Richard Mille unveils its largest store in the world, in Singapore! The new flagship in Orchard Road boasts 11 lifestyle spaces inspired by Prohibition-era bars – and houses a horological secret

Guests first step into a den or central hub, where an impressive library featuring curved floor-to-ceiling shelves showcase a curated collection of tomes on a range of topics including film, music, architecture, history and art. An olive tree, a work by French visual artist William Amor, takes root at the centre, evoking a touch of the Mediterranean basin that Richard Mille holds dear.

“This place must feel like entering the mind of Richard Mille, the man. We sought to define his most important ideas and inspirations. My father has an insatiable curiosity, an incredible capacity for openness, even though his extremely generous and humane personality is also very complex. The idea was to sum up this multifaceted personality in one place,” says brand director and Mille’s son, Alexandre, who was in Singapore for the boutique’s launch.

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An in-house team based in the brand’s Paris head office came up with the concept for the boutique, which took three years to construct. While the team will draw inspiration from the “mood and spirit” of the space for future boutiques, it will not replicate this exact design anywhere else, says Alexandre.

“We never want to be too comfortable and copy-paste the concept everywhere else in the world. What we will take from this space is the thought process of designing it and how it inspired us and translate that to other locations,” he adds.

“The architectural organisation of St Martin creates a feeling of astonishment at not having guessed such a space could exist behind this door. Discovering it makes you wonder what the next surprise will be. Our intention was to play with visitors’ expectations,” says Alexandre.

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But even with multiple lifestyle-centric spaces, horology enthusiasts will not be disappointed. The brand took care to incorporate a crafting space that features a watchmaker’s workbench. Tools and large-scale reproductions of components are also provided for visitors to handle and gain a better understanding of how the timepieces work. In addition, the space is used for after-sales service as well as for watchmaking workshops.

The founder’s daughter Amanda, who is the company’s brand and partnerships director, explains, “Every Richard Mille event is an opportunity for wonderful encounters. As well as a chance to meet and share, each one also serves to highlight the brand’s strong convictions and commitments. St Martin was designed in perfect harmony with this philosophy conducive to fostering human relationships.”