SINGAPORE–Locals and tourists lucky enough to be in Singapore this weekend (Oct. 19-21) have the chance to check out the Hermès Carre Club at 3 Lady Hill Road. The two-story mansion has been transformed for the weekend into an extravagant showcase for the luxury brand’s iconic silk scarves, first made in 1937. (Carré is French for silk scarf.)
Conceived by Bali Barret, artistic director of the Hermès men’s universe, the Carre Club has included stops in New York and Canada. After its Singapore stint—the only Asian stop—the pop-up will move to Los Angeles and Milan.
In this IG-obsessed world, the Carre Club is designed to provide enough “content” for at least a few days, if you know how to space your posts.
Unlike its earlier iterations in Manhattan and Toronto that had a handful of components, the Carre Club in Singapore this weekend has a total of nine. Outside, there is a small skate ramp called the Carre Park where skater boys flown in from Paris show off their moves.
Silk jumpsuits
At the Carre Click and Check to the left of the main entrance, guests are greeted by a bemustached receptionist and his assistants clad in printed silk jumpsuits. Guests are then signed in and handed their membership card for access to the different features like the Carre Cut (makeovers using square-cut wigs that you can bring home, or you can opt for a quick manicure), the Carre Cafe, the Carre Disco, and the Carre-OK.
In the Carre-OK rooms, guests can click on the nine scarves on the monitor and belt out tracks like “We Are the World” by USA for Africa or “ABC” by the Jackson 5, complete with animated scarf designs.
The artistic center of the Carre Club is located on the second floor. At the Carre Studio, there are actual scarf designers like Octave Marsal and Theo de Gueltzl who work in tandem to come up with detailed scarf designs. The one they are working on when we visit combines giant peonies in full bloom and tightly-packed but fictional cityscapes.
Gianpaolo Pagni, a red scarf tied jauntily around his neck, is known for pairing old documents with custom stamps. At his station, guests can watch him stamp directly onto silk scarves.
The one with the longest queue during the VIP preview held Thursday night was artist Keng Saw, who illustrates members’ portraits in his signature style. Members can then take their portraits home with them after he’s done.
There was also a long line of members itching to buy one of the autumn-winter 2018 scarves or the special edition Hermes Carre Club silk bandana, available only at the Carre Mania gift shop.
The Hermès Carre Club is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. from October 19 to 21 at 3 Lady Hill Road, Singapore. Admission is free. For priority access, register to join the club at singapore-carreclub.hermes.com.
