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Photo: Finbarr Fallon
The opening of lifestyle cluster New Bahru in River Valley has become one of the most talked-about developments in Singapore’s lifestyle scene this year. Hospitality company The Lo & Behold Group has curated about 40 home-grown brands across dining, retail, enrichment, and wellness sectors in the complex that used to house Nan Chiau High School at 46 and 48 Kim Yan Road. About one-third of the tenants opened when New Bahru soft-launched in late June, and more shops are slated to open in the months leading up to its official opening in September.
Photo: Soilboy
Plant design studio Soilboy has opened its first “experience” store, decked out with over 100 varieties of plants and pots that sport a chic Korean aesthetic. Spanning 2,500 sqft, the store, run by plant-loving couple Ivan Woo and Angeline Goh, is five times larger than its previous location at Upper Thomson.
The eye-pleasing plant stockists include everfresh, bottle and olive trees, kokedama, and exotic ones such as dioon edule, a palm-like cycad from Madagascar. House the plants in unglazed clay and terracotta pots designed in-house or by Korean pot-maker Sprout. Those with green fingers can attend workshops on bonsai styling and floral arrangement.
Looking for advice on caring for plants in a tropical climate or curious about what does into a potting mix? Seek out advice from staff at the sleek counters.
02-07/08, soilboy.sg
2. Crafune
Photo: Crafune
The leather goods company has added more workshops in its second store. Those who crave hands-on action can participate in “mini” workshops where accessories such as keychains, pet collars, and cardholders can be made from vegetable-tanned and chrome-tanned leather within 30 minutes.
Upcycling is a new focus at the store, where pre-loved leather bags are given a new lease of life by being turned into smaller goods. Personalise the creations by hot-stamping your initials or cute motifs.
02-11, crafune.com
3. Make by Ginlee
Photo: Make by Ginlee
The third store by Singaporean fashion designer Gin Lee, specialising in contemporary women’s wear, has a corner dedicated to making and upcycling bags. The brand is best known for its ethereal Ivy dress, which has signature intricate pleating that frames the body.
Now, customers can make bags that sport these peats, from the selection of fabric, pleating, and steaming of the fabric to the fastening of straps. There is also a Tee-To-Bag experience, where customers can upcycle their old t-shirts into bags.
They can also make bags, pouches, and laptop cases from old clothes and other materials. The store also recently debuted its menswear capsule collection, including jackets with peated hems, cuffs, and trousers.
02-10/10A, ginleestudio.com
4. Omno
Photo: Omno
Sustainable personal care brand Omno, founded in 2021, has opened its first brick-and-mortar store. The store’s pride of place is a huge island counter equipped with basins for customers to try its products, including body wash, shampoo, body scrub, and aromatherapy rollers.
Its Solace range is scented with bergamot, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, and ginger and is available to guests at Raffles Hotel Singapore. It also offers a deodorant-making workshop, where participants can personalise the spray with essential oils such as litsea, cypress wood, rosemary, cardamom seeds, and more.
02-05, omno.store
