Chanel Coco Cafe

Those of you who are fans of Chanel may have known that they opened a beauty pop-up to celebrate the launch of their latest products from the Cruise Collection, Les Indispensables de L’été, and yours truly managed to have a cup of latte and browse around the much anticipated Coco Café.Address:
Coco Cafe, Visual Arts Centre, Dhoby Ghaut Green, Singapore 238469
Saturday 8 April – Sunday 18 April 2017

I was really anticipating my visit there after I managed to secure a reservation on the first Monday of its opening. Didn’t intend to patronise it alone but the first 2 days were fully reserved and I thought most people would be working on a Monday afternoon anyways but, boy… was I in for a surprise. It was crazy crowded! And I mean crrrazzzyyy. In fact, it was so crowded, we were told beforehand in the queue that we were only given 30 minutes inside – even with our reservations – due to overwhelming response! I was quite taken aback because I was really looking forward to try out their new range of lip products and vernis but as soon as I entered, I realised why…It was so packed, it was impossible to try anything!!! There were hoards of people just queuing to take a photo at the photo booth and I even heard one lady tell her friend, “I’m only here to grab the coffee“. ???!!!. Hello, you just want coffee, go to Starbucks, don’t wanna buy anything, don’t come and take up space. Some were really obsessed with the lollipops and were grabbing as many as they can, like a handful and putting them in their bags (you never eat lolly before???). And then, on the other hand, there were many CB (I know, I probably shouldn’t swear in Chanel but really deserve the title) Aunties who want to take all the seats to put themselves, their drinks and their bags at the counters and expect the attention of every Beauty Advisors available there! But more on that later.

If you’ve made your reservation at the Coco Café mini-site, you will be given a token to claim a free drink! Of course, I ordered a hot cup of latte.After getting my latte, I headed straight to the Colour Bar because I really wanted to get my hands on some limited edition products but I was just horrified by some of the CB Aunties! Seriously, all they did was sit there with their bags on another seat and purposely kept getting the BAs to apply makeup for them (machiam it’s “free” makeover). Every time someone asks a BA something, they’ll pull the BAs back to them to put blusher la, lipstick la… goodness, you cannot try them on yourself?! The rest of us, swatching and applying products on our own (because it was mad crowded and every BA was attending to a customer), why you CB Aunties cannot? Bad enough they hog the BAs, they leave water stains, empty bottles and even used tissue on the counters! Eh, come on la auntie, this one not kopitiam! These ladies are Beauty Advisors, not cleaners! Can be more gracious and clean up after yourselves? Other people also wanna sit at the counter and actually buy something. If you want a full-on makeover with full-fledged one to one service, go to the Chanel Boutiques, don’t come here and act like jakons in Chanel for Christ’s sake.Finally, after squeezing in between CB Aunties searching high and low for Rouge Coco Gloss in Impulsion, a BA came to my assistance and told me that it sold out over the weekend *pouts. I should’ve expected that since Chanel’s limited edition products sell out like hot cakes. But she gave me an alternative option which was Rouge Coco Gloss in Excitation instead and I was sold by its gold glitter. These red swatches on my hand was some that she suggested for my wedding day which I got too, btw. I wanted to have a go at the vernis but when I saw the situation at the Nail Bar, I decided to pass, too messy with said water stains, used tissue, you get the drill.After I was done with shopping, I headed straight for the Lounge which is only applicable if you’ve made a purchase (which also entitles you to a complimentary cake or mini-tart). I got a Coconut Delish and it really did taste good, I would’ve gotten another one but no food or drinks are sold there. Felt really special to finally have a seat and my personal time to unwind with my latte and cake.Turns out, I spent longer than 30mins what with the amount of queuing, shopping and lounging.Although it was extremely crowded and there were quite a handful of difficult patrons, the Beauty Advisors were really helpful and still kept their smiles on, kudos to you ladies! Overall, the shopping experience in the café itself could’ve been better if not for the crowd, the cake did not disappoint and the service was good despite it all.