Singapore fashion brand Love, Bonito has opened its first local flagship store after mainly trading through e-commerce for seven years.

Co-founder/chief brand officer Rachel Lim says the decision to launch a permanent physical retail space comes after six years of testing the market with pop-up stores.

“A lot of people say retail is dead, but for us, it is boring, traditional and mediocre retail that is dead,” says Lim.

“What we want to bring across with the flagship store is the whole Love, Bonito experience.”

She describes the move as a “calculated risk”.

Bonito’s 313@Somerset store aims to bring its customers together for workshops and talks, and its staff members are trained in styling.

One of the innovative features of the store is a double fitting room where girlfriends can try on clothes together. The room is divided with a blind that can be raised so the friends can see each other’s outfits.

There is also a “pink room” with a wall of dried flowers and natural sunlight so shoppers cam take photos for social media. The space will also be used for special events such as styling workshops and talks.

The store itself has a minimalist design, offering plenty of room between displays, with vases of fresh flowers adding touches of colour. The clothes are sorted by theme, with a whole area dedicated to a bridesmaid dress collection.

Love, Bonito has also launched a capsule collection exclusive to the store that will be updated monthly.

One wall features an LED message as inspiration, and there is also a pinboard where customers can leave feedback and messages.