Digital Fashion Week: EXCLUSIVE Eugene Lin interview

When you take interesting and original prints and mix them with well thought of details and top it off with immaculate tailoring, you get a recipe for some serious fashion to look out for!

Eugene Lin does just that. Impeccably-cut clothes which look modern, chic with an edgy twist and would fit into any style-conscious woman’s wardrobe.

The Singaporean-born, London-based Central Saint Martins graduate has already started making waves in the fashion world and it’s no surprise when his work set very high standards for emerging designers. And perhaps what’s even more interesting is his honesty and outspoken attitude in a world where diplomatic and politically-correct statements are the general rule.

I am very excited to be meeting and interviewing Eugene after his first ever show in Singapore during Digital Fashion Week (DFW), especially after this explosive and honest Q&A with a man not afraid to speak his mind. 

In by far and away the most controversial interview of the DFW series, the London based Lin lets rip on exactly what is wrong with the Singapore fashion scene, celebrity designers and the problems with Singapore's attempts to support local labels.

Eugene Lin will show his latest SS12 collection 'The Judgement of Paris' at DFW!
Certainly not to miss!!!

Digital Fashion Week: OwnMuse - EXCLUSIVE Interview with young Singaporean designers Johanna and Shu Juang

I won’t lie. The glamour and the amazing personalities taking part in Digital Fashion Week (DFW) are worth a lot of excitement and one of the reasons I took part of this awesome event.

But as much as I am excited to rub shoulders with, and interview the likes of Andrej Pejic and Sophie Sumner, I also cannot wait to see some young Singaporean designers finally get some great exposure and show their work alongside top designers like Thomas Wee and Guo Pei for the world to see.

One of the carefully-picked emerging labels taking part of DFW is OwnMuse. The designers behind the label, Johanna and Shu Juang started their journey 2 years ago as part of Parco next NEXT incubator program and since then, their work has been evolving non-stop and they stand out for their understanding of their customer and the need to dress well every day while still feeling comfortable and relaxed. their SS13 collection which will be debuting at DFW is a perfect example of that!

OwnMuse is building a reputation as being the to-go-to label for chic,
understated and comfortable everyday clothes.

Digital Fashion Week: Patricia Field - EXCLUSIVE interview with the legendary SATC stylist

When people ask me ‘Are you a Sex and the City fan?’, I roll my eyes at them!

I mean come on… is this even a question when one glance at my exploding technicolor wardrobe and 100+pairs of shoes says it all?? How could a girl with so many eclectic outfits, an obsession with sky high heels - and a mop of curly hair a la Carrie Bradshaw - not be a SATC fan? Fanatic more likely!

But although Carrie Bradshaw and myself share a few obsessions (not with Mr. Big though!), the main reason I love watching SATC again and again is the fashion and this means one thing: stylist extraordinaire Patricia Field!

Legendary in the way she mixes and matches the unexpected and for creating seemingly effortless yet iconic looks, Patricia’s styling is something any aspiring stylist like myself would love to achieve. In many ways, she is one of the reasons I got into styling and had the confidence to wear whatever I want regardless of what others thought of it.

Patricia Field is responsible for so many iconic looks in film and TV which are still talked about...

Digital Fashion Week: Sophie Sumner - EXCLUSIVE interview with the America's Next Top Model winner

To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of models. 

I know it’s highly judgemental on my part and almost sacrilege from someone who is deeply embedded into fashion, but from my experience I get the impression they take life a little too seriously.

Don't get me wrong. I know it’s a damn hard job, and they have my utmost respect for the job they do, but on the few occasions I've been lucky enough to be behind the scenes (for example backstage at Audi Fashion Festival) I only needed one hand to count the number of smiles on show, even hours before a show.

But not all models are created equal. So when I learned that America’s Next Top Model’s winner Sophie Sumner was going to be at Digital Fashion Week (walking for Singaporean designers Thomas Wee and Ownmuse), I knew it would be a different story. Having followed her journey on Top Model and seen her (very dry and British) sense of humour and larger than life personality, I know the perma-pout will be replaced with laughter and smiles in Singapore.

Sophie is no ordinary 'boring' blonde!! want proof? read on her cheeky answers below ;-)

iCute Bugis: For the pet loving fashionista

I have a confession. I’ve never been an animal person!

Not that I hate pets but growing up in a war, all the cats and dogs I saw were stray and disease-ridden. 

