Don't miss this IG moment: A giant luxury bag at ION Orchard

Talk about go big or go home. It’s a maxim that British luxury brand Burberry appears to have taken to heart, as evidenced by the jumbo-sized replica of its signature Olympia bag that's currently looming pretty outside ION Orchard.

Until Aug 29, visitors to Orchard Road will be greeted by the astounding sight of this 10m-tall structure, which is as much a sculptural work of art as it is a product drive.

Part of a global campaign to celebrate the Olympia, the giant model is a travelling installation designed to grab eyeballs and make jaws drop by appearing – seemingly out of the blue – at prominent landmarks around the world.

It was first activated in London in late June this year, where it sailed on a float down the River Thames.

Shortly after, from late June to Jul 10, it popped up at the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, sitting on the sands of Palm West Beach against the dramatic backdrop of the city skyline.  

Singapore is the giant Olympia’s third stop on its round-the-world tour and the first in Asia. The installation is made with eco-friendly materials and all of it will be recycled after the tour.  

In conjunction with its appearance here, Burberry is introducing three new colours for the bag: Heather Melange, a soft grey; Pale Vanilla, a classic cream; and Primrose Pink, a youthful, rosy shade.

These colours are part of the brand's Autumn-Winter 2021 collection and after the exclusive pre-launch at its ION Orchard boutique, will be available at all Burberry boutiques in September.

If the installation’s size is any reflection of the brand’s intent, then there are clearly big aspirations for the Olympia.

Designed by its chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci, the bag is his tribute to Olympia London – a magnificent exhibition centre in the Kensington district which dates back to 1886. It was also the venue for Burberry’s Autumn-Winter 2020 show, where the eponymous bag made its debut.

Taking inspiration from the building’s architecture – which features a soaring arched glass roof and a huge iron-framed dome window – Tisci gave the bag a sculpted crescent moon shape and a high arcing shoulder strap.

“When designing the Olympia, I was thinking about creating the perfect form of a handbag – something that could capture the essence of femininity,” he said.

Made from top quality leather, each bag is crafted in Italy by artisan makers who hand-mould it on a wooden block to create its beautiful curved form and hand-paint its edges.

The result is a silhouette that’s both classic and modern, feminine but not fussy. And versatile enough such that you can tote it to the office, to casual luncheons or out about town. All qualities which bolster the argument that the Olympia may well be the British house’s definitive "it" bag.

To further drive home that message, Burberry tapped three luminaries of fashion and pop culture to channel the character of the Olympia in the bag’s global campaign – British singer-songwriter FKA Twigs, American model Kendall Jenner and British rapper-DJ Shygirl. 

In its press release, Tisci explained that the three women were chosen because they embody the power and beauty of feminine energy. “These women are amazingly talented and confident, and have a natural fierceness and determination to carve their own paths, each freely expressing their originality through their creativity,” he said.  

The Burberry Olympia comes in mini, small and medium sizes, with an assortment of colours from warm tan, black and burgundy to pale blue, warm sand and deep orange.