A wide variety of shops like goldsmiths and traditional Indian beauty parlours can be found along Serangoon Road, the main thoroughfare of Singapore’s Little India district. On the corner of Serangoon Road and Bukit Timah Road is Tekka Centre , which houses a wet market and food centre on level 1 and retails traditional Indian clothing, textiles and footwear, on the upper floor. Located off Serangoon Road is one of Singapore’s most famous shopping centres: Mustafa Centre. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this emporium sells an incredibly wide range of products— from sportswear, electronics to groceries and jewellery—plus it has a 24-hour pharmacy.

An interior view of a shop selling saris

In the heart of Little India, Jothi Store & Flower Shop (www.jothi. com.sg) is worth a visit to catch whiffs of fragrant jasmine garlands and peruse traditional Indian beauty products, homeware, and kitchenware. After exploring the area, bring home Little India-inspired fabrics, cushion covers and more from Onlewo’s Jalan Besar outlet nearby.

Visitors will find traditional shophouses alongside chic yoga studios and traditional coffee shops beside hip cafés that crank out cold-brewed coffees in the Katong and Joo Chiat neighborhood. Visit quaint Peranakan (Straits-born people of Chinese and Malay/ Indonesian heritage) boutique Rumah Bebe to pick up exquisite fabrics and embroidered pouches, and then head over to Cat Socrates.

This charming shop, founded by Hellen Jiang, specialises in Singaporean literature and quirky local-inspired Bric- a-Brac—think cushions that resemble tutu kueh (steamed cakes with crushed peanut or grated coconut filling), feline- related merchandise and Singlish (a colloquial form of English) postcards. Take a trip down to MOX, a co-creative working space, for fresh finds by young entrepreneurs.

Visitors to MOX can take home contemporary renditions of traditional clothing from modern batik (traditional Indonesian fabric) fashion brand Baju by Oniatta and modern cheongsam (a body-hugging traditional Chinese dress) brand Studio HHFZ

Peranakan shophouses at Katong.

Lovers of timeless fashion from the 1950s to 1990s should head to A Vintage Tale, a concept store showcasing carefully curated collections from across the globe. For specialty coffee, travelers can pop by Choice Cuts Goods + Coffee for a cuppa and enjoy it while browsing vinyl records in a relaxed atmosphere.

The historic Arab Street which lies between Victoria Street and Beach Road in Singapore’s Kampong Glam district is known for its well-preserved shophouses selling all manner of textiles and carpets. Local dressmakers still come here to pick up lace, silks and batik (traditional Indonesian fabric) sold by the yard or metre from shops like Molkan Fabrics and Collezione La Prima. For modern batik designs, visit stores such as Ozel and Utopia Apparels.

Today, an array of cafés and concept stores, such as All Things Delicious , Scene Shang and bespoke perfume-maker Sifr Aromatics , can also be found alongside the textile and carpet shops. Just off Arab Street is Haji Lane, a vibrant alley covered with colorful street art. Shop for home accessories and fashion pieces at the Salad Shop, bespoke jewellery and apparel at SSFW and edgy menswear at Sup Clothing.

Visitors looking for unique lifestyle products can check out the numerous pop-up shops at So Gelam Market—a kampong-style (villages) weekend street market held monthly in

Singapore’s cultural precinct of Chinatown is a hive of activity day and night and a heady mix of old and new. Retail options range from traditional wares to indie boutiques and bespoke finds. Visitors can head to On Cheong Jewellery for gold jewellery that features not only traditional Chinese motifs but also contemporary designs.

Egg tarts and the new contemporary cookie tin series at Tong Heng are the perfect treats for visitors with a sweet tooth. For tea connoisseurs, a visit to one of Singapore’s oldest tea merchants, Pek Sin Choon along Mosque Street is a definite must.

An angled view of a row of shops selling table cloths , bags, ornaments etc

Visitors who are interested to learn about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) should stop by the Eu Yan Sang flagship store on South Bridge Road. It stocks a variety of health and wellness products, including medicinal herbs, herbal teas, pre-mixed soup packets and medicated ointments. On Ann Siang Road nearby, visitors who love fashion can step into innit Bangkok and browse the collection of fashion merchandise.

In the past, Bugis Street Market, located in the Bras Basah.Bugis district was filled with entertainment and alfresco dining, along with nightly adult-themed shows. Today, the bustling street market offers bargain hunters an array of apparel, accessories, quirky local souvenirs and eats. While wandering through the numerous shops, grab a bite at one of the snack stalls located within. With over 600 stores spread across three levels, shoppers will find something that appeals to them.

The external façade of the Bras Basah Complex. Collectors can browse through vintage magazines and books and art materials at this old school mall.

A pair of twin sisters founded the local boutique brand in 2015. As trained architects with a keen eye for design, the duo choose to set up Binary Style as a means of distilling key elements of Singapore’s architecture and weaving it with local patterns, shapes, and colors to tell a captivating tale. Primarily inspired by Singapore’s culture, heritage, urban life, and nature, Binary Style uses its collection of over 60 beautiful scarves as a medium to illustrate and narrate Singapore’s story–be it from the past or present. These scarves are made of either cotton, silk, cotton silk or chiffon, making them classic and comfortable pieces to wear and own.

