Fashion
The petite designer has launched her new concept store at the boutique-centric Capitol Piazza
Local fashion had a tough year in 2015, what with the high-profile shuttering of well-known labels such as Hansel by Jo Soh, the long-standing M)phosis and multi-label boutique Inhabit at Mandarin Gallery.
The influx of fast fashion brands and e-commerce, rising rents and a murky economic outlook have all resulted in a particularly challenging retail environment here, with smaller labels taking the brunt of the impact.
Yet, there have been a few bright sparks in recent months. There was the opening of local fashion label In Good Company’s first stand alone store in ION Orchard; and the sprawling 5,000 sqf Mporium, which champions Asian designers and indie labels, that took root at Suntec City. This week, local fashion designer Sabrina Goh officially launched her new flagship store at Capitol Piazza.
Simply called SABRINAGOH, the launch also coincides with the seventh anniversary of her label ELOHIM by Sabrina Goh. The petite designer spearheads two of her own labels — Light by Sabrina Goh, and the more conceptual, premium label, ELOHIM — both of which are stocked on the 870 sqf store at the second level of the boutique-centric mall.
However, unlike her previous boutique at Orchard Central, which closed in August last year, this flagship store boasts a new retail concept. Apart from Goh’s own designs, it also features offerings from other independent Singaporean and Asian labels that, according to Goh, share a similar DNA with her designs.
The in-store offerings range from skincare, courtesy of Singaporean beauty labels FrankSkincare and Rough Beauty; to handmade cookies infused with local flavours from Spatula & Whisk. Handcrafted accessories such as snap-cases for iPhone 6 (by Fabrix), cool and quirky handbags (from Woodview) and whimsical stationary from local brand The Paper Bunny also make up the indie vibe at the boutique.
“I was looking to shift from our previous location at Orchard Central as it was undergoing major revamp and renovation, and I felt that Capitol was very suitable for a new-to-market concept store like this,” said Goh. “My team and I wanted to develop a different kind of retail concept that is more about a complete lifestyle — but also showcasing many more Singaporean and international labels that people may not be familiar with.”
Still, it’s interesting that, at a time when retailers are either downsizing their brick-and-mortar businesses or closing shop altogether, Goh has decided to take this leap of faith at this particular juncture in her designing career. Here, she explains why she made such a move.
Q: What was behind the decision to open a flagship store at this point in time?
A: I’ve always felt that having a physical space is very important. When we started in 2009, we were stocked in different concept stores where it was difficult to communicate our story. A stand alone store will be better able to have more interaction and receive feedback from our customers, which helps the brand to shape and grow. Plus, a store where people can try on your clothes is crucial to recruiting new customers to your brand, especially for one with our unique aesthetic.
Q: Many local brands are going online. What do you think of the current retail environment for niche brick-and-mortar stores such as yours?
A: After five years of running the boutique at Orchard Central, I realised that retail is very dry, very transactional — I feel challenged when it comes to retail. It’s very cold and there’s not much conversation about the creative process, or two-way communication between the designers and the customers. I feel that as a local designer, I cannot compete with big brands with big budgets, but I can share my feelings and my inspirations and brand identity; and this is the strength of the indie designer.
Q: How is this translated in the store?
A: There’s a need for designers to share and communicate the stories of their brands to their customers, something which we emphasise in the store. We trained our staff to share the story of all the different brands we carry: How they started, the inspirations (behind the designs or products), the unique stories — in order to create a more intimate retail experience. We also conduct workshops in-store where we invite customers and our partner brands to come and share their stories. We’ve done two for FrankSkincare and Amuse Projects Tea, and they have both been very well-received.
Q: But why open a multi-label, lifestyle concept store?
A: I wanted a more diverse range of products that have the same DNA as my labels, and we wanted to showcase other labels made in Singapore. We want to build a community in the creative industry here as retail is so transactional and it’s hard to find stockists here (for indie labels). We also find that Singaporean shoppers are now more open to hearing about the stories of the brands. They are looking for more meaningful products, in fashion and everywhere else in their lives.
Q: What’s your advice to young designers looking to break into the local fashion scene?
A: For new local designers, it’s definitely more challenging than when we started in 2009. There weren’t as many brands and variety for customers to choose from then; now, it’s more crowded. It’s essential to have a very strong unique point of view, otherwise you won’t stand out.
We try not to compare ourselves to other local labels — we wanted to focus more on creativity with fashion design, conceptual clothing, playing around with cuts, materials and silhouettes. And we are fortunate to also have gotten international interest (ELOHIM is currently retailing in selected stores in the United States and Japan); and this year, we are also focused on moving into department stores such as Tangs and Takashimaya to try and capture a wider audience.
The SABRINAGOH flagship store is at #02-14 Capitol Piazza.