Also living with an extended family in a cosy urban apartment it was not an option to keep a pet – bar for a pair of Canary birds and a parrot at one point. Believe it or not, I don’t even recall encountering  any cute puppy or cat until I started going to college.

On the other hand, I have so many friends who are obsessed with cute pets and their facebook pages are dominated by kittens and puppies’ photos which they feel the need to share on a daily basis.

If you’re anything like my friends, or you’re looking for a gift for someone like that, I have recently found the place for you. Yes, that's right, for one post only Bonjour Singpore is talking about real life animal prints!

Cats, dogs or teddy bears? Hard to tell which is cutest!

Digital Fashion Week: Q&A with DFW project director Charina

We all now know that top models, fashion royalty and top designers are coming to Singapore later this month for the first ever Digital Fashion Week, but what was the inspiration behind the event.

An event with the likes of Andrej Pejic, Sophie Sumner, SATC stylist Pat Field, top Chinese designer Guo Pei as well as great Singaporean designers can't have been easy to put together.

To find out I sat down for a Q&A with an exhausted but happy project director Charina Widjaja who helped explain DFW in more detail and even had time to announce another exciting partnership and promise more surprises on the runway!

The masterminds behind DFW: Project Director Charina Widjaja, and
Creative Director Keyis Ng. 

Bonjour Bangkok: Lynn Around keep it quirky and mainstream

Perhaps a great thing about Thai labels is that not only the small and independent ones that pride themselves on being funky and quirky.

  

Maybe it's something to do with the Thai attitude to dressing up, but it’s really refreshing to see the eccentricity not being designed out by committee when a brand becomes more mainstream. They're still waving goodbye to dull and pushing the boundaries with risky style statements.

One label which despite its size (It has around 10 outlets in Bangkok) is doing just that: Lynn Around.

I first saw their outlet at the never disappointing Thai fashion cathedral Terminal 21, where the vibrant colours and eye-catching looks pulled me in to inquire about the label (and ahem… shop).

Even in a somehow more 'mainstream' Thai label like Lynn Around, you can still find
some quirky stuff like these adorable pony hair loafers. Bangkok rocks!

The colours and variety of styles at their Terminal21 branch is so inviting.

Patricia Field, Andrej Pejic and Guo Pei headline Digital Fashion Week in Singapore

Those of you who follow me on Facebook or Twitter will already know this (if you don’t follow me then why not!!), but I am extremely excited to have been asked to be a co-host on the world’s first Digital Fashion Week (DFW).

DFW is an amazing new Singapore-based project that is a “shoppable live streaming fashion week”.

It’s basically an entire fashion week streamed online in partnership with YouTube, with no front row, none of the nonsense and posturing that comes with fashion shows AND the ability to be able to buy the clothes as you watch.

I will be doing live one-on-one interviews on Google+ after every show, so you will probably get sick of the sight of me soon :-). But WAY more exciting than that is the superstar line-up that will be in town later in three weeks time.

It’s been a big secret and it’s been so so tough keeping it under wraps but I can finally tell you that the stars of DFW will be none other than supermodel Andrej Pejic , Legendary Fashion Icon Patricia Field and China’s top designer Guo Pei in addition to America’s Next Top Model latest winner Sophie Sumner.

Andrej Pejic will be walking for DFW designers in Singapore! So exciting!!!

The queen of styling herself Patricia Field will be in town as well! Let the
SATC fever begin ;-)

Event of the week: Hansel's 85 per cent off sale

I'll keep this short and to the point. Hansel - one of Singapore's finest and best known labels - is having a sale of samples and seconds and are offering discounts of up to 85 per cent.

If you are in any way interested in shopping then you should be there. The sale takes place at Isetan Scotts from October 5 to 11. 

People who read my blog know I don't write about every sale that's going on in Singapore, in fact I rarely write about one off sales. So for me to talk about it I must be really excited. 

A S$279 Hansel dress for S$79...where do I sign up?

MYthology: THE hot new player on the Singapore fashion scene

When I first moved to Singapore, one of my dreams was to open a boutique in a cool shophouse, somewhere trendy and chic where people can shop unique for pieces and also get to discover some designers they never knew before.

I’m not that good at business so I stuck to day-dreaming and blogging about all the amazing finds I chance upon. Thankfully though, someone with the same passion but better business sense also had the same vision.

Step forward Apsara Oswal, the founder of the newly-opened Club Street boutique MYthology.

