The entire boutique was conceived and assembled in France (Photo: Herny Jacques)
Your own Henry Jacques experience is as close as Singapore — the maison opened its first stand-alone boutique in the world at the iconic Marina Bay Sands hotel last year. Henry Jacques artistic director Christophe Tollemer has tailored a space where the enchantment of the maison’s creations can fully come into existence. The boutique echoes the glorious standards of historic Parisian apartments, never once denying the grandeur of the past and bestowing modernity with timeless charms.
“The entire boutique was conceived and assembled in France, then vacuum-packed and reassembled in Singapore by our team. This long process was the only way to guarantee an uncompromised French craftsmanship. Alike our perfume, each component is of rare quality,” Tollemer shares.
The main structure, made of old solid oak, comes to life through traditional assembly processes to ensure the perfection of every joint. Mouldings in basswood were sculpted by hand and finished with gilding. The ceilings are covered with Régence gold leaf — along with the patina, they are the work of French master painter Louis-Daniel Jouve. He is also behind the elegant black panels separating the two spaces of the boutique, created using a technique of applying acrylic over copper foils.
Elegantly furnished, a more intimate inner space is softened with premium fabrics from Holland & Sherry. Flannel-clad walls and hemp flooring surround the perfume organ, the beating heart of Henry Jacques. Framing the organs are six lithographs by French artists Pierre Roy-camille, Pierre Tal-Coat and François Houdart. These art pieces, provided by the Galerie Maeght, are an ode to French contemporary art and of special importance to the maison. While the perfume organ takes a central place, the collections themselves are hidden from sight, waiting to be discovered.
From abstract art to windows filled with childhood dreams, each contrasting detail shows the balance between the distant world and the Henry Jacques legacy. The furnishings of the boutique are a seamless blend of personal creations, contemporary designs and treasured antiques imbued with history and fond memories, a style synonymous with all of Tollemer’s work.
