Concept stores are huge these days, and why shouldn’t they be? After all, there’s so much more than just fashion at these shops—seriously, the idea of selling seasonal clothing collections is just so last season—and today’s shoppers are certainly more discerning than ever. Following in the footsteps of celebrated lifestyle/concept stores like Blackmarket and Style:Nordic, A Curious Teepee, brainchild of the always clued-in creative consultant Tracy Phillips, opened this week to take our local shopping scene to the next level with its hip and quirky mix of fashion, home décor, accessories and curios sourced from all over the world.

“We wanted to share some ideals for (modern) living and use this as our curatorial process,” says Phillips. “Ideas like having a creative outlet at any age, finding humor and inspiration in the everyday through the things we surround ourselves with and nurturing curiosity, finding new hobbies, having adventures and making things; and the fact that it’s a hang out so beyond shopping. We wanted a whimsical name that worked on the imagination, and picked the word ‘teepee’ because of its inferences to home, travel, craftsmanship and being part of a tribe.”

Indeed, walking into the store is an experience akin to exploring a treasure trove with a cocktail in hand (yes, A Curious Teepee also boasts a mini café-bar where gourmet coffee, juices, cocktails and salads can be had while you’re browsing). Giant snow globes and accessories like magnifying glasses by Maison Martin Margiela are displayed alongside Guggenheim commissioned Flensted Mobiles, nomadic warp dresses by Future Classics, Uslu Airlines nail polishes, Shapemaker wooden toys, plus all sorts of other fashion accessories and furniture from labels Atypik, Chris Habana, Harry Koskinen, Antiatoms and ApostropheS, just to name a few. “The store’s personality comes through the variety and selection of brands, the ongoing in-store programming like talks and presentations, the friendly service and the fact that you can meet up with friends over coffee, cocktails and delicious all day eats,” says Phillips.

The store’s design and layout is also a draw with its fuss free modular display units and built-in shelving, designed by creative firm Takenouchi Webb, who were also responsible for the previous Camp Pong space in which A Curious Teepee is now located. “We went for a playful mix of display elements within a raw building shell and contrasting natural materials of stone, pine and brass, with smoky pastel gloss colors for the right inviting balance of natural and industrial,” explains Phillips.
Curious already? You should be, simply because A Curious Teepee is one of the most engaging lifestyle stores to emerge in the scene in a long while. Phillips has these parting words to share: “Being curious makes life richer in the ways money that can’t.”

A Curious Teepee is located at #02-24 Scape, 2 Orchard Link, 6820-1680. Open daily noon-9pm.

The shopping scene is truly heating up in Orchard: Local label Hansel has just moved its playful offerings into Mandarin Gallery, curio store A Curious Teepee will be opening at Scape in the middle of the month and around the same time, two-year-old Blackmarket will be opening its second store in Orchard Central, their biggest yet, spanning 1,800 sq. ft. Clued-in fashionistas will be glad to know that the boutique’s proprietor, Jasmine Tuan, also one-third of local fashion label FruFru & Tigerlily, has upped the store’s ante with over 50 Asian labels, a significant increase from the existing 30 in its debut outlet at Jalan Pisang near Arab Street.

“When we first started Blackmarket, we wanted to give independent designers the spotlight they deserve. Now, we want to add the spotlight on Orchard Road by opening Blackmarket in the least expected mall, Orchard Central, just to give shoppers an alternative to high fashion and high street fashion,” says Tuan. “We want to highlight the fact that quality distinctive labels exist in Singapore too, and not just your usual run-of-the-mill collections.”

Indeed, Blackmarket is revered for its edgier, unexpected and, yes, lesser-known labels from the Asian region, including Dead & Not For Sale from South Korea, Form from Indonesia, Nixon Marquez from the Philippines and NormallyAnomaly from Singapore—all known for their billowy silhouettes and shapes that are so quintessentially now. “We offer styles at similar price points to most shops in Orchard Road except that ours are not mass produced. Why buy clothing that look like ‘uniforms’ when you can own a piece of unique design that speaks your style?,” says Tuan about the current state of offerings downtown. “Singapore is way too small. You do not want to end up walking along the very same street where you bought your latest dress from a high street or high fashion shop and see someone else wearing the same piece—the embarrassment is just not worth it. Plus, you are truly supporting and embracing local/regional designers by buying and wearing their work.”

