success and longevity of retail models. Retailers must be able to connect with this generation through the right shopping experiences and unique products if they want to capture the attention of the millennial shopper. During my presentation, I shared with the audience what influences Millennials to purchase and what businesses can do to meet their tastes and expectations from a retail store design perspective. IN THIS ARTICLE • Who are the Millennials?• Why is it important for brands to capture Millennials?• How to capture the Millennial market?• 5 key elements to incorporate into store design WHO ARE THE MILLENNIALS? Born between 1980 and 2000, the Millennials are aged around 19 to 40 years, overtaking Baby Boomers as the largest age demographic with a current population of 80 million in the US. The younger, equally digitally-driven generation of Gen Z comes in second. Shifting the focus to Asia Pacific, an estimated 60% of the world’s Millennial population resides here, comprising about one quarter of the total Asian population. In Singapore, Millennials make up 22% of the overall population. Millennials are experience-driven and are much more inclined to spend their money on unique and memorable events than any other generation. Their shopping-decisions are based on emotional needs, valuing products that make them feel good as opposed to the preceding Baby Boomers and Gen X who place greater value on quantity and numerically measurable wealth. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR BRANDS TO CAPTURE MILLENNIALS? While it is commonly and stereotypically generalised that this generation’s world orbits around their smartphones, stats show that half of Millennials still favour shopping in-store. Shopping habits have started falling into the two categories of wants and needs, where ‘wants’ refer to experiences rather than possessions, blurring the lines between transaction and engaging customer experience. With more than half a million ‘influencers’ active on Instagram, the predominant influencer culture among the digital community has immensely changed the way shoppers are motivated to make purchases. An Instagram-user with a large online following is equipped with much more commercial persuasive power than a person with years of industry knowledge but no online presence. What does this mean for brands? Essentially, Millennials are much more likely to invest in a product or service when they see a person with ‘Instagram-credibility’ promoting a certain brand. Instagram has 1 billion monthly active users, making it the third most popular social media platform following Facebook’s 2 billion monthly active users and YouTube’s 1,9 billion monthly active users. Catching on to the consumers’ active use of this platform, retailers and businesses have been making significantly more use of the massive Instagram-audience to share content and build their brand story. The Instagram-story feature poses great potential for this purpose, with 500 million daily active users of which one third of the most viewed stories are from businesses. To accommodate the rising number of brands making use of Instagram, the app has been adding more business-focused features such as shopping posts where users can tap on an image to learn more about the products displayed. Although there are some mixed feelings whether Instagram should gear towards a transactional platform or rather remain a focused medium for sharing content, these new features have rapidly taken off with 130 million monthly users engaging with brands’ shopping posts to learn more and make purchases. HOW TO CAPTURE THE MILLENNIAL MARKET? At greater group, we’ve conducted an extensive study of the Millennial target market to design stores that best engage this generation. Based on our research, we have identified 5 key elements to incorporate into retail store design to keep Millennial shoppers coming back again and again. 1. PERSONAL TOUCH Millennials value personalised communication and products tailored to their preferences. Digital means such as beacon technology allowing controlled interaction and sharable information can be very useful in achieving personalisation for customers. Case Study: New Balance (Tokyo) greater group designed the New Balance Harajuku flagship store in 2015, tailoring the store design to place the spotlight on the brand’s personalised sneakers with integrated technology such as the ‘foot scan’ feature to assist shoppers in finding their perfect shoes. On the front of practicality and convenience, digitally advanced POS-technology allows customers to seamlessly pay with their smartphones. Taking an experiential approach, the store design includes a community café where shoppers can take a break in between their shopping. The design of the café mirrors a running track – a creative, sporty touch to keep visitors immersed in the brand image of New Balance. 2. CONSISTENT BRANDING With the rise of e-commerce, retail is at an interesting place where brands need to find their feet in a space that combines online and offline shopping to best engage Millennials shoppers. Seamless transition between online platforms and in-store shopping is key. 60% of shoppers discover new brands and items through Instagram and nearly 4 out of 10 users then visit physical stores related to these brands to do in-store shopping. Case Study: Aesop The Australian luxury skin care brand, Aesop, takes a hyper localised strategic approach to add a unique touch to every one of their different locations across the world. As one of my favourite brands, I have a great appreciation for their skilful retail execution in terms of integration between their different sales platforms while localising the design of each store. The online and offline branding has the same feel with a subdued palette and equally soothing environment to consistently carry out the brand message. 3. EASE OF NAVIGATION Mirroring the easy access and clear wayfinding of online shopping, Millennials appreciate well-defined retail store designs that allow effortless navigation. They don’t want to waste time looking for items and instead seek clearly organised merchandise that simplifies the overall shopping experience. 70% of millennials dislike noisy, cluttered and disorganized stores. Here at greater group, we adapt 4 retail principles to design stores that are efficient and easy to navigate. It is crucial to equalize the space and provide clever zoning. Customer shopping behaviour is also key in how we direct them around the store through strategic planning. As millennials value organized product display, the art of planogramming is crucial to be applied, along with clear visual communications. Lastly, of course, the in-store experience is important, which I am covering in the next point. greater group has designed the next generation store in accordance to the “Science of Retail”. 