Apart from an instantly recognizable mop of curly hair, it seems we both have a lot in common. Both of us are passionate about promoting Asian talent, we’re both stylists, we both veer away from the monochrome Singapore look and we both want to play our part in jazzing up the dress sense of the little red dot.

To get to know MYthology better, you have to learn a bit about Apsara as the boutique is a mere reflection of her love for everything unique and chic.

MYthology is setting the bar high in terms of stunning decor and equally beautiful fashion!

The gorgeous Apsara Oswal, MYthology's founder, whose vision has finally
come to life today.

ZAOZAO: The crowdfunded future of fashion in Asia?

When I was contacted a while back by the people behind a crowdfunding site for Asian designers, ZAOZAO, I was very excited and happy to hear about it.

Having seen the difficulty (especially financial) emerging designers have in getting their collections produced – let alone marketed and sold - the whole idea of crowdfunding seemed like a perfect solution to test the market and get them started.

Co-founder Ling Cai, who resides between Singapore and Hong Kong, decided to start ZAOZAO alongside friend Vicky Wu to help budding designers but also introduce people around the world to something they are clearly passionate about: unique and interesting fashion.

Zardoze: Dress to impress for those Singapore F1 parties

Finally the F1 weekend is in town!

And while hubby will be swooning over those ‘gorgeous cars' and revelling in high octane action and big boys toys, the whole weekend for me will be about the glitz which accompanies the most glamorous sport in the world.

There’s no denial that this is the ultimate party weekend in Singapore, and parties to me mean one thing – dressing up!

So whether you're swanning around at the Fashion TV party, sashaying at the Ferrari Red Party or heading to the super exclusive Amber Lounge, there is sure to be more than one outfit making an appearance. But what do you do if you look in your wardrobe and look in horror at the bare space staring back at you.

Who could help you out in such a 'nothing to wear' crisis at the start of the most glamorous weekend in Singapore?

Ready for the F1 parties? With this Zardoze jumpsuit, I would :-)

Bonjour Bali: Namu's handbag and clutch heaven

When in Bali, it’s usually the beaches and spas which take priority on most people’s itinerary forcing them to have just enough time to shop for souvenirs to take back home.

But if you’re not a souvenir person, have a great taste and style and only one hour to spend shopping in Bali, then there is only one place you should really be heading to - Namu.

Located in Seminyak, this place is a fashionista’s heaven and it stocks some unusual and unique pieces which you are guaranteed not to find anywhere else on the island.

During my first visit to Bali, I went there twice in two days because I had a dilemma choosing one of their stunning bags which blew me away. I wondered what the secret of their style success was, until I met the owner of the boutique and it all fell into place. 

Stunning wooden clutches which I've not seen anywhere else.
This is what Namu is all about: unique and chic!

My obsession with Stingray clutches never ends... these are superb
quality and to-die-for! No to mention, gorgeous?

Isetan: Bringing Jakarta Fashion Week to Singapore!

Ever since getting to know and blogging about  Indonesian labels like Toton and Nikicio, Jakarta has been put firmly on my to-go to list for Bonjour on Tour! It seems wherever you go, Asia is a hotbed of fashion creativity.

But until I finally get on that plane (hopefully around the beginning of November for Jakarta Fashion Week), I have to settle for a rare taste of these talents thanks to Isetan Singapore which has organized a Designers’ Week’ event in collaboration with JFW.

Isetan is one of the big department stores in Singapore which I really like, because they stock a variety of local designers, especially emerging ones and thus expose them to a more mainstream crowd. It is something I respect them for.

So when I heard about their Designers’ Week event – which is running until September 25 and is held at Re-Style section on Scotts which stocks the local designers’ labels - I went to check it out only to discover some amazing labels which I previously didn’t know about.

How can you not love these colourful necklaces from Indonesian
label Antyk Butyk?

Something quirky and unique! I'm sooo in love with this
Frej necklace made of pencils!!!

Lewre: Shoes fit for a Princess (or the Duchess of Cambridge)

In my last post, while admiring Kate’s choices of clothes in the Royals’ Singapore visit, I couldn’t help but notice her uninspiring choice of footwear.

From the LK Bennet nude pumps which are too plain and dated (she even wore them to meet Jimmy Choo himself!!) to her navy blue wedges… I mean wedges, come on Kate???

The good news is that someone else - the Malaysian royals - has also noticed, and decided to do something about it. For amongst the lavish gifts exchanged on landing in Kuala Lumpur was a pair of custom-made Lewre shoes.

