Behind the Velvet Rope of Van Cleef & Arpels’ New Immersive Space in Singapore

At Van Cleef & Arpels, nature has always served as an inexhaustible source of inspiration, imbuing its jewellery creations with vitality and poetic grace. A new, permanent, and one-of-a-kind immersive space to appreciate the maison’s heritage was launched at Raffles Hotel Singapore last month, coinciding with a high jewellery exhibition at Marina Bay Sands with creations from various collections over the past few years.

Whether capturing the metamorphosis of the seasons, the ephemeral delicacy of a blooming flower, or the shivering of a leaf in the breeze, the ‘Les Jardins Secrets’ (secret garden) space launched by Van Cleef & Arpels at Raffles Hotel Singapore – with scenography designed by French interior architect Jean Baptiste Auvray – stands as an embodiment of the maison’s unwavering dedication to the art of beauty, design, and savoir-faire.

Here, a stroll through the exhibition offers a curated selection of creations from the maison’s heritage collection, as well as exceptional loans from private collectors. The exhibition reveals delicate combinations of stones and gold, or Christmas roses sculpted in wood, and daisies blooming in engraved gold – amongst many other dazzling delights.

On entering the new boutique at Raffles Hotel Singapore, visitors are greeted by several iconic Alhambra and Perlée creations, as a prelude to discovering the delightfully inspiring universe of Van Cleef & Arpels. Then, after entering through a ‘secret’ door, a world of enchantment unfolds; an opportunity to explore some of the maison’s important patrimonial pieces, together with jewellery creations from private collections. The space was designed to regularly host curated themed exhibitions showcasing the wonders of the maison, alongside special events facilitated by the L’École School of Jewellery Arts.

Collectively, they affirm Van Cleef & Arpels’ fundamental values of creation, transmission, and education in the artistic spirit, while fostering appreciation of savoir-faire and innovation.

Hugues de Pins, Managing Director Southeast Asia and Oceania at Van Cleef & Arpels, says the starting point was to create a place like no other in the world. “It is not a boutique but a secret garden to discover and learn about the art of jewellery – especially through some patrimony pieces which we never see in our boutiques. These pieces are usually either in museums or in our clients’ vaults. So, the idea is to bring them to the public, not just our clients, to the eyes of anyone who are interested in the craftsmanship and the creativity of our jewellery and the beauty of the stones.

“We wanted to create a unique place where you can go with friends and family. The experience starts with a welcome area where there are a few pieces from collections like Alhambra, Perlée and Frivole collections, but it is not really a fully-fledged boutique. And then there’s this surprise element of a secret door, which is opened by our salon ambassadors. They are there to provide a full experience in terms of storytelling and answering any questions relating to not just the exhibition on display but all jewellery at large.”