City Shopping Guide: Singapore

FiS City Shopping Guide: Singapore

Here's the very first installment of the Fashion is Spinach City Shopping Guides. [We suggest you head to the permalink and print this out to take with you.] Now, we try to keep these things up-to-date, but always advise that you double-check to make sure stores are still open before you head out. Have Singapore suggestions of your own? Add to the comments or drop me a note. Credit cards ready? Happy shopping!

Stop #1: Ann Siang Hill

This Chinatown area street has become a hub for some of the coolest stores in the city. Not-to-be-missed spots include The Asylum (22 Ann Siang Road, (+65) 6324 8264), an amazing graphic design firm-slash-boutique, which stocks design books, funky accessories from cool local designers like kwodrent and kuanth.com and their own unique products. I'm always completely inspired after every visit.

Just down the street is Style: Nordic (39 Ann Siang Road, (+65) 6423 9114), a fantastic smorgasbord of Scandinavian design products. It's where I first discovered such amazing products like Froso fabrics, Nudie Jeans and Filippa K fashions.

And down the street to the other side is the very pink Front Row (5 Ann Siang Road, (+65) 6224 5501) , which has an Dean & Deluca café downstairs and a boutique of fun fashions (including chic French clothing line A.P.C. and local Singapore darlings Woods & Woods) upstairs. Keep in mind: Most places are closed on Sundays.

While you're in the neighborhood: Just nearby, the Red Dot Design Museum -- a new branch of the original one in Germany -- is a fun place to find both coffee and creativity. For more shopping, turn left at the Scarlet Hotel onto Erskine Road for a few more cute boutiques like eggthree (33 Eskine Road, #01-08, (+65) 6536 6977) and Anthropology (not to be confused with Anthropologie -- they're not related). Or, head the other way past Front Row and walk down Club Street, which has several cool boutiques like Venue (44-46 Club Street, (+65) 6323 0640) and Vanilla Home (48 Club Street, (+65) 6324 6206).

A short walk away is Telok Ayer Street, where you can find pretty, photo-worthy shophouses and the lovely little Books Actually bookstore. (125A Telok Ayer Street -- up on the second floor, (+65) 6221 1170)

Where to eat: Despite its Chinatown location, Ann Siang is home to several cute French bistros, including Les Bouchons (7 Ang Siang Hill, (+65) 6423 0707). Or head down the hill and into the heart of Chinatown for great, cheap noodles and dumplings at Lan Zhou La Mian (19 Smith Street, (+65) 6327 1286).

Stop #2: Haji Lane

Singapore's newest hotspot for hip boutiques -- just one block over from Arab Street -- still feels like an undiscovered gem. I love the boutique/ice cream parlor Pluck (31/33 Haji Lane, (+65) 6396 4048) as well as nearby Salad (25/27 Haji Lane, (+65) 6299 5808), a neat emporium of black and white things.

In the past two years, there's been a growing number of fantastic new boutiques springing up on the street, like Soon Lee (56 Haji Lane, level 2) and Billet Doux (16A Haji Lane). They join old favorites like edgy little retailer White Room (37 Haji Lane); and two outposts of secondhand clothing store House of Japan (#55 and #78 Haji Lane) , which always has plenty of funky vintage finds -- including my beloved old Japanese kimonos. (But if I find there are no good vintage kimonos left after this, I'm totally removing the recommendation and keeping the store to myself!) Be sure to walk towards Beach Road at hit shops like 2 (at #2).The shops tend to keep odd hours and many are closed on Sunday and/or Monday, so your best bet is to go by in the late afternoon/early evening during the week or on Saturday.

While you're in the neighborhood: I like to poke around the shops on Arab and Bussorah streets for things like fabrics, wide-brimmed hats and baskets. On Bussorah street, right by the Mosque, there are a few cute boutiques -- pay no attention to the touristy junk outside and make sure you go in. A recent discovery was Grandfather's Collections (42 Bussorah Street, 6299 4530), a suprising trove of neat gifts and vintage housewares.

Or walk down to the Seiyu department store at Bugis Junction, which has a recently expanded outpost of minimalist Japanese housewares brand Muji (on level 2). There's a bigger Muji now in Paragon mall on Orchard Road and in Marina Square, but really, can you ever get enough?

