World Fashion   +  Singaporean fashion designers

Raoul: Behind the Scenes

Since its inception in 2002, the homegrown brand of F J Benjamin has grown from strength to strength. Created by husband and wife team Douglas and Odile Benjamin, it began as a men’s shirt label and in response to changing customer needs, evolved into a complete ready to wear collection for men and women in 2008, including accessories and timepieces.

With 22 standalone boutiques and shop-in-shop concepts to-date in prime retail locations in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and most recently, Australia, RAOUL has made a significant impact on the fashion scene in Asia with its mandate to create affordable luxury products without compromising on stylish design and good quality for today’s discerning customer.

Based on its success in Asia, RAOUL eyed plans to expand into the international market by establishing a showroom in fashion capital New York in late 2009. RAOUL made its international debut at the New York and Paris Fall/Winter 2016 Fashion Week, and introduced a knitwear capsule by Tom Scott for RAOUL, as part of a unique rotating collaborative project, where a guest creator is selected to design a category that they specialize in.

About F.J. Benjamin
With a rich heritage dating back to 1959, Singapore-listed F J BENJAMIN HOLDINGS LTD (FJBEN) is an industry leader in brand development and management, and in developing retail and distribution networks for international luxury and lifestyle brands across Asia.

Founded by Frank Benjamin in 1959, the Group has over 50 years of brand building experience in the region, and has established a network of offices in 8 countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia and the United States of America. F J Benjamin represents over 20 iconic brands, operates over 170 retail stores/shop-in-shops, employs over 2,000 employees and has four core businesses: Luxury and Lifestyle Fashion Retailing and Distribution, Creative and Licensing, Timepiece Distribution and Investments in Lifestyle Concepts.

Conceptualised in 2002, RAOUL was created by the Group to meet the needs and demands of the urbane working professional, offering accessible luxury at affordable prices. Starting out first as a men’s shirt brand, RAOUL has today evolved to offer a complete collection of Men’s and Ladies’ Ready-to-Wear and Accessories through over 20 points of sale in Southeast Asia and Australia. It also distributes through its office in New York to retailers like Harrods in London.

Photos & text Copyright Raoul.