Where to buy: Design Orchard, 250 Orchard Road and other outlets islandwide
Tel: +65 9030 6465 (Trade Contact: Santhi Tunas)
Website: www.binarystyle.co
Email: binarysingapore@gmail.com (Trade Contact: Santhi Tunas) Write in to enquire about travel trade deals.
Opening Hours: Mon–Sun 10.30am–9.30pm

Photo Phactory encapsulates Singapore’s heritage and history through vibrant photographic prints on various lifestyle products–from clutch bags and silk scarves to canvas prints and coasters. Its prints are inspired by various districts of Singapore and feature architecture, patterns, pop-up art and more. Many of them are presented in a colourful quilt-style that showcases different designs and places The brand’s design vision seeks to take classic elements and create them anew through everyday lifestyle products. The designs make great statement pieces and even better conversational pieces to tell tales of visitors’ trip to the city-state.

Where to buy: Design Orchard, 250 Orchard Road and other outlets islandwide
Tel: +65 9061 9772 (Trade Contact:Valley Arora)
Website: www.photophactorysg.com
Email: valleyaroraphotophactory@gmail.com (Trade Contact:Valley Arora)
Opening Hours: Mon–Sun 10.30am–9.30pm

Drawing inspiration from its Singaporean roots, Onlewo creates pattern designs with stories. Each design is a contemporary rendition of heritage, places and culture in Singapore and has been donned by public figures such as Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information, S Iswaran. Look out for Onlewo’s rendition of ethnic neighbourhoods like Tiong Bahru, Little India and Chinatown that takes a modern and artistic approach in encapsulating their heritage.

The brand seeks to connect people and memories, enliven conversations and ignite new passions. Visitors will find all-original designs, including gifts, ladies’ and men’s fashion, scarves, fabric, cushion covers, bags, and many more. These specialty goods are available in Design Orchard and Naiise Iconic at Jewel Changi Airport. Write in for trade discounts.

Where to buy: Design Orchard, 250 Orchard Road; Jewel Changi Airport, 78 Airport Boulevard #02-205/206
Tel: +65 9112 4685 / +65 8100 9800 (Trade Contact: Eugene Yip)
Website: www.onlewo.com
Email: eugene@onlewo.com (Trade Contact: Eugene Yip)
Opening Hours: Mon–Sun 10.30am–9.30pm

A one-stop destination for quirky, design-centric items, Naiise offers more than 25,000 products from over 1,000 emergings and established brands from Singapore and around the world. A platform for budding designers to showcase their wares—from books and magazines to décor, fashion, lifestyle and food products—Naiise’s local collection presents unconventional souvenirs for travelers to bring back home.

Shoppers will find curry puff (deep-fried or baked pastry with curried fillings) cushions; prints and postcards with illustrations of local dishes; T-shirts printed with Singlish phrases and words and more. For visitors interested in handicrafts, Naiise hosts regular workshops ranging from brush lettering and calligraphy to terrarium building and jewelry making.

Elderly couple browsing items in a shop. Photo by Rebecca Teoh. Collectors can purchase locally designed souvenirs at Naiise at Katong.

Where to buy: Jewel Changi Airport, 78 Airport Boulevard #02-205/206 and other outlets islandwide
Tel: +65 6266 8418 / +65 6252 7701 (Trade Contact: Amanda Eng)
Website: www.naiise.com
Email: wecare@naiise.com / Amanda@naiise.com (Trade Contact: Amanda Eng)
Opening Hours: Mon–Sun 10am–10pm

Supermama works with some of the best designers and craft facilities to produce authentic souvenirs and design pieces. A unique souvenir to bring home would be the Singapore Recipe Tea Towels which made its debut at Moma Design Store, New York. Other bespoke finds from the brand include homeware such as handcrafted wooden teacups, porcelain plates, toys, furniture and accessories. In 2019, Supermama opened its second boutique in Jewel Changi Airport.

Visitors will find minimalist design pieces produced in collaborations between local designers and Japanese craft facilities, as well as a changing showcase of locally designed porcelain that they can browse and even bring home.

A flatlay of Singapore's souvenirs (from left): Supermama plates, Clipper Tea ware, Democratic society coffee shop chairs, local edible souvenirs (e.g. butterfly biscuits, coloured gems, wang wang), Naiise, The Farm Store, Democratic Society, LOVE SG, X-mini 3

Where to buy: Jewel Changi Airport, 78 Airport Boulevard #02-207 and other outlets islandwide
Tel: +65 9745 5147 (Trade Contact: Lee Mei Ling)
Website: www.supermama.sg
Email: info@supermama.sg (Trade Contact: Lee Mei Ling)
Opening Hours: Mon–Sun 10am–10pm