With over 20 malls on a 1.3-mile strip, Orchard Road is still a shopping destination unto itself, but for anyone keen to discover small, independent brands, the shop-local opportunities were scattered at best—until the unveiling of Design Orchard in January 2019, with its official opening just last month.
According to AFAR, The three-in-one, concrete-and-glass complex on the corner of Orchard and Cairnhill Roads offers a self-proclaimed “integrated retail concept”: On the first floor is a showcase of more than 60 Singapore brands curated by local retailer Naiise (pronounced “nice”) spanning across fashion, accessories, beauty and lifestyle products.
The second level coworking/fashion incubator the Cocoon Space has a fabric library, pattern-cutting tables, and overlock sewing machines. On the roof, a public-access garden offers a sweeping view of Orchard Road with an amphitheatre and various breakout spaces designed to host fashion shows, concerts, and pop-up markets. Active Fashion Week held core yoga and barre classes in the rooftop garden.
Design Orchard is a joint development by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), JTC Corporation and Enterprise Singapore dedicated to showcasing homegrown labels and nurturing local talent. It has recently unveiled co-working and networking spaces on its upper floors.
As reported by Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, Design Orchard features co-working space, studio, and state-of-the-art facilities and specialised rooms for designers and companies to run workshops, conferences and events.