I've expressed my love for Malaysia's best fashion export - shoes - on this blog before. And after seeing kate's gift – an exquisite and delicate pair of black lace peep toe heels– I could not be more convinced.

The gorgeous Lewre pair of heels and clutch which the Duchess of Cambridge got as a
present from the Malaysian Royals!

Kate and William: Championing Singapore labels!

So the Duchess of Cambridge (a.k.a. Kate Middleton) has left Singapore today. But her effect will certainly be felt - especially when it comes to Singapore fashion.

Kate is known for picking the right and diplomatic choices for her overseas visits and it was the same case here where among her handful of wardrobe changes were a gorgeous dress by Singapore-born Prabal Gurung and an ensemble by RAOUL, which came rather as a surprise.

But my question is, did we really need the Duchess to wear a local designer to make us realize that they do exist, and make beautiful clothes for that matter?

The Duchess of Cambridge looked lovely in her RAOUL top
and skirt. Still wish she makes more effort in her shoe choices
though! Oh well...

Bonjour Bangkok: The end of the world at Nisa and Friends

One of the greatest joys I get from this blog is getting to discover kick ass new designers from Singapore and across south-east Asia.

There’s so much talent out there and nothing gives me greater pleasure than doing a tiny bit to help expose them to a slightly wider audience.

So it’s is no surprise that the highlight of my recent trip to Bangkok was stumbling over a humble genius, whose label and shop was launched just over a month ago.

Walking through one of the alleys of Siam Square, a tiny shop space crammed to bursting point with a rainbow of colourful printed scarves called out to me, beckoning me over by standing out from the rows of generic identikit clothes on offer.

The shop was called Nisa – and it was my immense fortune that one of the designers, Namwan (Sirintra), was inside and only too happy talk about her new baby.

This Ocean Symphony dress was my first pick... love it!!!

Parco next NEXT A/W12 Preview

There is no doubt that the 2012 class of Parco NEXT Next labels was the strongest yet.

Taken as a collective whole they were more eclectic, innovative and interesting than before. But like a great band that hits the big time with their first album, the pressure is on.

As these fledgling labels get ready to launch into their second season, the questions on my lips were simple. Can they take these promising starts and grow as brands, evolving their style and learning lessons from their first collections?

In other words, would the learning curve continue or would some of the labels suffer from second album syndrome?

Bahareh Badiei brings Middle Eastern chic to Singapore

Middle Eastern women are some of the most glamorous in the world.

You might not believe that if you watch too much of the news but it’s really true. Just walk down any street in Beirut or Tehran and you’ll see women dressed up from head to toe, perfectly made up even if just to visit the neighbours or the grocery shop.

I think it’s something in our DNA, or maybe in the culture which puts so much importance on looking elegant and chic. Pretty much all of our designers do ballgowns and flipflops are nowhere to be seen unless you happen to be at the beach (even then there is a fair share of heels and bikinis).

So when I received an invite to a show by Bahareh Badiei, a Singapore-based Iranian designer, I naturally expected one thing – glamour!

Designer Bahareh Badiei (in the middle) with the models at the cozy presentation at Novus
Restaurant in the National Museum.

All photos by Kenneth Choo (www.kennethchoo.com)
Thank you Kenneth :-)

Bonjour Bangkok: 4 stalls not to miss at the weekend market – Chatuchak (Jatujak)

There is no doubt that one of the must do's on any trip to Bangkok is to spend the day losing yourself in the labyrinth that is the massive sprawl of Chatuchak Market.

But unless you love t-shirts and blogshops, the thousands of stalls in the massive weekend market could mean frustration rather than fashion heaven.

It takes patience, but amongst the rows and rows of cheap and cheerful are some genuinely talented young (and even established) Thai labels which sell really original and high quality items for you to wow your friends with.

Forget the tacky t-shirts and knick-knacks and use your time at
the massive weekend market to get your hands on these stingray beauties!!

Also head to Guate for some high quality and affordable leather
accessories, where you also get to watch the artisans handcrafting them!

Hadasity: Hand made statement jewellery from Singapore

When it comes to accessories, for me it’s go big or go home!

But even those people who prefer more dainty and classic pieces, they probably still agree that the more unique, spontaneous and preferably hand crafted the piece is – the better.

It's ironic that despite Singapore's leaning towards minimalist style, there seems to be a great deal of home-grown interesting and unique jewellery labels, one of which happens to fit right into my style–Hadasity.

