Design Orchard – Your One-Stop Destination For All Things Local Singaporean
Originally posted on https://www.kingsmaker.co/posts/design-orchard-your-one-stop-destination-for-all-things-local
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The Story
Orchard Road is known as the go-to destination for all your shopping needs and houses many local brands, from international brands to household brands. While local brands can be found littering Orchard Road, it can be difficult to discern just exactly where they are and inconvenient to travel between locations just to find a brand. Hence, Design Orchard was birthed with the sole purpose of housing all local brands, allowing Singaporean creators and designers to showcase their creativity and individuality.
A breath of fresh air, Design Orchard holds meticulously crafted pieces of treasures, all by our Singaporean locals. Located in the heart of Orchard Road and designed by local award-winning architecture firm WOHA Architects, this beautiful space houses over 60-homegrown designers, ranging from fashion and furniture to food and artisanal wares. Bring a piece of Singapore back with you, be it in the form of a beautiful blouse, a perfume with the nostalgic scent of your memories here or a jar of Singapore’s addictive chicken rice chilli.
Each and every brand housed in Design Orchard have their merits and unique story or concept and there is something for everyone.
Other than a one-stop destination for all things local, Design Orchard also comprises of an incubation and co-working workspace exclusively for designers, and a public amphitheatre on the rooftop where events may take place.
The Place
While this 2.5-story building might not seem like a lot of space, the first floor is strategically utilised to house its 60 brands. Naiise, a homegrown retailer is responsible for the operation of the retail showcase at Design Orchard. With their passion for local design, creativity and entrepreneurship, their advocacy really shows in the amount of effort they’ve put in to maximise the satisfaction of your shopping experience with them. Besides just operating the showcase, the team at Naiise continues to pursue its commitment to nurture local talents by making use of their their retail expertise to launch a mentorship programme that will provide holistic and practical guidance for emerging and new-to-market brands at the showcase. This mentorship programme will aim to develop these emerging designers and entrepreneurs and help them work on key development areas for brand growth and sustainability.
Design Orchard shines a spotlight on these local designers, acknowledging their passion, dedication and skills. These independent designers are given a home to hone their craft and raise their profile, developing a reputation for themselves on the radar. They are truly our local hidden gems and with a bit of polishing and refinement, they can shine as bright as any other gems out there or dare I say, even brighter! Design Orchard is the collaborative and supportive space that all designers could only have dreamed of, but it is now a reality that they have the privilege of using.
Shoppers can also expect exciting workshops from the independent designers and artists as well as mentorship programmes, to spread the love of the arts and advocate for the importance of craftsmanship in Singapore, in relation to fashion, fitness, culture, craft and art.
The moment you enter, you almost feel overwhelmed. Every turn presents you with a different product and every brand has something to offer. Neat rows of clothing hang from hangers, beautiful accessories are placed on display inside glass displays, unique and delightful treats line the shelves and fragrances and skincare are displayed on booths. There’s so much to discover.
Oo La Lab
Oo La Lab is a cruelty-free craft fragrance lab with a curated selection of perfume. What’s unique about them is they allow you to create your own signature scent using a mixology kit that is currently on sale at Design Orchard. They recognise that everyone is unique and that should be reflective in their scent. 1000’s of unique combinations can be crafted and it is entirely up to you. Fancy sporting another scent for another event? Just create one.
Chubby Chubby
Ever wanted matching mother-daughter outfits with your toddler? Chubby Chubby was created by advertising graduate Nix Deng, who had a passion for designing clothing and lifestyle products for babies and children. Peruse the selection of cute matching apparels and pick one that both you and your kid adore.
Wet Tee Shirt
Wet Tee Shirt prints t-shirts, tote bags and caps with puns and quirky graphics inspired by multicultural influences in Singapore. Fun, offbeat and comical, display our Singaporean lingo and style on your apparels.
Pew Pew Patches
For those who loves crafting and have a creative soul, peruse Pew Pew Patches’ wide selection of iron-on patches that you can attach on practically anything you want! It can be on your cap, your bag, your shirt or your shorts. You name it! They have Singapore themed patches but also extend their designs to cute ones like a unicorn or Japanese inspired patches.
And these are just a few of the brands in Design Orchard! Every single one of them have their own unique style, taking influences from Singapore’s “melting pot” of cultures.
Littered around the mall are also interactive mirrors that double as a shop directory and mirror. Completely touchscreen, the mirror’s duality saves space and only serves to improve the customer’s shopping experience. Design Orchard features cutting edge retail technology that help make everything easier for you, with their automated table totems as well.
After your shopping experience, head up to the rooftop with a drink (I recommend bubble tea), find a comfy spot and watch the city in all it’s glory; feel the electric pulse of Orchard Road from the heart of the shopping district. Concrete slabs contrast against the lush greenery on the rooftop with plenty of seating space on the steps. Design Orchard truly is a versatile place; you can hang back with some friends or family, enjoy the wonderful atmosphere and engage in some shopping.
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Details
Design Orchard
250 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238905 (Somerset MRT)
Opening Hours
Mon – Sun: 10:30AM – 9:30PM
https://www.designorchard.sg/