There are few things that inspire joy like a beautifully crafted pastry. From the visual spectacle and thoughtfully-designed flavour profiles to the artisanship that ties it all together, there is a simple happiness that comes from biting into a crisp macaron or indulgent tart. And if there’s one person who truly understands this, it’s Pierre Hermé. Dubbed the “Macaron King” and “Picasso of Pastry” by food critics, the French patissier’s career began with an apprenticeship at 14, morphing over the years into the Pierre Hermé brand that has since made its way across the globe. Now, 27 years after the first Pierre Hermé Paris first opened its doors, the brand has arrived in Singapore.

Nestled in WEAVE at Resorts World Sentosa, the new Pierre Hermé Paris flagship offers a myriad of new experiences. Upon stepping into the store, we were greeted by a massive 360-degree pastry display, the brand's macarons, cakes and other bakes forming a sugary kaleidoscope. The lower-floor hosts the brand’s first and Furoshiki gift-wrapping station and ice cream bar, where freshly made waffle cones are pressed and served with a selection of ice creams, along with a barista counter serving freshly brewed coffee and tea.

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Lining the walls are displays introducing their signature “fetish” flavours, namely the Ipsahan, Mogador and Infiniment Vanille, all of which appear across their pastry selection. Our favourite is the eye-catching chocolate station tucked in its display window, which features a variety of daintily-wrapped chocolate gift boxes. Throughout the experience, the space never felt overwhelming—despite all that it has going on. Each station served a clear purpose in introducing the Pierre Hermé universe, and was a delight to explore. “You realise you’re not just launching a store; you’re creating an experience, building a connection,” he told us. 

The second floor houses Table by Pierre Hermé, a full-service restaurant where guests can experience all it has to offer in the form of savoury mains and freshly made desserts. Here, guests can indulge in Pierre Hermé’s first-ever bubble teas, where a local favourite meets the brand’s signature flavours and precision. We got to sample the matcha flavour, a creamy, mildly umami delight filled with soft pearls. Despite the pearls not having the chew of the tapioca pearls most Singaporeans are used to, the drink felt like a true marriage between the iconic Asian drink and the delicate nature of Pierre Hermé's creations. The new flagship store isn't just high-end hospitality housed in luxurious interiors—here, every feature is intentionally curated to introduce guests to the Pierre Hermé world.

Below, Chef Pierre Hermé tells ELLE Singapore about the new flagship store, creating his first bubble tea collection and the Singapore-exclusive “Trick the Eye” pastry.

What inspired you to expand the Pierre Hermé Paris brand in Southeast Asia, and why did you decide to bring it to Singapore first?

Singapore stood out for several reasons. It’s a cosmopolitan hub, a melting pot of cultures, and a gateway to the region—these are qualities that resonate with our own spirit of innovation and openness to the world. The city has a strong appreciation for fine pâtisserie and design-led experiences, and the vibrant luxury and hospitality sectors also make it ideal for expressing the identity of Pierre Hermé Paris.

What was it like conceptualising and launching the Singapore flagship store, and what was the most rewarding moment of the process?

Our aim was to create a boutique that feels authentically Pierre Hermé Paris, yet locally meaningful. We assembled a team that shares our values of excellence, hospitality, and aesthetics, and the store concept was developed in Paris in close collaboration with our partners to reflect the brand’s identity. It was a creative, collaborative journey between our Paris and Singapore teams.

The most rewarding moment was seeing the boutique open its doors for the first time—watching everything come to life after two years of planning, designing, and collaboration. Seeing customers discover our creations in this new setting, feeling the atmosphere we worked so hard to create—it’s in those moments that all the effort makes sense. You realise you’re not just launching a store; you’re creating an experience, building a connection, and starting a new chapter for the Pierre Hermé Paris brand.

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This venture features the first-ever Pierre Hermé Bubble Tea station. What drew you to create this new offering, and how did you develop the bubble tea recipes?

We’ve always believed in pushing boundaries and reimagining tradition through the lens of taste and emotion. Bubble tea is an iconic, beloved part of contemporary Asian culture, and we saw an opportunity to reinterpret it in the spirit of our Fetish flavour.

The development process was much like creating a new pastry collection. We started with ingredients that are signature to the Maison—like our Ispahan flavor—and explored how they could be expressed in this new form. Texture, balance, and intensity were key. We wanted each bubble tea to offer the indulgence and precision our guests expect from a Pierre Hermé creation. It’s about delighting the senses, whether in a macaron, a pastry, or a bubble tea.

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The Furoshiki gift wrapping station is also new to the Pierre Hermé Paris brand. How did you discover Furoshiki, and why did you decide to feature it here?

Furoshiki, discovered through our close connection with Japan, embodies the Maison’s values of elegance, sustainability, and attention to detail. By introducing it in our Singapore boutique, we pay tribute to Asian traditions while offering our clients a refined and personalised experience. Furoshiki elevates the art of giving by adding a poetic and meaningful dimension to the gesture.

Do you have a personal favourite area in the store? 

My personal favourite area would be Table by Pierre Hermé, the culinary heart of our 360° experience in Singapore. Here, you can discover the flavours of Ispahan in a ceviche, a savoury version of French toast, and even a Pierre Hermé-style croque-monsieur.

More than a place for tasting, it is an invitation to dialogue with my guests. It celebrates the art of French hospitality, infused with the boldness and precision that define my universe. Every detail is carefully considered. It offers a suspended moment in time, between fine dining and haute pâtisserie, where I reveal a free and inspired cuisine, guided by my emotions, memories, and desires of the moment. For me, it represents the soul of Pierre Hermé Paris.

Tell us about the Singapore-exclusive “Trick the Eye” pastry.

The Tartine Infiniment Cacahuète “Trick the Eye” illustrates how we blend visual artistry with taste to create an experience that’s joyful and thought-provoking, something unique for our guests in Singapore. It resembles Singapore’s kaya toast, but with a peanut tartine rich with the crunch of peanuts and buttery goodness of peanut butter. It is also a wink to one Singaporean habit in a famous bar, where people are eating peanuts and put the waste on the floor.

What are the must-try pastries for those experiencing Pierre Hermé Paris for the first time?

I’d recommend three “Fetish” pastries that truly capture the essence of our Maison. First, the Ispahan, a signature creation combining rose, lychee, and raspberry wrapped in a beautiful macaron shell, which exemplifies our approach to architecture of taste and flavor harmony.

I also recommend the Macaron Mogador, an indulgent combination of milk chocolate and passionfruit, and the Tarte Infiniment Vanille, which consists of a shortbread crust with a rich filling of white chocolate vanilla ganache and a vanilla mascarpone cream. In this recipe, we combined vanilla from Mexico, Tahiti and Madagascar to develop a "house vanilla", Pierre Hermé's concept of the ideal vanilla. These selections offer a wonderful introduction to our world, each one telling a story of creativity, precision, and passion.

*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.