The new re-modelled Cartier at ION Orchard decks with unique Singaporean cultural symbols and is poised as the flagship boutique of South East Asia in the Garden City
Cartier reopens its largest flagship three-storey boutique in South East Asia with an ultra-exclusive Le Salon Cartier for bespoke client treatment at the highest floor.
To celebrate this flagship reopening, an exceptional exhibition, titled “Cartier, Icon of Style” is open to the public – highlighting the birth and evolution of the signature panther through selected historical Cartier Collection pieces, in the boutique.
WHO: Cartier
WHAT: With the ultimate goal to provide unparalleled client experience, Cartier has collaborated with famed Parisian artist, designer, scenographer, painter and photographer, Bruno Moinard, to remodel the Cartier flagship boutique at ION Orchard in Singapore by marrying the French art de vivre with multiple references exhibited in the Singaporean culture as a Garden City – embracing the beauty, richness and diversity of it all.
Artist’s impression: Store façade
Inspired by the Singapore’s tropical climate, the external glass façade of 20 metres in length is patterned with palm trees and raindrops to give a sense of privacy and exclusiveness. Another key feature is the Cartier panther seen nestling amongst the tropical environment, referencing to Singapore’s very own flora and fauna – carved in bas-relief on a plaster panel.
Paying tribute to the city that hosts the Maison, this sculpted piece of work is a custom-made design for this Cartier flagship boutique – installed in the stairwell between the first and second floors. Plus, the Le Salon Cartier on the third floor is enriched with multiple Peranakan artefacts to elaborate on the splendour of what the local Singaporean culture is known for.
Spanning a total retail space of 688 square metres and bearing the latest Maison architectural concept conceived by Bruno Moinard, the Cartier flagship boutique at ION Orchard is the largest Cartier boutique in South East Asia, including the Le Salon Cartier for discerning clients on Level 3.
As a part of the reopening celebrations of the Cartier flagship boutique at ION Orchard, an exhibition titled “Cartier, Icon of Style” has been specially curated – showcasing selected historic and extraordinary pieces from Cartier Collection.
Cartier was the first jeweller to adopt the panther. The elegant feline was used for the first time on a wristwatch in 1914 with the setting of onyx recreating the animal’s fur. When Jeanne Toussaint was appointed as Creative Director for Cartier in 1933, the panther became even more as an emblematic motif for the Maison.
Jeanne Toussaint worked closely alongside Louis Cartier and was nicknamed “La Panthère”, presumably due to her freedom, strength of character and love for panther in her lifestyle.
One of her most outstanding inputs lies in the search on volumes and attitudes of the animal. For Jeanne Toussaint, and thus for Cartier, the panther – now an iconic motif – is clearly the emblem of femininity unfettered by convention.
Louis Cartier and Jeanne Toussaint also had a mutual interest in, not to say a fascination with, other cultures. This has helped shape not just the aesthetic of one or other object, but the entire Cartier style; a visual language, which has extended to every creation and whose “vocabulary” has been constantly expanding with new forms, volumes, and combinations of colours, materials, carved gems, cabochons and more.
To understand the rich Cartier history towards the evolution of decorative arts, as well as the beginnings of its signature emblem, Cartier puts together a public exhibition of selected iconic Cartier Collection pieces. The “Cartier, Icon of Style” exhibition highlights, among other things, the origins of the panther and its rich connections with some of the most well-known figures, such as the Duchess of Windsor and Barbara Hutton, just to name a few.
Open to all interested members of the public, the exhibit runs from 24 November 2018 to 6 December 2018 – Monday to Friday: 12pm to 9.00pm | Saturday to Sunday: 10.30am to 9.00pm. Keen individuals are encouraged to indicate registration interest on www.cartier-ion.sg/register as viewing slots are limited.
WHERE: Cartier flagship boutique at ION Orchard
WHEN: Cartier flagship boutique reopens on 24 November 2018, Saturday
Cartier, Icon of Style exhibition
- From 24 November 2018, Saturday to 6 December 2018, Thursday
o Monday to Friday: 12pm to 9.00pm
o Saturday to Sunday: 10.30am to 9.00pm