But fashion won’t be the only thing that take centerstage at the new Blackmarket. Tuan has also sourced for various art and design books, as well as random artworks, like a chandelier made from Origina bottles, to add a more eclectic vibe to the place.”Yes, besides clothes, accessories, shoes, bags, we’ll play our favorite tunes in the shop, sell books that comes with strange titles or will pollute your mind like we did with our first shop,” quips Tuan. “We also have this habit of shifting things around, adding new installations or surprises here and there. So come and explore our new space regularly—there will be new additions every week of limited quantity items and a good handful of one-offs!” 

Blackmarket is located at #02-10 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Rd., www.blackmarket.sg. Open daily 11am-9pm from Dec 18.

After closing down for six months, the indie lifestyle boutique Asylum has reopened its doors at its former location at Ann Siang; but this time, the guys have brought in even more obscure European brands. “The new retail concept is more fashion-focused with ongoing efforts to source for new, inspiring labels to bring to Singapore,” says marketing manager Cheryl-Ann Lee. “Most of the labels that we’ve sourced were previously unavailable here … including brands like Commune de Paris and Our Legacy.”

While mainstays like hip French collective Surface to Air’s trendy mens and womenswear remain alongside the edgier T-shirts from Aussie brand Chronicles of Never, there are at least 10 new brands in stock here, including Lyle and Scott, the Scottish menswear label that rehashes vintage designs with a modish twist; funky rock ‘n’ roll music inspired T-shirts from UK’s Tuesday Night Band Practice, featuring images of bands like The Sex Pistols and Guns N’ Roses; Stockholm’s avant garde label Nakkna and its geometric-inspired (but very wearable) pieces, and the tailored allure of Australian outback style from Whillas and Gun.

“The new store design is divided into two distinctive looks: The main floor is dedicated to interesting casual brands such as Lyle & Scott, Acne, Whillas & Gunn, Our Legacy and Commune de Paris, so the design reflects this edgy alternative attitude,” says Lee. “The shelves are quite raw with exposed plywood finish on the edges, while the main display area is made from crates that are stacked up. The lower floor houses darker dressier labels like Nakkna, Drkshdw by Rick Owens, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair and Chronicles of Never.”

Certainly one of the highlights at the store is Commune de Paris, founded by Frenchmen Alexandre Maisetti, Sebastien Lyky and Edouard Lounay, which specializes in well-made mens’ shirts, polo tees, cashmere knitwear, rings and bags which exude a quiet sense of elegance and sophistication. Also look out for the special limited edition collaboration T-shirts with design collectives Munchausen and musician David Herman Dune while you’re here.

“Our target crowd is basically anyone and everyone who’s looking for quality apparel or for new alternative labels that help inspire or complement their wardrobes,” says Cheryl-Ann Lee. Owner Chris Lee adds: “We’ve always aimed to provide an alternative shopping experience where we bring in new to market brands that we like. Our customers are always diverse: From creative types to anyone looking for something different.”

Asylum Shop is located at 22 Ann Siang Rd., 6325-3019. Open Mon-Sat noon-8:30pm; Sat noon-6:30pm.

One half of American duo Asobi Seksu, Yuki Chikudate, lets Terry Ong in on what’s going on her head and various influences before their much-anticipated gig here.

What’s the weirdest dream you’ve ever had?

Probably a dream that inspired the lyrics of the song “Nefi + Girly.” The dream was literally filled with dead kittens covered in flowers, sickly smells, and buzzing bees. It was great to turn a terrifying nightmare into a positive uplifting song.

What’s your guilty pleasure (in terms of music)?

There's so much to draw from. At a Halloween party I just went to, I sang along and danced my heart out to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.”

