28th Février: A place like no other

It's not often that I walk into somewhere and it completely captures my imagination or soul. Far more rare that it does both. But to my absolute glee that is precisely what 28th Février has done.

The brainchild of Dominic Khoo - celebrity photographer, watch expert, patron of the arts and all round creative - this is a free-wheeling space which unites and showcases ingenuity, talent, passion...and can transform it's physical make up in five minutes.

Intrigued? Yes I thought you would be. So let's press on!

Hidden away in a bright and airy warehouse space in Redhill, this is a place to collect your thoughts and be inspired by it's different guises. These guises are essentially a combination of all things that Khoo holds dear - coffee, craftsmanship, art and the truly creative. In my mind there is no better synthesis.

As you walk in to 28th Février, different people will be drawn to different things.

Some people will see 28th Février as a cool space to get a cup of picker-upper, pause on the versatile accordian-like Flexible Love Chairs (for which they are the only seller in Singapore) and  enjoy some Latte Art, courtesy of Pause Artisan Coffee and Barista Haryanto Seomito.

For others this is the go-to place for Singapore's only bespoke handmade shoemaker ed et al. Led by Edwin Neo, a trained shoemaker who cut his teeth under the guidance of a Master shoemaker in Europe.

His custom made and off-the -rack shoes for gents are made with the with the only Goodyear-welting machine in town (this of this like a sewing machine for shoes).  Here you will find a strong contrast to the mass produced world that regrettably most of us have been sucked into. Think of these shoes as a work of art.

What better than a pair of shoes crafted lovingly for your feet than something by one of our red dot's most talented tailors, Kevin Seah. This is undoubtedly where the time-honoured craftsmanship of tailoring is at. Where artisanship, passion for beautiful clothing, attention to detail, luxurious fabrics and the needs of the wearer are of paramount importance.

When I went there, the walls were hung with a collection of Khoo's own award-winning photography...

but this year, the space has two exciting exhibitions in the pipeline. The first of which will see the work of of renowned French graffiti artist bursting colour over the space's white-wash interior, and hopefully putting graffiti firmly on the map as a viable and art form here in Singapore.

This will be followed by a photography exhibition of the immortal style icon Marilyn Monroe pulling together images captured by Eve Arnold, the first woman to take pictures for the famous Magnum Photos Agency. Stay tuned to City Nomads for more on that front.

Whichever of the above, 28th Février is bound to strike a chord with you however you choose to view it. This is most certainly the sort of outside-of-the-box thinking that Singapore needs more of, and where you can let your mind run free.  28th Février invites you to "Give us five minutes and we'll give you the world" and that's the truth.

Oh and by the way if you have been wondering all through this article why 28th Février has been named just that, it's actually Khoo's birthday which he has been advised is auspicious. A place where every day is your birthday? It sure feels that way!

Posted in: Culture Men's Fashion Style Art Interior Design

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