Get Seen@Dempsey -- Lionel Boh's world of lifestyle eye wear

Most people walking into an eye wear shop probably don't expect to have all the paraphernalia of a high-end café at their disposal. But that could be set to change at Seen@Dempsey. It's a cool designer-optical shop located next to Tawadang microbrewery in the foodie haven of Dempsey Hill, where you can leaf through Tatler magazines or sip on Nespresso coffee while perusing hip designer frames displayed on cake stands and the day’s promotions scribbled on chalkboards. 

CNNGo catches up with Lionel Boh, owner and managing director of the one-and-only designer frames boutique at Dempsey, about what it’s like to be Seen@Dempsey. 

CNNGo: Isn’t a frame a frame? What's the big selling point for Seen@Dempsey?

Lionel Boh: We are as serious about eye care as we are about fashion. We provide state of the art clinical eye examinations and we educate our customers about the importance of choosing the right lens for their lifestyle. Fashion-wise, most of our frames are individually handcrafted and not sold in most optical stores. We like to source niche brands that are prestigious but not "commercial". For instance, 3.1 Phillip Lim (named one of the best emerging talents by the U.S. Council of Fashion designers in 1997) and Fabien Baron (noted French art director and current editorial director of Interview magazine) worn by the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Kate Moss are only sold exclusively here. For certain brands, we sell only one of each model, so our customers are the first and only ones to wear them in Singapore. 

CNNGo: What is the profile of your typical customer?

Boh: Trendy, well-traveled, concerned about eye care and very friendly. There are also the celebrities who visited, most recently, Sir Cliff Richard.

CNNGo: We’ve heard that you provide more than prescription services.

Boh: Yes, we serve complimentary cappuccinos and our customers are invited to exclusive champagne parties.

CNNGo: Have you had any drunk customers from next-door neighbour, Tawadang?

Boh: (Laughs) So far, no. However, we do get many customers not just from Tawandang, who typically drop by after dinner. We usually advise them to test their eyes on another day if they have been drinking to ensure an accurate reading.

CNNGo: What about your designer frames. Are there any that will raise some eyebrows?

Boh: Yes. Alain Mikli produces some really bold, architectural pieces, and Kirk Originals, worn by eyewear-maverick Sir Elton John, come in traffic-stopping colors and glitter.

CNNGo: We’ve also heard that Seen@Dempsey sometimes closes at midnight. Why?

Boh: A lot of our customers generally stream in after dinner. They get so comfortable that they usually forget the time. Interestingly, we get a lot of questions about lens technology from our male customers. So it is not uncommon to see their girlfriends or wives -- who had already made their purchases -- waiting while their men shop!

CNNGo: Who would you really like to prescribe designer frames for (dead or alive)?

Boh: I'd love to outfit our very own Prime Minister Lee (Hsien Loong) with Kirk Originals.

getting there

Seen @ Dempsey
Blk 26 Dempsey Road #01-03, Singapore
tel +65 6475 0730
Open daily from 11am to 11pm
Seen@Dempsey Facebook page