The pandemic might have dampened retail shopping’s enthusiasm. But shopping malls bounced back in the past year, thanks to loosening restrictions and the return of tourism. For Raffles City Singapore, Covid-19 proved a perfect time to rejuvenate its offerings. Several new stores including Guerlain, Gucci Beauty, and & Other Stories have opened, and the mall went through minor facelifts.
It hasn’t let its foot off the pedal. For fall/winter 2023, Raffles City announced its Future/Forward campaign. A symbol of its status as a luxury shopping destination, the two-month initiative sees more boutique openings, digital activations around the mall, and events.
One we’re excited about is Shop The Look. It’s a one-of-a-kind installation (pictured, above) on the first floor at Artsquare that allows shoppers to browse and purchase digitally rendered products. These 3D-scanned items from brands such as & Other Stories, Diptyque, and Montblanc will be presented on an animated landscape.
Another activation that we highly recommend is the Fragrance Bar (pictured, above), which features scents from a wide range of beauty brands that include Acqua di Parma, Givenchy, Guerlain, and more. Fragrance specialists will guide you through the experience in your search for the perfect scent.
The final activation is the interactive fashion display on the first level. Mannequins, podium showcases and animated displays shows a variety of trendy styles from brands such as Calvin Klein, COS, Kate Spade New York, and more.
Beyond pop-ups, we’re also excited about the new stores. Our favourite, however, must be Australian boutique grocer and café Surrey Hills Grocer. Opened by a+ Advocate Pang Gek Teng, the shop brings uncommon but well-loved Australian grocery products to Singapore.
The Raffles City outlet, which is the fourth in Singapore, also features an open kitchen, a mini grocer, and an exclusive dining menu developed by chef Pang Kok Keong. The veteran takes some of Australia’s icons and gives it a Singapore twist.
His king prawn laksa linguine is a great example—and one of our favourites. Winner of MasterChef Singapore Season 2, Derek Cheong, has also made an appearance, contributing three seafood dishes specially created for Surrey Hills Grocer Raffles City. It’s the perfect excuse to put more of Surrey Hills Grocer’s products into your shopping cart to recreate the Australian culinary magic at home.
Future/Forward runs from now to 31 August 2023. Raffles Prestige members can further indulge with $200 eVouchers, redeemable with 100,000STAR$ (worth up to 50% off).