Where to eat: One of my very favorite restaurant finds in Singapore is B Bakery at 15 Bussorah Street (just two doors down from the Kampong Glam Café). They serve light, fresh fare like salads, sandwiches and vegetable quiche -- and if you have room for dessert, their warm cinnamon buns are really amazing.

Stop #3: Orchard Road

If you're in Singapore, you'll find yourself on the city's main shopping hub of Orchard Road nearly every day. It's home to hundreds of shops (mainly big brands) and isn't generally cheap (but not much in Singapore is). First, let's get it out of the way: Topshop is at Wisma Atria (435 Orchard Road), and it is every bit as good as they say. If you're an American (and faced with the dismal dollar), the prices in Topshop in Singapore are actually cheaper than in the U.K. Stock up!

(Psst… Just downstairs from Topshop are more U.K. high street brands, like Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge. And local boutique Eclecticism – which has labels like J Brand Jeans and Orla Kiely – is also now in the building).

Okay, now that that's done: Next door to Wisma Atria is the Takashimaya/Ngee Ann City shopping center (391 Orchard Road). Level 3 is home to Japanese mega-bookstore Kinokuniya, a great source for amazing Japanese design and craft books (and just about any other reading material you could ever want. Their English-language design and fashion section is amazing!). One floor up is the Fourum, a hub for arts & crafts stores (including Art Friend, which is full of great crafty inspiration).

Just across the road is Paragon mall (290 Orchard Road), where I especially love the new big Muji outlet on the 4th floor and the darling Blue Canopy housewares store right next door. And way farther down at the end of Orchard (a quick cab or bus ride) is The Cathay shopping center, where you'll find great little boutiques like the recently relocated Déjà vu Vintage and adorable stationery shop woodwould.

While you're in the neighborhood: Oh, let's face it -- if you're on Orchard Road, you are only there to shop your little heart out.

Where to eat: Um, where NOT to eat? Orchard Road has as many food courts and restaurants as it does stores. I always love the Shanghai-style dumpling hotspot Din Tai Fung for delcious pork dumplings (two branches: basement level, Paragon and level two, Wisma Atria). Our local readers also recommend the cheerful Project Shop Blood Brothers Cafe (third level, Paragon), the hip Marmalade Pantry (basement, Palais Renaissance, 390 Orchard Road) and its more casual sister spot, Toast (#02-11 Ngee Ann City). (I personally always grab sushi at the place behind the Topshop women's department on floor 2.) Another favorite for sandwiches and simple comfort fare is Cedele on the third floor of Wheelock (above Borders).

Stop 3A: Orchard Road extension -- for serious shoppers only

We would not recommend bringing your husband/boyfriend/potential boyfriend along for this one, but if you're a serious shopper (and a serious bargain hunter), you will not want to miss out on a visit to Far East Plaza (14 Scott Road), just off Orchard Boulevard near Wisma Atria. It can be a madhouse – we recommend you go on weekday afternoons for the least crowds and the best service – but it is also an amazing place to score inexpensive fashion finds and designer seconds, particularly if you're willing to root around a bit.

We always start at local boutique chain Bysi (ground floor, streetfront entrance), where trendy fashions – many of which appear at Topshop or Zara – are reproduced and sold for a fraction of the price. New pieces are added every Wednesday (if not more frequently), so regular visits are a must.

Once inside, we always beeline for 2cm (with branches on the second and third floor – the quieter third floor boutique is our favorite), where you can score incredible designer seconds as well as original items from the owner/designer, Vivian Cheo, who recently launched her own shoe line. On the second floor, Therapy and the two branches of Glitz are other must-stops, though many of the boutiques are worthy of a browse. It never hurts to ask if they can give a discount – most stores are manned by their owners and are usually willing to knock of anywhere from 10 to 30 percent off the price tag.

Other noteworthy stops in Singapore:
+A new favorite of mine is Stamford House (39 Stamford Road) near City Hall, where you can find great shops like the adorable Swirl (#02-05, 6338 5020)) as well as some up-and-coming Singaporean designers. Just down the street, the lovely Felt (11 Stambord Road, #01-08 Capitol Building) stocks more great finds, including fab Singaporean label Hansel. {And from there, you can pop over to the Raffles Hotel for your requisite Singapore Sling.}

What have we missed? If you've got a recommendation, please leave it in the comments!

*Last updated: December 19, 2007*

Please note: These guides are very labor-intensive and are meant to provide shopping suggestions to visitors and locals in each city. Please do not reuse or republish the information or photos without express written consent from the author.