What’s your guilty pleasure (in terms of everything else)?

Sugar, fried food, bad TV like the original Beverly Hills 90210, taking walks in the afternoon on a weekday, and not feeling guilty about any of it.

How has your mood changed over the years and how is that related to the slight change of mood in the music (from dark to light)?

I'm getting happier! I don't know if that necessarily has affected the mood of the music but it's affected my approach for sure. Maybe that comes through in some way.

What is your songwriting/working process like together with James Hanna? James and I do individual work and work together. It's highly collaborative between the two of us—always has been.

What are you listening to now?

Lots and lots of girl groups, as well as 50s and 60s rock and soul tunes, like The Shirelles.

What are your other influences?

I love and respect films by Werner Herzog, Woody Allen, So Yong Kim and Bradley Rust Gray, artworks by Gerhardt Richter, books by Haruki Murakami, just to name a few.

What can we expect at the gig?

Loud.

Asobi Seksu Live in Singapore happens Nov 27, 7pm. Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim St., 6738-2988. $56-65 from 4imaginaryboys.wordpress.com.

Affordable Art Fair
Nov 19-21. F1 Paddock Building, Marina South. $10 at the venue.
Always wanted to buy an original artwork, but thought you could never afford one? Well now you can at the inaugural Affordable Art Fair, where over 60 galleries will be showcasing works from emerging and upcoming artists, with the price of works ranging from $100 to $10,000. “Affordability is always very important for people and AAF is all about reaching out to people to demystify the perception that you cannot afford unique, original artwork at a price that is affordable to your budget,” says fair director Camilla Hewitson. “We currently have AAFs in many different cities around the world such as London, New York and Sydney, but never before in Asia. Singapore, with its diverse museum and gallery scene, growing arts industry and strong economy, is the perfect place to launch our first Asian edition.” Local galleries such as Utterly Art, Vue Privée and OVAS Art Gallery will be exhibiting alongside international galleries such as Spain's Villa del Arte bringing forth a wide medium of works from the likes of Singapore’s Pop artist Justin Lee and France’s Francoise Nielly in the form of sculptures, paintings, photography and screen prints. 

MADE FOR SAM
Ongoing. Singapore Art Museum. 71 Bras Basah Rd., 6332-3222.
OK, for those who really can’t spare even $100, there’s still hope. The Singapore Art Museum recently launched the MADE FOR SAM project in partnership with 40 local visual artists and hip designers including Donna Ong, Justin Lee, Colin Seah (Ministry of Design), Little Ong (fFurious), Chris Lee (Asylum) and Jackson Tan (Black Design). Available for sale are limited-edition conceptual works in the form of tote bags, greeting cards, erasers, pencil cases and mugs—not exactly high art, but hey, these objets d’art (prices range from $5-108) are as affordable as it gets. “This is an out-of-the-box way of thinking about the museum,” says SAM’s director Tan Boon Hui. “MADE FOR SAM expands the footprint of the museum by bringing the art of contemporary life into the walls of the museum.”
 

Trans-cool TOKYO
Nov 19-Feb 13, 2011. Singapore Art Museum. 71 Bras Basah Rd., 6332-3222.
If you’re a fan of the likes of Takashi Murakami and all things kawaii in the Jap art world, the upcoming Trans-cool TOKYO is an absolute must. With over 40 works curated from the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo across painting and sculpture, to performance, photography and video, the works by masters like Yoshitomo Nara and Yayoi Kusama (see this week’s cover image) explore the Japanese identity in response to the onset of the information age and the greater freedoms and uncertainties that are available in contemporary society.
 

Art Stage Singapore
Jan 12-16, 2011. Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave., 6688-8868. www.artstagesingapore.com
Promising cutting-edge and forward-thinking contemporary artworks in the form of photography masterpieces by American fashion and art photographer David LaChapelle, alongside Asian masterworks from the collections of Indonesia’s foremost collectors Deddy Kusuma and Budi Tek and China’s Yang Bin and Qiao Zhibin, Art Stage is the brainchild of Lorenzo Rudolf, whose previous engagements include Art Basel and Art Miami. “It will be a show which puts the art in a context,” he says. “The main criteria will not only be trends and easy saleability. Art Stage Singapore shows the art in an Asia Pacific context by presenting interesting and stunning artistic positions and galleries from all over the area and supporting the best Asia Pacific emerging galleries. It will be Asia’s meeting point and get-together of the art world.”
 

