Surrendering

Over two months have passed since my trip to Singapore and Tokyo. Embarrassingly, I still have a few posts at various stages of completion. Oh, the shame. In all honesty, I'm a little dumbfounded that so much time has elapsed. Someone must have sat on the remote control and pressed fast forward because it really doesn't feel that long at all. If I close my eyes I can still taste the finest Tonkatsu, the bargains galore that were found in Shibuya and I can still see the well stocked rails of the new look Surrender. 

Last summer, Singapore's finest retail concept moved in to their new home in the redeveloped colonial masterpiece that is the Raffles Hotel Arcade. Inspired by the history of one of the world's oldest hotels, Earn Chan and the gang, opted for a more welcoming and rustic surrounding to house their heart poundingly strong assortment of brands.  The store reads just like my yearly letter to Santa. The finest products from blog favourites including Bunney, Mr Hare, Saint James and Oliver Peoples Vintage sit alongside the often obsessed over Visvim, Porter, Thom Browne and Gitman Vintage to name but a few. Having read so much about this Singapore institution it was an absolute pleasure to have the opportunity excitedly bounce from rail to rail. Now, a good number of weeks might have passed since my visit but join me in a reminiscing pictorial bounce. Below are just a few items that caught my eye and left me cursing my empty wallet...

Just a small selection of items that tickled my fancy. These include Thom Browne's shrunken tailoring, Visvim's expensive products of perfection, beautifully position Burroughs by Mr Hare and the nautically themed Brighton collection from Head Porter.

For me, Surrender has it all. From one of the largest sections of Thom Browne that I've ever seen to the comforting sight of Mr Hare's Burroughs and Bunney's familiar studs, I felt I had encountered my retail home. It is a true emporium of menswear. During the hour inside, I had the very same feeling I had when I finally (after much nagging) visited a Toys R Us store for the very first time; sheer excitement and a desire to touch, play and buy all that was before my eager eyes. That is how the shopping experience should feel but rarely do stores get it so right. I've certainly surrendered to the charms of Surrender.