Glitterati; 310 Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park; Tel 6235-7151
IT was not until very recently that Phoenix Park started to register on the radar of Singaporeans. That is, until the restaurant Spruce, opened its doors last year, enticing a good number of food-loving locals to make their way there. But Spruce aside, if you make the effort to travel further inside Phoenix Park, you will be able to find some gems, one of which is Glitterati, a boutique that specialises in evening wear.
Designed by founder Latika Alok, the gowns are priced from $900 and come in sizes ranging from UK6 to UK22 to cater to women of various silhouettes.
It also sells a line of clothing for teenage girls under the label Glitterateen (from $35 for a top to $55 for a dress and $12 to $25 for accessories), which makes the store an ideal choice for mothers and daughters who want to spend some quality time together.
Mrs Alok reveals that she chose the charming - albeit slightly obscure - location of Phoenix Park because it fit right in with her ideal business model. This inspired her to choose it over other more commercial options available.
'Glitterati initially started off as a home-based business. I had a boutique at home and my clients would make appointments to visit at their leisure. Very often their husbands also came along, and I served them wine so they enjoyed themselves and the concept worked,' she explains.
'So when I decided to open a boutique, I wanted to make sure that I could continue that concept which is not possible at a normal shopping mall because of the many regulations such as their opening and closing hours.
'Here at Phoenix Park, my customers can choose when to come in. I am open during normal shopping hours but we're not restricted to those hours so my customers can come at 9am or at 9pm so long as they make an appointment.'
She adds that the environment that Phoenix Park offers is ideal for her vision. 'I've always found that Glitterati is a destination store. And the fact that I can say I have a standalone bungalow with private parking, set in lush green surroundings shouts exclusivity. This suits the philosophy of my brand.
'I wouldn't want to be in the hustle and bustle of a shopping mall. A lot of my exclusive clients like the fact that it is in a private setting.
'This way, they can be comfortable, bring their undergarments, shoes and jewellery, without worrying about other people watching them from the outside.
'It helps because a lot of people people want their own private time, especially when they're shopping for gowns.'
This article was first published in The Business Times.
