The Southern Depot opens at Gillman Barracks
A new hang-out spot has opened at Gillman Barracks. Spanning more than 10,000 sq ft, The Southern Depot, which opens on March 8, brings together artisanal goods and craft, wellness, retail as well as food and beverage offerings.
To celebrate, the event venue is hosting The Depot Debut on March 9 (noon to 9.30pm) and March 10 (10am to 6pm), where visitors can participate in workshops and activities.
For instance, home-grown sustainable fashion brand Re-store will conduct upcycling workshops. In the hour-long sessions, which will be held on March 9 at noon and 1pm, participants will learn how to transform pre-loved textiles into key fobs.
Mark your calendars for an Eid shopping spree on March 16 and 17, where you will find a line-up of beauty, lifestyle and fashion brands to add to the festive cheer.
In the coming months, visitors can look forward to curated programmes and installations from weekend craft markets to seasonal pop-ups.
Info: The Southern Depot is at 43 and 47 Malan Road. Book your workshop tickets at www.thesoutherndepot.com/events
La Mer unveils Singapore flagship
Luxury skincare brand La Mer has raised the curtain on its swankiest flagship boutique yet at Ion Orchard, and it is the first to boast an integrated luxury spa.
Opened on March 1, it features two facial cabins – Deluxe Room and Genaissance de la Mer Facial Room, a luxurious sanctuary for VIP customers. Choose from several treatments, including Soothing Facial ($310 an hour) and The Purifying Detox Facial ($250 an hour).
There is also the lavish 90-minute Genaissance Facial, the brand’s creme de la creme of facials. Priced at $550, this massage-focused facial incorporates two different techniques – The Draining Technique and The Invigorating Massage Technique – said to bring on the glow.
Clients can add a 30-minute Crystal Bowl Sound Bath Therapy, conducted by a certified practitioner during their facials, for an extra $100 (fully redeemable for La Mer products). The experience, which includes a consultation to personalise your treatment experience, must be booked at least two weeks in advance.
Customers also have the opportunity to learn facial yoga and facial pilates as part of the skincare concierge services exclusive to the flagship store. These self-massage face rituals are easy to learn and great for those in need of a pick-me-up as they encourage micro-circulation, which is said to contribute to a refreshed and youthful appearance.
There are three La Mer tea blends for customers to choose from after their facial.
Info: The La Mer Ion Luxury Flagship Boutique is located at B1-17/18 Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn.
Longchamp collaborates with women’s collective Anaka
For its Spring/Summer 2024 collection, French luxury brand Longchamp has partnered Anaka, a Madagascar-based non-governmental organisation specialising in quality handcrafted accessories, to create two bags.
A beach-ready twist on the Le Pliage bag, the extra-large Le Panier Pliage basket ($760) is handwoven from organic palm leaves and perfect for all your seaside essentials. Meanwhile, the Le Pliage Filet ($215) is a mesh bag that features crocheted daisies.
Pair the bags with bras and shorts upcycled from silk scarves, macrame dresses and swimsuits in metallics and colours inspired by the sunset from the collection.
Prices for Longchamp University, the brand’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection, range from $140 for a cap to $2,955 for a sleeveless leather cardigan.
Info: Available at Longchamp stores and online at www.longchamp.com/sg/en
TheFaceShop drops vegan skincare
South Korean skincare brand TheFaceShop, known for its Rice Water Bright range, particularly its cleansing foam, just levelled up by adding a vegan trio to the line-up.
The Rice Water Bright Vegan Serum ($30), Rice Water Bright Vegan Cream ($28) and Rice Water Bright Vegan Eye Cream ($28) boast the same star ingredient that made their predecessors famous – rice water from organic Yeoju rice.
Cultivated without the use of pesticides, it is one of the most expensive varieties of rice in South Korea. Each product is then fermented with white yeast from the white hibiscus flower over 28 days, then supercharged with hyaluronic acid and 99.7 per cent niacinamide.
The eye cream has a silicone-free formula that blends rice extract, rice bran oil and macadamia oil with palm oil and shea butter, and is said to moisturise and reduce dark circles in four weeks.
Certified vegan and free from animal derived ingredients by the Korea Agency of Vegan Certification and Services, the vegan line steers clear from nasties such as parabens, phthalates, mineral oil and synthetic pigments and fragrances.
Info: The Rice Water Bright Vegan line is available at TheFaceShop outlets and on its official Shopee and Lazada stores.
