F J Benjamin Holdings (FJB), the fashion retail company that introduced single-brand boutiques in Singapore, is returning to the luxury market with a new retail concept that adapts to changes in shopper habits post-Covid-19.
Southeast Asia’s leading fashion retailer said it launches today a highly-curated multi-label luxury shoe and lifestyle concept store as brick-and-mortar foot traffic returns, and high-end consumers crave new and innovative retail experiences.
Douglas Benjamin, Group CEO of FJB, said: “We had a lot of time during the
Covid-19 lockdown to think of how we want to do things differently for our
customers, how to make their shopping experience more exciting and
experiential, and essentially, how we wanted to reimagine the business of F J Benjamin.”
The answer: Avenue on 3, a swanky 8,000 square feet of indulgence
overlooking Paragon Shopping Centre’s atrium from the third floor. This temple of luxury is devoted to trendy footwear from some of the most established and revered labels, as well as provides a chic, comfortable venue for social meetups, events and workshops over artisanal food and drinks.
The main draw will be its impressive collection of ladies’ shoes that combine modern design and traditional craftsmanship, showcasing vertiginous heels to fuss free mules to ballet flats from brands such as Aquazzura, Gianvito Rossi, Alaïa, René Caovilla, Loewe, Giuseppe Zanotti and more.
Avenue on 3 is unlike any other upscale fashion store FJB has ever opened in Singapore, Mr Benjamin said. “The luxury market in Singapore has been
remarkably resilient, outpacing the broader market. The population of high net worth individuals in Singapore has increased significantly in recent years, and with rising wealth comes a corresponding increase in demand for luxury goods and services, which bodes well for Avenue on 3’s success in Singapore.”
In addition to the dazzling array of stylish shoes, Avenue on 3 will also retail accessories such as eyewear, handbags and jewellery from premium brands including Linda Farrow eyewear, handbags from Valextra, Tom Ford, and Lanvin, as well as jewellery from Oscar de la Renta, among others.
To elevate the retail experience further, Avenue on 3 houses artisanal
Lebanese chocolatier Patchi, a 40-seater café and a bar that serves coffee
during the day and champagne and caviar from late afternoon. In addition, there are suites for facials, blowouts, massages and manicures where customers can try out top-of-the-line skincare products including Dr. Barbara Sturm and MZ Skin.
Avenue on 3’s large, modular space is also designed for flexible, adaptable use depending on clients’ needs. Italian luxury label Bottega Veneta has signed up to install a pop-up store, which showcases an array of products, some exclusive to Avenue on 3.
Mr Benjamin said: “It is acknowledged that women generally prefer to shop in a multi-label format for shoes as it allows them to try a variety of brands and styles in order to select the shoe that best serves their needs or meets their desires.
“The ladies’ shoes section is usually the most crowded in any department store or specialty store. Designer footwear, in particular, is one of the strongest revenue-generating segments in fashion as customers in the high-end market show that they are willing to pay for perfection.”
Avenue on 3 will also introduce its own customer relationship management
smartphone app, which will extend rewards to its member base for purchases made.
Avenue on 3 will help diversify FJB’s business which already includes retail
fashion, wellness and skincare. The Group manages over 20 leading fashion bands, such as Marc Jacobs, Fauré Le Page, and Pretty Ballerinas, and 144 stores in Southeast Asia.
