Best Christmas gifts at Design Orchard

Looking for the best Christmas gifts in Singapore? Enjoy some Orchard Road Christmas shopping at Design Orchard Retail Showcase (DORS) –  you’re sure to find something different and interesting! At the same time, you’ll be supporting top-quality local brands, reducing your global footprint and giving back to the community.

Christmas Extravaganza on Orchard Road

That’s the triple satisfaction achieved by Design Orchard. And there’s nothing small or low-key about this retail project! Taking its place alongside iconic global fashion brands, Design Orchard makes a stunning statement, smack-bang in the heart of the Orchard Road shopping precinct.

It’s a great platform for showcasing home-grown fashion and lifestyle designers. So, it’s no wonder this integrated retail, incubation and event space attracts tourists and local shoppers alike.

It was a pleasure to browse the tempting displays, as I did in early November. That was shortly  before the unveiling of the festive Christmas window displays, and while the Indian festival of Diwali was still in full swing. That’s another of the joys of Singapore, isn’t it? I love the generous and whole-hearted way in which different communities celebrate one another’s cultural festivals and holy days.

One-stop Christmas shopping

As Christmas shopping gets into full swing, general manager Julynn Tay describes DORS as the largest one-stop store for local brands. “Our mission is to both nurture and spotlight Singapore’s design talent with the introduction of exciting new experiences and spaces,” she says.

Last year alone, her busy team organised no fewer than 14 seasonal or thematic pop-ups. They also held more than 100 events such as trunk shows, workshops and styling sessions.

Gifts for everyone, pets included

From now until 31 December, you’ll find upwards of a hundred local brands under Design Orchard’s stylish roof. Main categories include garments, fragrances, food, pet accessories and trinkets.

Specialised “gifting zones” include:

• Breath of Life – personal and home fragrances;
• Love the Earth – a sustainable selection;
• Grab a Bite – food and snacks;
• Fetch a Treat – pet books and accessories;
• Give a Gift – trinkets and knick-knacks; and
• Bundle the Joy – gift wrapping.

What’s more, around 30 new brands are represented in this Christmas gifting pop-up. So it’s a great place to find something innovative and distinctive – especially if you’re looking  for high-quality, even unique holiday gifts with a sense of place and an unmistakably Singapore flair.

Santa’s Workshop

Here’s where you can create customised gifts for a loved one – or just to treat yourself.  You’ll find tea blends from 3 Thirty Tea, skincare from Fawn Labs, watch straps from Cranky Cats, candles by Pristine Aroma x Au Naturel, and monogram scarves from Queenmark.

Do good, feel good

In the season of giving, it’s good to know that shopping for the best Christmas gifts at Design Orchard means supporting two organisations – SG Enable, a focal agency for disability in Singapore, and children’s charity Children Wishing Well.

At the end of the central aisle, browse the SG Enable’s shop-in-a-shop to support this disability agency’s wide-ranging efforts on behalf of the disabled community. These range from raising awareness of disability issues to facilitating access to disability schemes and services.

Can you imagine anything more sustainable than a Christmas tree made from upcycled T-shirts? Well, Design Orchard created exactly that. So, in support of Children Wishing Well, why not adopt a wish at the T-shirt Christmas tree so as to make an underprivileged child’s dream come true?

Who’s Who: Behind the scenes at Design Orchard

An inspirational design and retail success like DORS doesn’t just happen by itself. Rather, it’s a triumph of single-minded focus plus hard-working collaboration by numerous individuals. A multi-government agency effort spearheaded by Enterprise Singapore, JTC and the Singapore Tourism Board, it’s managed by Singapore Fashion Council, the official association for the fashion industry in Singapore.

For more Christmas cheer, check out our best roast turkey recipe!