Where? In south Jakarta, where new art galleries, boutiques and beauty spas are popping up on a
regular basis.
Who? The boutique is owned by Bambang Prihantoro, an Indonesian-born designer, and Joseph Lim, the German-Chinese creative director at Camel Active. Lim's experience at several design houses inspired the pair to introduce lesser-known western brands such as Nicole Farhi and Andrew MacKenzie to Prihantoro's hometown. 'Our idea was to bring the latest up-and-coming fashion brands from Europe and the United States to Indonesia,' says Lim.
The atmosphere: the store is in a renovated, detached house because the owners wanted an unusual location that was also exclusive and private. Customers can cruise the 400-square-metre space while enjoying coffee breaks at the in-house cafe.
The crowd: Jakarta's hip and fashion-conscious youth. However, you won't run into any local celebrities; most choose to shop at Populo after closing time.
The goods: since the store's focus is on the three E's - eclectic, edgy and exclusive - you'll find younger, trendier brands such as Neil Barrett, Denis Simachev, Collection Privee and Dirk Schonberger. Populo also stocks its own collections, the black and white labels, which are formal and casual wear, respectively. The store also has a couture label co-designed with German designer Sibilla Pavenstedt.