Earlier this July, Design Orchard Retail Showcase, now known as DORS, reopened its doors on Orchard Road with a refreshed identity and revamped space. The new retail haven expands beyond fashion and into beauty, home, and lifestyle as well. It was all about reflecting Singapore’s evolving design landscape by featuring brands that are bolder, more experimental, and increasingly global in outlook.
With immersive zones like Analog Space, Beauty Bar, and Play Ground, DORS is redefining what it means to shop on Orchard Road, and turning the act of browsing into a multi-sensory cultural experience. Analog Space provides a quiet corner to escape the digital noise, enjoy a zine, sip coffee, or discover new music, inspired by the hidden gems and speakeasies of big cities. Beauty Bar immerses visitors in a spa-like environment where they can explore local beauty brands, scents, and skincare essentials. Lastly, Play Ground, true to its name, invites shoppers to explore quirky, bold brands with child-like curiosity. Together, these zones transform DORS into a retail experience that is more than just a store.
Related article: Our Favourite Singaporean Bag Brands To Know & Shop
Nestled within the three-level Design Orchard building, DORS now forms part of a larger ecosystem. Level 1, which is where DORS resides, showcases its curated brands. Next, Level 2—the Cocoon Space—is all about supporting and hosting enterprises. Finally, Level 3, will soon open with a brand new F&B concept, combining lifestyle and dining with fashion, art and music. The aim is to create a place where ideas grow, talent is nurtured, and shoppers experience design as part of everyday life.
In light of the reopening, we had the pleasure of speaking to the CEO of DORS, Zhang Ting Ting. She shares more about the relaunch process and the importance of local representation on Singapore’s most iconic shopping street.
Related article: A Decade Of Design With Purpose: In Good Company’s Founders Share Their Journey
What were the biggest challenges you faced in rebranding and relaunching? How did you overcome them?
Change is always complex. The challenge was balancing the needs of our stakeholders—brands, customers, and partners—while keeping the core vision intact. We overcame it by listening, collaborating, and reminding ourselves that this refresh is about future-proofing DORS, not just updating its look. For example, we leaned on our Singapore Fashion Council members for feedback on the logotype, collaterals and name change during prototype stages. Clear and consistent communication and trust in our team made the difference.
How do you strike a balance between featuring established designers and introducing emerging labels?
It’s about dialogue. Established names bring recognition and trust, while emerging labels bring fresh energy and risk-taking. The balance ensures DORS remains aspirational yet approachable. We curate deliberately so that every brand adds value, whether it’s heritage, innovation, or storytelling.
How does DORS support emerging brands?
Support comes in multiple forms. We lower entry barriers with operational guidance on merchandising and marketing, connect designers with mentors, and amplify their stories through campaigns and collaborations. Once a year, we hold an open call for brands. We look not just at the product but at the brand story, supply chain, sustainability credentials and business operations. This helps us identify gaps and provide support through Fashion Council programmes, equipping high-potential brands with the tools to grow sustainably beyond shelf space.
Who are you targeting most with the refreshed space?
We’re targeting the culturally curious—locals and visitors who appreciate fashion, design, originality, and quality. They may not always be fashion insiders, but they value authenticity and creativity. We also want to capture younger audiences, who see DORS as a place to discover what’s next.
Related article: From Everyday Staples to Activewear, These are the Sustainable Singapore Fashion Labels to Shop
How important is it for Singapore to have a retail platform like DORS to showcase local creativity on Orchard Road?
It’s essential. Orchard Road is Singapore’s global shopfront, and having local design represented here signals confidence in our creative economy. DORS shows that Singapore is contributing to international trends and conversations.
How do you balance the commercial realities of running a business with the mission of nurturing design and creativity?
It’s always a balance. We run DORS as a business with clear performance goals. However, our contribution lies in asking our partner brands crucial questions and consulting with them to help them succeed. Through clear and open conversations with each other, we ensure sustainability for both our business and the designers we support.
How do you integrate digital retail like e-commerce within the physical store?
We see online and offline as complementary, not competing. The store offers tactile, immersive experiences you can’t replicate online. On the other hand, e-commerce gives reach and convenience with a different type of user-experience. Our role is to bridge the two, whether through digital storytelling, seamless inventory integration, or omnichannel campaigns that carry the brand’s energy consistently across platforms.
How do you see DORS evolving over the next three to five years?
We envision DORS becoming even more of a cultural hub and a curator of brands that people truly love. Curation will continue to tighten as we’ll always prioritise originality, quality, and champion local design. However, we’re open to expanding into categories that make sense for our community. Beyond retail, we are also excited to push the frontiers of creative production, be it in fashion creation and product development or visual story-telling and new user experiences. Our vision is to keep evolving with the way people live, while staying true to our role as a launchpad for Singaporean creativity.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.