Ambush

Still one of the best high fashion boutiques in Singapore after more than a decade, this menswear-focused multi-label store specializes in progressive, high-end streetwear and on-trend collections from cult labels like Head porter, Hood by Air and Ssur.

Blackbarrett

The second Asian outpost of designer Neil Barrett's diffusion line looks just as cool as the label's design aesthetic with its sharp edges, black-and-white color palette and sparse layout. Minimalist, subculture-inspired menswear, carrying Neil Barrett's trademark mainline fits, hangs in cage-like displays, along with the entire range of bags, footwear and accessories that are littered throughout the 1,100 sq. ft. store.

Beluga

Stylish threads from Swedish brand Nikolaj d’etoiles, France’s Sixpack, American label Kill City and london footwear label Swear occupy the racks and shelves of this sleek and minimalistic boutique. But the real reason for the healthy stream of shoppers is the store’s in-house label Grandiosity—a range of good quality basics that are fashionable and good value.

Benjamin Barker

Everything a guy needs for a dapper wardrobe can be found here—shirts, pants, blazers, ties, lapel pins, pocket squares and even polished leather shoes. And if that’s not spiffy enough, get your suit custom-fitted and spruce it up with finishes like grosgrain ribbon, embroidery and vintage buttons.

Fiftyfive

Clad in dark wood and industrial fittings, this swanky boutique—a collaborative effort between Kevin Seah Bespoke, shoe label Ed et Al and multi-label boutique Cumulus—offers a faultless range of menswear and accessories from the founders' portfolio, plus local indie labels including Crawford & Sons and Carrie K. International names like Jack Spade, Masunaga Eyewear and Saphir Shoe Products France are also available.

FurrMUSE

Still one of the better local menswear labels specializing in cool casuals and preppy shirts, this local label counts three stores islandwide. Their collection of slacks and long-sleeved shirts ($69 upwards) targeted at working adults boasts a variety of fabrics including linen, chambray and paplin. Also, check out the wide range of accessories including newsboy caps ($39) and funky shades ($59).

Kevin Seah Bespoke

What better way to make an entrance than by
donning a bespoke suit? Get measured by one of Singapore’s finest tailors Kevin Seah for a traditional Savile Row standard that features fine 1/8” French seams, 23 stitches per inch and mother of pearl. This means you get a shirt for you and you alone.

Q Menswear

Get fitted in a sharp set by Chong Han San, Raoul menswear alum and co-founder of bespoke menswear label Clothesmith. There are over 2,000 fabrics to choose from for your own bespoke suit—whether you like conventional or quirky—and custom-made shoes by Hong Kong brand Shoe Artistry. 116A Telok Ayer St., 6636‑6939.

Sects Shop

This 1,600 sq. ft. menswear-focused multi-label boutique is divided into five sections, each catering to a specific style—casual, street, preppy, edgy and unisex. Look forward to brands such as Bangkok’s Shake Appeal, UK’s Bad Taste and Hong Kong’s 11 After 11.

Swagger

Rather than pack the space with as many products as possible, this smart multi-label store has gone for the sparse and moody bachelor look, decorated with vintage items like a record player and weighing scales. Goods here, which run the gamut of fashion and grooming products, are mostly handcrafted by artisans from heritage-rich brands like Bonastre and Empire Union.

2013 was a year of sad closures. We said goodbye to Blackmarket in September, after it won our Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Indie Boutique for the third year running. Multi-label boutiques Hide & Seek and The Society of Black Sheep soon followed suit, though the latter is moving to a new location next year. We were thrilled however with more openings and expansions in the indie retail scene, worthy of celebration. Here is our pick of the ten best:

FASHION

Actually
The Actually crew’s biggest boutique to date is still as off-beat and hip as ever, with more labels to be had, including mainstays like Freitag and Boy London alongside local names such as Coupe Cousu.

Fifty Five
Clad in dark wood and industrial fittings, this swanky boutique offers a faultless range of menswear and accessories from local indie labels K by Kevin Seah and Ed Et Al as well as international names like Jack Spade and Masunaga Eyewear from Japan.

Nana & Bird
The second and flagship store of Nana & Bird retains the intimate, homey vibe of the first outlet, but offers different labels spanning ready-to-wear, accessories and homeware such as Heinui from France and British brand Falcon Enamelware.

Robe Raiders
The permanent showroom of online boutique Robe Raiders stocks used but good-as new fashion offerings from covetable luxury labels and past season designer items (think Alexander Wang, Isabel Marant, 3.1 Phillip Lim) at unbeatable prices.

Salon by Surrender
Styled like a quaint 18th-century tea salon with a modern, minimalist approach, the hip sibling of Surrender carries cutting-edge names like Viktor & Rolf and Christian Dada in menswear, womenswear and accessories.

HOME

The Godown
Everything you see in this quaint vintage home furnishing store—whether it's the herringbone-patterned coffee table, or the glass table lamp—is for sale and new items are added each month, so there's always something new to discover.

