Published July 14, 2007
One-stop designer concept shop
By CHRISTOPHER LIM
IF you like one-stop concept shops and you like local designers, then the new chain from Barang Barang and The Arts House might be up your alley.
Called simply The Store, it features a wide range of products from over 20 local designers, running the gamut from apparel to home decor.
Fans of the local design scene will recognise names like artist Sandra Lee, who held her first solo exhibition at the Esplanade in 2004, and potter Michael Lau.
One name that stands out in particular is Artiris, which has become something of an institution at Far East Plaza's LevelOne basement, thriving for over a decade while shops have come and gone around it.
Run by sisters Ivory and Emerald Seah, Artiris specialises in gorgeous hand-painted apparel. Fantasy art fans will find plenty to love in the whimsical fairies that adorn Artiris's dresses and shirts.
But some people have never heard of Artiris, or Kumari Nahappan, Dot's Dolls, etc, which makes a consolidated location a great way for these designers to get the attention they deserve.
'Through multiple platforms provided by The Shop, we believe that Singapore lifestyle designs and designers will be able to gain greater exposure and due recognition in the industry and hope to encourage more Singaporean talents to pursue their dreams in the arts,' Tan Tee Tong, arts enterprise director of The Arts House, says.
Barang Barang managing director Lim Kok Hui adds: 'The launch of The Shop together with the opening of Barang Barang's new concept store at Central will enhance our design offerings and bolster our positioning as a lifestyle retailer. In addition, we offer our procurement networks to these local talents and can help them turn their unique ideas into commercialised products.'
But this push won't end with The Store's local outlets at The Arts House, Central and Singapore Post Centre. Barang Barang and The Arts House plan to bring The Store to Malaysia and the United States.
The Store comes on the heels of Earshot - The Art House's concept store to support local film, art and music. Hopefully, this concept store trend will continue to gain momentum since it's an effective and commercially-viable way to promote the local arts scene.