In a city where a handbag can be a small act of self-expression, a Parisian house known for its folding nylon totes has brought its made-to-order personalisation out of the screen and into a Raffles City corner, where shoppers can hold the fabric and shape their own bag. Alongside it, two Southeast Asian labels, Bangkok's Gentlewoman and Vietnam's LSoul, have planted their first Singapore roots on Orchard Road, a reminder that regional fashion is increasingly finding its footing beyond its home markets. Meanwhile, Fenty Beauty's 50-shade foundation revisits an old question about who gets to be
Longchamp Brings Custom My Pliage Pop-Up to Raffles City, With Fenty Beauty's 50-Shade Foundation Launch
Shoppers can finally feel the fabric swatches before they commit
Mark
Why does it matter that My Pliage is in person now?
Mimi
Because it was online-only before. Now people can touch the fabric swatches and get help from advisers at the kiosks, from Oct 21 to Nov 18 at Raffles City.
Luke
Worth noting the 2.7 billion combinations is Longchamp's own figure, not independently checked.
Mark
Fair. And the cost?
Mimi
$280 for a coin purse up to $735 for a large travel bag, with six to eight weeks to make each one.
Mark
Gentlewoman and LSoul opened almost together. Coincidence?
Mimi
They're a few doors apart at 313@somerset, opened a day apart, and share the distributor Grand Brands Asia.
Luke
The reporting doesn't say whether that timing was planned. It only states the facts of the dates and the distributor.
Mark
And Fenty's 50 shades?
Mimi
The brand says it's rebuilt the range from seven years of feedback, with adjusted undertones and more neutral shades.
Luke
That's the brand's account. Claims like waterproof are described as what the formula is 'said' to do, and there's no independent testing here.
Le Pouls
- Longchamp's My Pliage personalisation is stepping out of the online store for the first time, with a pop-up at Raffles City running until November 18.
- Over 2.7 billion possible combinations give shoppers a dizzying range of colours, stripes, hardware and monogrammed lettering to navigate.
- Gentlewoman and LSoul opened their first Singapore stores within a day of each other at 313@somerset, with celebrity-packed launch parties and distribution handled by Grand Brands Asia.
- Fenty Beauty's 50 new shades, built on seven years of customer feedback, are a high-stakes bid to answer long-running complaints about inclusivity.
- The verdict on whether the reworked foundation range truly delivers now rests with shoppers at the counter and on their own skin.
In a city where a handbag can be a small act of self-expression, a Parisian house known for its folding nylon totes has brought its made-to-order personalisation out of the screen and into a Raffles City corner, where shoppers can hold the fabric and shape their own bag. Alongside it, two Southeast Asian labels, Bangkok's Gentlewoman and Vietnam's LSoul, have planted their first Singapore roots on Orchard Road, a reminder that regional fashion is increasingly finding its footing beyond its home markets. Meanwhile, Fenty Beauty's 50-shade foundation revisits an old question about who gets to be seen in a shade, and leaves its answer to the customers who will test it.
From October 21 to November 18, a corner of Level 1 at Raffles City has become a workshop for gift-givers. Longchamp's customisable My Pliage, once available only online, now lets shoppers sit with digital kiosks and advisers, feel fabric swatches and build a bag from the ground up. The foldable Le Pliage, created in 1993 by the late Philippe Cassegrain, is the base for choices ranging from seven silhouettes and up to 20 colours to hot-stamped messages and dates. Each bag is made to order in Segre, France, from recycled polyester, arriving in six to eight weeks.
Across the road at 313@somerset, two fashion labels from the region have opened their first Singapore doors. Gentlewoman, founded in Bangkok in 2018, started with workwear and has grown into a full wardrobe, known for its logo tote and a collaboration with actress Chompoo Araya that celebrates everyday Thai nostalgia. Next door, Vietnamese house LSoul held a flagship party that drew celebrities from both countries, showing its Autumn/Winter 2026 collection of bows, florals and lace, a line that has already dressed global stars.