I first came across this label at Soon Lee boutiquein Haji Lane and fell in love with the colourful and unpredictable pieces mostly assembled from vintage trinkets and wires. Recently I got a chance to meet Hadassah Lau, the extremely talented woman who designs and handcrafts every single piece at a Hadasity event to launch their new September collection.

One of Hadasity's unique and stunning necklaces! So random
but beautiful...

Hadassah is as bubbly as her creations and clearly loves
her craft!

Bonjour Bali: Quarzia does Chic Batik in Seminyak

Bali is synonymous with batik and most shops you walk into on the island will be selling some form of batik to tourists. But while impulsively buying a cotton or rayon sarong is a norm, very few (if any) would wear it once the plane takes off and lands back at home.

It’s pretty but maybe not as chic and practical to fit in our modern wardrobe. But if you really love batik like I do and appreciate the labour-heavy yet worthy process which goes behind these beautiful patterns then fret not because batik has undergone a modern and an uber chic transformation at one boutique – Quarzia.

While based in Seminyak, the hip and glitzy part of Bali, Quarzia is founded by two Italian designers (Simonetta and Marco) who fell in love with the island and decided to make it home to their Batik-specialized label.

The batiks at Quarzia - like this gorgeous silk one - are all made using
the traditional technique famous in Indonesia.

Carrie K Keepers IV: Showcasing amazing artisans in Singapore

I think everyone knows about my love of Singapore based jewelry label Carrie K – but it’s not just the amazing craftsmanship that makes them a standout brand for me.

Apart from their always innovative accessories, Carrie K also happens to organize fantastic events that push my buttons on two fronts. Namely that they are trying hard to support fellow local artisans and that the ‘Keeper’ events are always a journey of discovery, the antidote to the cookie cutter mentality of a lot of the fashion world.

The latest Carrie K Keepers (That's number four in the series) takes place tomorrow on Saturday (August 25) at the atelier in Bukit Timah Road and as well as showcasing her new Mint capsule collection, also brings together a handful of unique artisans under the theme of Flights of Fancy.

Carrie K's new collection 'Mint' is a departure from the label's usual style
but as unexpected and inspiring nevertheless.

Dzojchen: Making Denim and Leather cool in steamy Singapore

If you ask any stylist worth their salt for the must have items in anyone’s closet, the list would most likely include a great pair of denims and a leather jacket.

The reason is that these two specific items have transcended seasonal trends, styles - and even gender - and proved to be just as classic and vital to any modern and stylish person as a great LBD for women and a perfect blazer for men.

But as an all-year round summer destination, Singapore may not exactly be the perfect place to don these usually heavy items so it was a surprise to stumble over a Singaporean label which focuses exclusively on denim and leatherwear.

Dzojchen first caught my eye during Audi Fashion Festival, where I fell in love with their super chic and effortless style which would look right at home in uber fashionable cities like NY and London.

Hansel A/W12: Perfect Puffins!

Perhaps you don’t know but my first piece ever from a Singaporean designer was a gorgeous blouse from Hansel. This was on my first visit to this little red dot and even before I moved here a few months later.

Even then, my mission was simple: To shop only from interesting local labels and boutiques which I could brag about when I went back to Dubai – a place with virtually no local design scene to speak of.

In fact, walking through Haji Lane and later on browsing at Hansel's store in Mandarin Gallery was when I realised this was going to be a great place to live. 

After moving here I had the opportunity to meet and get to know so many other great local labels which I absolutely fell in love with and continue to support and buy, but Hansel remains firmly on my list of favourites.

Cute puffins everywhere at Hansel this season!

Can you see the little puffin brooch on my dress? So adorable!!!

Singapore lounge-wear label Les Affaires: Go to bed and wake up with style

If you ask me, sleepwear is so underrated. I mean just because people on the street don’t get to see us in them, it doesn’t mean that an old t-shirt and a pair of worn out shorts should constitute what we go to bed with.

When I say sleepwear I’m not talking about lingerie though. I’m sure all my female readers will nod their head in agreement when I say that while sexy, lacy underwear is definitely not comfortable enough to drift off in.

So why are we so attached to the 10 year old t-shirt? The argument is always that nightwear is supposed to be comfortable, not fashionable. But what if both were combined?

Luckily, a new Singaporean label, Les Affaires has taken it upon themselves to convert the doubters and is showing us that practical and stylish loungewear does have a place in our closets.

Some of Les Affaires designs can be easily mistaken for daywear
like this gathered dress which I would team with a necklace and
sandals to pop out and run my errands around the neighborhood!