Singapore Biennale 2011
Mar 13-15, 2011. National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Rd., 6332-3659; Singapore Art Museum, 71 Bras Basah Rd., 6332-3222; Old Kallang Airport, 9 Stadium Link.
This is what art enthusiasts have been waiting for the last two years. The third installment of the Singapore Biennale under the latest artistic direction of Singaporean Matthew Ngui promises another round of diverse regional and international contemporary artworks that promise to engage the senses, set in three distinct venues, most notably the Old Kallang Airport, which should add more context to the artworks. “We are working to present an eclectic mix of artists and works that we hope will engage the public on a number of levels,” says Ngui. “The process of selecting artists involves looking at their practice, from the artists’ initial seeds of idiosyncratic thought through their creative development of this, given the time, space, collaborators, materials and resources.” Highlights include Danish artist Michael Elmgreen and Norwegian artist Ingar Dragset’s collaborative site-specific installation works like Short Cut, which explore the power structures in architecture, institutions and public space; and Tatzu Nishi’s Engel installation view, which challenges the perspectives of the ordinary and the perceived by building hotel rooms in
unexpected places.

:Phunk Studio
These graphic designers turned visual artists are one of the hottest sellers in the scene, with their funky graphic screen prints and original works already snapped up at art fairs like ARTSingapore, as well as through commercial galleries like Art Seasons, where their works are being picked up by younger collectors from Beijing to New York. Their recent collaboration with cult Jap master Keiichi Tanaami for the collaboration show Eccentric City—Rise and Fall was another major coup for the foursome as well, with the quartet repeatedly selling out in Tokyo, Shanghai and New York.

Matthew Ngui
Before his appointment as the artistic director for the third edition of the Singapore Biennale next year, Sydney-based Singaporean Matthew Ngui was the man responsible for some of the most arresting video art installations in the city, like his Point of View solo show at the National Museum in 2008, which explored the continuum of time through a life-sized cross section view of an Olympic pool—delivering beautifully in terms of concept, scale and resonance. Ngui has exhibited extensively in Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Switzerland and the UK, and represented Singapore at the São Paulo Biennial in 1996 and the Venice Biennale in 2001.

Ming Wong
Fusing his love for world cinema with a tongue-in-check sense of self-benevolence, the critically-acclaimed Venice Biennale stalwart Ming Wong is the man responsible for the ongoing Imitation of Life video installation show at the Singapore Art Museum, where he takes on multiple roles (especially female ones) to convey the transient nature of language, race, gender, age and nationality. And his large-scale cinema billboard canvasses, a commission work with the last billboard painter in Singapore, Neo Chon Teck, is certainly a fun and curious effort.

Vertical Submarine
These Presidents Young Talents recipients create quirky contemporary artworks that manages to be playful yet cerebral all the same. Take for example, their brilliant A View with a Room installation from 2009 at 8Q Sam. Cleverly merging written textual works from the likes of Edgar Allan Poe and Alain Robbe-Grilleton on a wall which then led viewers to a room that was only accessible through a closed wardrobe (The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, anyone?), the trio of Justin Loke, Joshua Yang and Fiona Koh continue to intrigue and engage with their cheeky interpretations, including like their recent frolicking Abusement Park: Abusing Amusement work at SAM during the Night Festival.

Zai Kuning
He sings, he writes, he plays a multitude of instruments (from guitars to violas) and he dances too. Multi-disciplinary artist Zai Kuning defies categorization, and his constant musings and performance art works (with a strong underground cult following from Indonesia to Malaysia), drawn from South East Asian rituals, continue to fascinate us with their depth and honesty.