Aerial shot of the grand opening party of the Mondrian Singapore Duxton — Source: Ennismore

What an event. What a night. WHAT A PARTY. September 1, 2023 saw the Lion City’s mavericks, disruptors, free-thinkers and creative souls gather to witness a night of wonders to mark the birth of their new spiritual home, Mondrian Singapore Duxton.

Mondrian Singapore Duxton set out its stall in no uncertain fashion by creating an evening of sensory overload and mind-blowing inspirations to usher in a new era in hospitality and community and deliver a message: We are here.

The theme, WHAT A PARTY was a call to action and a direct link to one of the night’s highlights and a first in Asia: the unveiling of a 6m, 4,114kg sculpture by acclaimed artist and Mondrian kindred spirit KAWS that will remain on permanent public display outside the hotel.

The sculpture, titled WHAT PARTY, features the artist’s popular character known as CHUM. As the centrepiece of the Mondrian Singapore Duxton Art Collection and imposing proof of the hotel’s commitment to a philosophy that fuses performance, art, architecture and design, the KAWS piece is at once a new landmark in Duxton and Chinatown, a beacon of community and possibility, and a jaw-droppingly shareable welcome to the world of Mondrian.

Following a dramatic reveal of the KAWS piece, guests had free reign of the hotel. As the sun set, Minuty Prestige Rose, Bombay Sapphire and Grey Goose cocktails flowed at Canyon Club with its glittering views over the Lion City’s canyons of commerce from its Duxton Hill perch.

Then it was on to Bottega di Carna, the heart of the party, to experience a feast by the world’s greatest butcher and philosopher-king, Dario Cecchini. Cecchini’s modern Italian eatery has a rebellious spin and a touch of Tuscany, offering an education in ethical eating and a commitment to dining as theatre.

‘What A Party’ in the Garden, Mondrian Singapore Duxton — Source: Ennismore
‘What A Party’ in the Garden, Mondrian Singapore Duxton — Source: Ennismore

Ambassador for all things Italian, celebrity bartender Lorenzo Antinori, primed guests for the evening’s discoveries at the restaurant’s Campari bar, with his ‘low-intervention’ cocktails for purists that hark back to his Roman roots, showcasing his flair with a surprising take on the negroni. Veuve Cliquot’s pop up bar in Mondrian’s garden kept the party going under the night sky.

Next up was an introduction to the Jungle Ballroom, a glamorous sanctuary where guest DJs Stephen Day. Farah Farz and Japanese electro DJ and fashion maven Mademoiselle Yulia segued from chill to bangers as the night unfolded and guests danced the night away. It was a spirited affair, with flowing Don Julio 1942 tequila, Bacardi aged rums, Hennessy and Johnnie Walker served to guests. Welcome to the jungle, indeed.

Mondrian Singapore Duxton general manager and ringmaster Robert C Hauck said it had been a night to remember and the perfect introduction to the hotel. Helmed by a team of all-star iconoclasts from across the fields of hospitality, cuisine, design, nightlife and art, Mondrian Singapore Duxton aspires to become the beating heart of the happening Duxton community and a haven for those who march to a different drummer.

“What a party,” Hauck says. “I’m confident we delivered on our promise and left people in no doubt as to what we’re all about.

“It was a night to remember, and the first step in a beautiful journey. I was so thrilled to see the KAWS unveiling come to fruition and to see like-minded people experiencing Mondrian for the first time and getting a real taste of what we’re about. What a party … and what amazing possibilities are in store.

ABOUT ENNISMORE

Ennismore is a creative hospitality company with a global collective of entrepreneurial and founder-built brands with purpose at their heart. It curates and manages unique properties and experiences in some of the most exciting destinations worldwide.

Founded in 2011 by entrepreneur Sharan Pasricha, Ennismore and Accor entered a joint venture in 2021 to create a new autonomous entity, with Accor holding a majority shareholding. Creating the world's fastest-growing lifestyle hospitality company, it brings together Ennismore's know-how in building brands with creative storytelling, design, and authentic experiences, with Accor's wealth of knowledge in delivering scale, network growth and distribution.

Under Sharan Pasricha, Founder & Co-CEO, and Gaurav Bhushan, Co-CEO, Ennismore comprises 14 brands - with over 100 operating properties and a further 140+ in the pipeline - and a collection of over 190 culturally relevant and diverse restaurants and nightlife destinations.

Ennismore puts innovation at the center of everything it does, with four dedicated in-house specialist studios, which obsess every guest touchpoint, including Carte Blanched – a fully integrated F&B concept platform; a creative studio of interior and graphic designers; a digital product and tech innovation lab, and a partnerships and collaborations division.

Ennismore has been included in Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies lists in 2020 and 2021; ranked#29 in FT1000: Europe's Fastest-Growing Companies; and is part of FT Future 100 - the UK's fastest-growing businesses that are shaping the future of their sector.

The Ennismore brands: 21c Museum Hotel, 25hours Hotels, Delano, Gleneagles, Hyde, JO&JOE, Mama Shelter, Mondrian, Morgans Originals, SLS, SO/, The Hoxton, TRIBE and Working From.