The line-up, including fashion retailers Studio Tomboy and make-up brand Vidivici, will be carried at Metro Paragon till Oct 31
[SINGAPORE] Shoppers here will soon have exclusive access to six brands from South Korea’s Shinsegae International, following a tie-up with Metro Singapore.
To mark the partnership, a pop-up will run at Paragon Shopping Centre until Oct 5, featuring Shinsegae’s in-house brands and exclusive products.
The line-up comprises fashion retailers Studio Tomboy, Man on the Boon and Voice of Voices, as well as luggage brand Rawrow, lifestyle label Jaju and beauty brand Vidivici.
These brands will continue to be carried at Metro Paragon until Oct 31.
The collaboration is Shinsegae’s first retail partnership outside South Korea.
Erwin Wuysang-Oei, chief operating officer of Metro’s retail arm, previously told The Business Times that the retailer is leveraging global tie-ups and immersive concept stores to attract shoppers amid a challenging retail landscape.
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While post-Covid “revenge shopping” provided a temporary boost, he noted that rising inflation and a strong Singapore dollar have curtailed tourist spending and encouraged more locals to shop abroad.
In FY2025, Metro’s retail division reported a loss after tax of S$6.9 million, compared with a profit of S$1.8 million in the previous year. Sales fell 8.5 per cent to S$96.5 million, with lower contributions from its Paragon and Causeway Point outlets – the two remaining Metro stores in Singapore.
Higher operating costs continued to pressure the division, with cost of revenue amounting to S$93.9 million.
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At the launch event on Friday (Sep 26), Wuysang-Oei said: “We know that retail is filled with a lot of uncertainty and there’s a need to reinvent, reimagine what retail can be.”
He added: “Our vision is to build multi-concept, experiential ecosystem stores – formats that stand on their own, defined by distinct identities rather than size, much like this Shinsegae pop-up.”
Speaking to BT on the sidelines, Metro chairman Tan Soo Khoon highlighted that Singapore’s retail environment faces stiff competition from both local and regional players.
“Metro has to stay relevant by constantly evolving new concepts so that we stay relevant, and we continue to attract customers to our stores,” he said. “As a company, we must always be prepared to try new things and if we remain where we are, we are not going to make progress.”
The chairman hopes that the Shinsegae tie-up will generate interest among local customers and tourists, boosting foot traffic to Metro’s department stores.
Beyond the tie-up, Wuysang-Oei unveiled videos of Metro’s modular, experiential concept stores, including The Sleep Lab, MiniMuse and Kitchen Stadium.
The Sleep Lab, slated to open in the retailer’s Paragon outlet, allows customers to try mattresses in a setting that simulates the comfort and relaxation of a holiday home.
MiniMuse is a curated selection of luxury beauty and wellness products in sample sizes, targeting younger consumers and allowing them to experiment before committing to full-sized purchases.
As part of Metro’s efforts to reinvent its retail offering, it is also launching a revamped website with an improved user experience and an AI-powered chatbot. A new brand loyalty programme will follow next month.
