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.
