Singapore's Joo Chiat neighbourhood has picked up a new stop for fashion-minded travellers. On the second floor of a shophouse just behind Common Man Coffee Roasters sits KOLLECTIVE by Belle&Kate, a store that pairs curated vintage luxury with a rotating cast of independent brands from across Asia.
The concept comes from Belle&Kate, a pre-owned luxury marketplace founded by Ardine Nakety in Indonesia back in 2016, where people could buy, sell and trade second-hand designer goods. The Singapore edition builds on that foundation but broadens the scope — think vintage bags, accessories and apparel alongside independent fashion, fragrance, beauty and design labels.
The vintage side is where collectors will want to dig in. Expect pieces from Hermès, Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton, including past-season rarities, discontinued styles and colourways you won't see in current boutiques. Some pieces capture a specific moment in a fashion house's history — silhouettes or finishes that are no longer produced — and prices sit below what you'd pay new. It also fits the circular-fashion ethos Belle&Kate has pushed since day one: keeping well-made luxury in circulation rather than in a wardrobe or landfill.
The other half of the store is the local angle. The indie edit rotates regularly, giving emerging Asian designers and makers shelf space next to the established vintage names. For visitors, that's a genuine advantage: it's the kind of place you might find a Seoul-based fragrance label or a regional accessory brand that hasn't made it to your home market yet. You could walk in hunting a vintage flap bag and walk out with a new designer, a scent or something for your home.
If you go, note the unusual hours: the shop opens Tuesday to Friday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm, and closes Monday and Saturday — so a weekend visit means Sunday only. KrisFlyer members get 20 per cent off selected vintage pieces, subject to terms and conditions, which is a decent nudge if you're sitting on miles-programme membership already.
Why does this matter for a traveller? Joo Chiat has quietly become one of Singapore's more interesting pockets — Peranakan shophouses, specialist coffee, indie retail — well away from Orchard Road's mall row. KOLLECTIVE slots neatly into a half-day wander through the area, and it doubles as a source of gifts or souvenirs that aren't the usual airport fare. Serious vintage shoppers get a curated rails-and-shelves hunt with authentic pre-owned designer stock; casual browsers get an ever-changing look at Asian independent design in one stop.
