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Exclusive vintage bags to NYC-style bites: Largest concept store for popular US bag brand opens in Singapore
At Coach Play, customers can also shop for seasonal pieces and savour all-American classic fare with a local twist
Coach Play is the largest concept store in Asia featuring an immersive shopping experience and a trendy café. PHOTO: COACH
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New York City (NYC) vibes are coming to Singapore. Fashion lovers can now enjoy luxury and style with a difference as American luxury brand Coach debuts its first and largest one-of-a-kind concept store in Asia.
The Coach Play Singapore Shophouse, located at 5 Keong Saik Road, aims to offer customers a different shopping experience by combining an experiential retail space with a trendy NYC-inspired café and menu from local coffee house Brawn & Brains Coffee.
Spanning over 4,000 sq ft, the three-storey Coach shophouse is also the largest concept store to date. It draws its creative inspiration from traditional shophouses that are an integral part of Singapore's rich cultural heritage and combines it with the brand's New York spirit.
The Coach Play store is a series of concept stores encouraging customers to play in Coach spaces inspired by their local communities. The first Coach Play store opened in Chicago earlier this year and Coach Play Singapore – which will be around for 18 months to up to two years – is the first in Asia.
Every store is bespoke and no two are the same, notes Ms Campbell O’Shea, vice president and general manager, Tapestry Southeast Asia & Oceania. Tapestry Inc. is the parent company of Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman.
“The Coach brand is dedicated to bringing fun, physical experiences rooted in our heritage and craftsmanship, as seen in our previous pop-ups in Singapore like the Coach Tomorrow Vintage and the Coach Bagel Shop,” says Ms O’Shea.
“With the Coach Play Singapore Shophouse, we curated a more permanent space for our local Coach community to hang out and have fun.”
First permanent vintage store in the world
So, what sets Coach Play apart from other luxury stores in Singapore? Firstly, the Coach Vintage Room will be your go-to spot for exclusive “reloved” vintage bags. And not just any vintage bags, but a range that is not available in any other Coach store in Singapore.
There is also a craftsmanship bar where you can learn about leather care from an expert and opt to Coach Create – a customisation service where you can play a part in making your own one-of-a-kind archival gems and vintage pieces.
The Coach Vintage Room is also in line with the brand’s “crafted to last” ethos. The company believes in creating sustainable leather goods and accessories that are designed to last, treasured and handed down for generations to love. Some of the Coach collections feature repurposed leather and upcycled pieces made by hand.
By having a space dedicated to this, customers are encouraged to participate in circular fashion, express their unique desires and creativity, and bring Coach pieces to life in a way that reflects their own self-expression, says Ms O’Shea.
“I am inspired by every room in the shophouse, but I am especially drawn to our Vintage Room where the quality of our craftsmanship, heritage and design shines through.
“I am so happy our customers in Singapore are the first in the world to enjoy a permanent Vintage Room where we showcase the enduring craft legacy of Coach,” she adds.
Interactive experiences, instagrammable spots and NYC-inspired fare
If you are looking for a fun and interactive experience, make sure to visit the Coach World Art Experience space. This immersive digital experience will tell the story of Coach's craftsmanship legacy using 3D animations and craft sounds.
And if you're interested in community engagement, you will love the Workshop, a community space where Coach will partner with local artists and vendors to host sessions and workshops in the future.
Then get ready to shop till you drop at the Coach Lounge. This space will be freshened up regularly to showcase the latest collections. This season, you can check out the Spring Tabby bags – a Y2K silhouette that is also iconic to Coach and has been a favourite in their stores – updated in the latest spring colourways such as pastels and neutrals.
Instagrammable spots are also aplenty at Coach Play. Upload snaps of yourself on social media against the brightly lit canary yellow stairway decorated with the brand’s signature “C” or the lightbox display area which holds an inspirational message.
Also not to be missed is the Coach Café which offers a specially created menu inspired by the local flavours of NYC in collaboration with Brawn & Brains Coffee.
“The Coach Café also reflects an interior reminiscent of a classic bodega to give every customer a little taste of the city that New Yorkers call home,” adds Ms O’Shea.
Expect local versions of classic American dishes here. The classic pancakes not only come with maple syrup on the side, but also homemade kaya (coconut jam) and mixed berry jam. Milkshake flavours include classic vanilla and gula melaka (palm sugar). Also on the menu: an all-American cheeseburger with curly fries, fried chicken and waffles, plus avocado toast.
If you have a sweet tooth, make a beeline to the dessert bar where you will find items such as donuts, apple pie, and ice-cream sundaes. The showstopper is definitely the make-your-own S'mores kit that includes Graham crackers, milk chocolate pieces and vanilla marshmallow and comes with a portable mini indoor fireplace to complete the experience. And don't forget to try the Coach Hot Chocolate – dunk the signature C-shaped chocolate pieces and chocolate sauce into the creamy steamed milk for a satisfying drink.
“We intend for the Coach Singapore Shophouse to be a dynamic space where we co-create many engaging moments with our customers. We plan to offer a truly exciting line-up of activations and limited-edition product launches ahead,” says Ms O’Shea on future plans for the store.
Visit Coach Play Singapore Shophouse at 5 Keong Saik Road. Open daily, Monday to Sunday, from 10am to 10pm. Coach Café is open daily, except Wednesdays. Day menu is served from 9am to 3pm. Dessert bar is open from 6pm to 9pm.