The Moongi Project
This small but well-stocked flea market of a shop offers an ever-changing collection of restored furniture and eccentric antiques such as a French medicinal bottle and vintage wine barrels. Prices are incredibly affordable and up for negotiation, too—extremely rare for a shop on Orchard Road.  

LIFESTYLE 

PACT
The three-in-one concept store has expanded its floor space to include Fred Lives Here, which comes replete with a giant half pipe, an art gallery, a food truck serving hot coffee, and seriously funky furniture from Thailand’s Propaganda and the UK’s Ooh Deer.

Supplies & Co.
Helmed by former Surrender folks Danny and WJ Tan, this multi-label boutique specializes in hard-to-find furniture, homeware and accessories that blend heritage with modernity. Noteworthy labels include Stephen Kenn and Maison Martin Margiela.

Temporium
We love pop-ups, and this store-diner-gallery (through Mar 8) is arguably one of the most interesting so far. The 4,000 sq. ft. space carries a cool range of clothes, ceramics, books and curios, plus food and coffee.

Browse all shops in Singapore

On Board
When it comes to board meetings, you’ll want a supremely tailored piece that makes you feel like a boss. This striped piece from Italian gentlemen’s outfitter Brioni, which is opening its standalone boutique at Marina Bay Sands in September, seals the deal with its refined cut and authoritative sensibility.
$950 from Uomo Collezioni

The Sharp End
Even if you’re not ripped or model-skinny, always choose a shirt that closely fits your torso to avoid billowy folds—they draw attention to your flaws and make you look frumpy. With its sharp, slim-fit silhouette and elegant, slightly shimmering blue hue, this sophisticated piece sets the right tone for a versatile work-to-bar look.

$89.90 from Benjamin Barker

Measure Up
Good for you if you can wear small, medium and large, but generic ready-to-wear never feels as good as a handcrafted, bespoke dress shirt. Get measured at Kevin Seah Bespoke for a traditional Savile Row standard, which feature fine 1/8” French seams, 23 stitches per inch stitching and mother pearl. All these mean you get a shirt for you and you alone, in terms of fit, hang, structure, comfort and the way it moves.

$350 upwards from Kevin Seah. By appointment only.

Casual Chic
Timeless, utilitarian and comfortable, chambray is a great alternative fabric to heavy denim, which doesn’t sit well with our sweat-inducing climate. High-street label Ben Sherman does one in a cool, indigo shade with brown buttons for contrast, which adds instant sartorial edge to dress-down weekends.

$189 from Ben Sherman

Made Man
Nothing looks classier than a crisp, immaculate Don Draper white shirt. And it goes with everything you put on, whether it’s a pair of jeans or a dark suit. If you already have plenty of these in high thread-count cotton, mix things up with one in Cambridge oxford fabric, like this classic button-down from American designer Thom Browne.

$290 from Surrender

Pact
This fusion of three very distinct concepts—bar-restaurant Kilo, fashion boutique K.I.N and hair salon Kizuki+LIM—sounds like a recipe for awkwardness, but it actually works. Patrons really do make use of the collaborative space, such as by having drinks while a friend gets a haircut. Rock up to the Kilo segment for a tempting selection of tipples, including Sapporo and Hitachino beers, wines and a very decent selection of sakes to share. Be careful, though. Shopping while drunk is known to damage wallets.

Maison Ikkoku
Like Pact, this Kampong Glam favorite features a triple-bill of a cocktail bar, café and men’s fashion boutique all rolled into one. It’s recently completed a round of renovation, so the bar now occupies the old boutique space on level two, and vice versa. We’re sad to say goodbye to the gorgeous rooftop view, but the extensive cocktail menu spanning a variety of tastebud-tickling libations is nonetheless bound to please. Suckers for novelty will love that the folks here dish out fresh creations every now and then, like the new Smoky Sour (a honey-oak-smoke-infused whiskey sour).

Blow+Bar
All right, so it’s really more a hair salon, but this spot has everything in place for a decent pre-party evening with the girls, and sometimes that’s all you want from a bar, right? In this cheerful, café-bar-like space, you can get some primping done with a range of hair and nail treatments, while loosening up with complimentary wine. Once you’re all dolled up, taking the party onto the road is a cinch—nightspots around Robertson Quay and Mohamed Sultan are only a hop and a skip away.

Rabbit Carrot Gun
This little burrow nestled along East Coast Road already has quite a following among East-dwelling foodies, who make a beeline for quintessentially British dishes paired with the locally-brewed Buckshot Ale on tap. If ale isn’t your thing, take a peek at the wine list to see what’s in the Gamekeeper’s Cupboard or His Lordship’s Cellar. What makes this place just a bit more special is that it’s also a boutique hotel with seven luxurious-meets-twee suites to choose from. Keep your eyes peeled for sister gastro-pub next door The Trenchard Arms, slated to open in the second half of March.