4. MULTI-SENSORY Millennials crave experiences that stimulates their senses – something that cannot be achieved online. Despite all its convenient ease-of-access perks, the two-dimensionality of e-commerce cannot compare to the multi-sensory experiences made possible through conventional in-store shopping. In a study by Mood Media, Generation Z (those aged 18-24) and Millennials offer an enticing opportunity for retailers, with these generations being the most affected by sensory experiences across the board. Combining music, visual and scent sensorial elements increases consumer dwell time, with 75 percent of consumers citing they’ve stayed longer in a store when such components were in place. Over the past year, we have seen more retailers adopting immersive and multi-sensory in-store experiences and we see this momentum set to continue into 2019 as smaller retailers try their hand at experiential, spurred on by the success of the retail giants. Case Study: Pandora (Sydney) This Pandora pop-up to celebrate a new product launch at Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall was inspired by bees, features such as scented golden flowers and a soft hum of bees buzzing in the background help to add dimension to an immersive shopping experience. The strong accents of gold throughout the design proved very popular among younger customers, who immediately took to snapping pictures against the luxurious backdrop to share on Instagram. 5. SHAREABLE EXPERIENCE The final key point in capturing the attention of Millennial shoppers is creating unique experiences that allow customers to interact and connect with the brand, forming valuable relations to improve the chances of continued support in the future. Previously, the main role of stores was to sell products, but in the age of social media, brands need to tell stories. Case Study: Love, Bonito (Singapore) I’m a big fan of Love Bonito’s store design in their latest Funan branch in Singapore. Following through with the distinctive shade of ‘Millennial pink’, they created a beautiful, highly photogenic space that reflects a trendy modern-retro vibe. Aside from the visual aesthetics, they seamlessly incorporated digital technology to facilitate entertaining customer experience. The AR-walkway paves the way for an interactive digital experience and the infinity mirror room is the perfect backdrop for an arty Instagram-selfie. Through the massive fitting area with its digital runway backdrop along with the regular community workshops, shoppers’ dwell-time is increased, making it not only a place to buy things, but also an engaging hub – a place to be entertained, hang out and share experiences. This article is based on the session, ‘Store Design for an Instagrammable Age’ presented by greater group’s Asia Design Director, Nina Miranti, at the Singapore Retail Industry Conference & Exhibition 2019. If you’re interested in learning more about designing stores to capture Millennial shoppers in the age of social media, download our free guide, ‘Top 30 Instagrammable Stores in Singapore’. Download your free guide here! Read More
POST MALONE JIBBITZ : LIMITED EDITION CROCS IN AUSTRALIA Post Malone’s limited edition camo-green crocs are are available on Australian market. The rapper announced his third collaboration with the American shoe retailer, Crocs. Read more about this collaboration in our retail design blog. Post Malone X Crocs will be exclusively available online in Australia and in-store at Culture Kings in Sydney. Austin Richard Post, known by his artist name ‘Post Malone’, has gained international popularity for his varied blend of musical genres and easy-paced style of rapping. His fashion choices are as diverse as the music he produces and he has never been secretive about his love for his trusty crocs, which he regularly flexes both on and off stage. Post Malone X Crocs – where can you buy it? Post Malone X Crocs will be exclusively available online in Australia and in-store at Culture Kings in Sydney. Stock is limited and a one-pair-per-customer policy has been set in place. Following the success of his previous uniquely designed crocs, Posty didn’t wait for grass to grow under his feet. His first two collaborations with Crocs were respectively released in November and December 2018. The first design featured a white clog stamped with the Posty Co. logo and the second a bright yellow barbed wired motive, mimicking his signature wire-tattoos across his face and wrists. In addition to the launch of the new design, the exclusive Post Malone Jibbitz are set to return – little plastic charms used to customise crocs by pushing it through the holes of the shoes. The Post Malone charms include the Posty Co. logo and a model of his famous ‘Stay Away’ tattoo. His latest green-themed collaboration with Crocs comes after the recent announcement that the artist is rolling out his own cannabis company, Shaboink, later this year. Like Mr Malone once rightly said, “u can tell a lot about a man by the jibbits on his crocs”. It is this tweet that grabbed the attention of Crocs Chief Marketing Officer Terrence Reilly, who said that the 23-year old creator represents what it means ‘to be comfortable in your own shoes’, making him the perfect match to join forces with their brand. If the shoe fits, wear it – or, in this case, go the extra mile and design your own wonderfully weird clogs. Crocs’s ‘Come As You Are’ campaign celebrates individuals who don’t shy away from embracing their authenticity – a spirit naturally exuded by Post Malone, according to Crocs’s press release. After the previous Post Malone X Crocs design sold out in just 10 minutes, Crocs Australia added a cool feature on their website for shoppers to receive updates on any future collaborations – a great way to stay Posted. (Don’t worry – these puns got us saying ‘wow’ as well.) Crocs Singapore Office – the place where you will be able to design your own crocs! In collaboration with Greater Group, Crocs recently launched their new store in Jewel Changi, Singapore’s world-class, multi-dimensional lifestyle destination airport. The store, designed and built by Greater Group, welcomes shoppers with warm textured paint finishes, natural wooden materials and ample natural light from outside. We can’t wait to see what the eccentric Posty and this fun brand come up with next. To quote the man of the moment himself, we only say ‘congratualations’! Here is a sneak peak of Jewel Changi’s cool new Crocs store. A big thank you to our friends at Crocs Singapore for providing these great images! Read More