There was a time when the fashion guard wouldn’t be caught dead with a sandwich in hand. To eat was to risk spoiling the illusion. But today’s style set? It grazes freely. It sips matcha under the soft glow of statement lighting. And nowhere is this shift more apparent than in Singapore, where food culture is not just a pastime—it’s practically a national identity. Now, fashion is joining the table.
Take All-American fashion brand Coach, which is leaning into the lifestyle. Last night, I attended the opening of the brand’s first-ever standalone Coach Bar, tucked within the Coach Play Shophouse on Keong Saik Road. On the menu? $12 martinis with customisable fixings and table-side service, quintessential cocktails (espresso martini, anyone?) and all-American bar bites blend design together with effortless cool.
And later this year, a little birdie tells me that our very own Coach Restaurant will open its doors at Jewel Changi Airport—following the Jakarta outpost that blended its American heritage with Southeast Asian polish. It’s a clear statement: the brand isn’t just selling leather goods. It’s selling a way of living.
Then there are the ever-popular (and notoriously hard-to-book) Dior Cafés, those dreamy pop-ups timed to the arrival of new collections. From iced lattes served in Toile de Jouy cups to sorbets coloured to match the latest Rouge Dior lipstick shades—these seasonal cafés blur the line between runway and refreshment.
And let’s not forget Ralph’s Coffee, with its two stylish outposts at Shaw Centre and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. More than just a café, it’s a tribute to Ralph Lauren’s American heritage—where every detail evokes the charm of an Upper East Side institution. But beyond the caffeine and confections, Ralph’s Coffee is a seamless extension of the brand’s lifestyle philosophy: timeless, elegant, and quietly aspirational. It’s a space that invites guests to slow down, savour the moment, and inhabit the Ralph Lauren world, even if only for the length of a latte.
So why this sudden appetite for hospitality? Because food, quite simply, has become fashion’s next canvas. In an era where experience trumps excess and Instagram is the new runway, brands understand that moments of indulgence—when styled well—build loyalty and buzz. A branded latte, a form of soft power.
We’ve seen this play out across Asia’s most fashion-forward cities. In Seoul, Gentle Monster’s Dosan flagship building fuses eyewear, fragrance, and cakes and coffee in an immersive space that blurs the boundaries between concept store, gallery, and café. In Tokyo, Giorgio Armani’s Armani Caffe offers sophisticated minimalist desserts with maximum visual impact—each one plated like a garment sketch come to life. Over in Bangkok, Gaggan at Louis Vuitton invites guests to step inside and dine amidst the brand’s heritage, complete with Louis Vuitton trunks, Monogram lamps and tableware stamped with the iconic Monogram Flowers. These aren’t just places to dine—they’re curated environments where the fashion narrative continues off the rack and onto the table. For today’s consumer, taste is no longer limited to clothing. It’s a full-sensory experience.
In Singapore, this crossover feels especially natural. Where hawker culture and haute couture happily coexist, and queues for chilli crab rival those for Chanel, the relationship between food and fashion is both authentic and aspirational. Singaporeans live to eat—and now, increasingly, they eat in style.
So is food finally in fashion? I say: it always has been. The difference now is that fashion has stepped fully into the kitchen—and dressed it for the occasion.
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