In beauty, Fenty Beauty has launched its Pro Filt'r foundation in 50 new shades, its largest release since the brand debuted with 40 in 2017. Rihanna says the team listened closely to years of feedback, adjusting undertones and making the palette easier to match. The medium, buildable, waterproof formula was made in Japan over almost three years, and a new brush accompanies it. Whether the range finally meets the moment is a question only customers can answer.
From Oct 21 to Nov 18, a corner of Level 1 at Raffles City Singapore, in Stamford Square at 252 North Bridge Road, is given over to a pop-up where shoppers design their own Longchamp bag. The My Pliage Personalisation Pop-Up arrives in time for festive gifting. Singapore is one of five places in the Asia-Pacific hosting it, alongside Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.
The customisable My Pliage service was previously online-only, so this is the first time it is offered in person. Customers use digital kiosks with guidance from Longchamp advisers, and can feel fabric swatches and match styles before they commit. The bag at the centre of it is the foldable Le Pliage, inspired by origami and created in 1993 by the late Philippe Cassegrain, a second-generation leader of the family business and its former president.
The choices are wide. Shoppers pick from seven bag styles and up to 20 body colours, and can add stripes, hearts or a new leopard print. They also choose leather details and hardware finishes, add their own lettering, and can have a message or date hot-stamped on the leather. The brand says this adds up to more than 2.7 billion possible combinations. Each bag is made to order from 100% recycled polyester at Longchamp's atelier in Segre, France, ready in about six to eight weeks, and can be delivered to the home or collected in store. Prices run from $280 for a coin purse to $735 for a large travel bag.
Elsewhere in the city, two South-east Asian labels have opened their first Singapore stores a few doors apart on the third floor of 313@somerset, 313 Orchard Road. Bangkok-born Gentlewoman opened on Oct 15 at 03-18/21. Founded in 2018 by Raya Wannapinyo, Siripa Rueangwutthisakulchai and Jitpon Siriwattanamathangkul, it began with workwear and now sells casualwear, activewear, swimwear and accessories. It is best known for its logo tote bag. Totes start at $35, other bags go up to $109, and clothing ranges from $69 to $149. The store carries Dormitory Darlings, a collaboration with Thai actress Chompoo Araya inspired by nostalgic everyday Thai life.
Next door at 03-16/17, Vietnamese fashion house LSoul opened its flagship on Oct 14. The opening party drew Vietnamese celebrities Tran Tieu Vy and Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy, and Singapore personalities Sonia Chew, Mae Tan and Jade Rasif. Founded by creative director Nguyen Trong Lam, LSoul has dressed Blackpink, IU, Madison Beer and members of Twice, and made custom looks for Blackpink's Deadline World Tour. The store shows its Autumn/Winter 2026 L'Amour collection, which debuted at Shanghai Fashion Week and is built on bows, florals, lace and knots. Ready-to-wear costs $79 to $539, and bags and shoes $399 to $479. Singapore-based distributor Grand Brands Asia brings in both labels.
In beauty, Rihanna's Fenty Beauty has launched the Pro Filt'r Fluid Flex Natural Matte Longwear Foundation ($72) in 50 new shades. The brand calls it its biggest launch since 2017, when it debuted with what was then a groundbreaking range of 40 shades. "We heard you loud and clear on the shades," the Barbadian singer said in a press statement. Drawing on more than seven years of customer feedback, the brand rebuilt the range with adjusted undertones and more neutral shades to make matching easier.
The foundation was made in Japan and took almost three years to develop. It gives medium, buildable coverage with a natural matt finish, and is said to be waterproof and resistant to sweat, humidity and transfer, with starfruit extract to control oil. The shade number and an undertone letter are printed on the side of the frosted-glass pump bottle. A new Foundation Brush 165 ($55), with dense, wavy bristles and a scooped tip, is made to follow facial contours. Shoppers can also find their shade through virtual tools on Fenty Beauty's website and TikTok. Whether the reworked range answers the shade complaints is something customers will now decide.
Citations marquantes
We heard you loud and clear on the shades.— Rihanna, in a Fenty Beauty press statement
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