Luxe German camera-makers Leica have just opened their latest and first Leica boutique in Singapore. Located at the swanky Raffles Hotel Arcade, the sleek interiors of the showroom also serve as a photo gallery, which will display fine photographs from the most recognised Leica photojournalists and artists worldwide.

At the press launch on July 20, Leica representatives Sunil Kaul, Managing Director, and Matthieu Musnier, Sales Manager, also announced a new collaboration between Magnum Photos and Leica that will see the two august photographic institutions partnering on a series of projects to reaffirm their longstanding dedication to independent documentary photography.

Beginning Spring 2011, Leica will sponsor the creation of a series of independently produced multimedia essays by Magnum photogs that will allow fans a deeper insight into the richly textured stories behind the photographs. You can view the published work here and here. 

Photographs by Abbas

Singaporean photography buffs can enjoy an exclusive collection of photographic stills by legendary Magnum artist and Iranian war journalist Abbas at the newly opened Leica gallery, which will be on exhibit for the next two months.

Commenting on the landmark agreement, Magnum President Jonas Bendiksen said: “The purpose of Magnum and its member photographers is to continue our long-standing commitment to discovering, witnessing, and communicating visually the sentiments of mankind. With this new agreement, Leica is making an important statement in support of that shared responsibility.”

The Leica M9-P in Black

Leica also took the opportunity to reveal to Singapore their latest and sleekest gadget yet – the Stealth version of the iconic, Walter de’Silva designed Leica M9 Titanium. Boasting a compact size, full-frame, 18-megapixel sensor, and sophisticated image processing, the new M9-P’s design has been stripped down for a minimalist aesthetic. The Leica red dot logo and the M9 lettering on the front of the camera have been removed and replaced with the Leica name engraved in classic script form on the top plate. 

As tough as it is good-looking, the M9-P is finished in vulcanite leatherette, making it particularly resistant to wear. The exterior’s coarsely-textured finish also ensures a steadier grip when shooting. The Leica M9-P also includes a scratch-resistant, sapphire crystal covering on the LCD screen. Extremely resistant to wear and virtually unbreakable, the sapphire glass LCD cover promises many years of reliable use.

The Leica M9-P in Silver Chrome

Leica