Angelababy has one. So do the girls of K-pop band Blackpink. Women undergo procedures, even surgery to achieve a V-shaped face – but their fixation can perpetuate unhealthy ideals of beauty, some say.

Virtual influencers are on the catwalk, on Instagram, collaborating with companies like Tesla and gracing the covers of fashion magazines – are they taking over from human ones?

Beauty entrepreneur Kimberley Ho is building the next Johnson & Johnson – natural skincare label Evereden, which offers products safe for babies and children, and targets clean-beauty-conscious new mums.

Singaporean brand Makerly SG has been making a splash with its batik crop top made with a print similar to the one used for Singapore Airlines’ crew uniform.

Young Singaporean footwear designer Firdaos Pidau from Charles & Keith talks about the lessons he learned on his way to a dream career in the fashion industry.

Spas, aesthetic clinics and beauty salons in Southeast Asia have seen a rise in demand from local customers as lockdowns have eased. For some, having no social events to go to makes it the right time to have some major work done.

Singapore has seen a flowering of artistic output as its overseas-based creatives return home from coronavirus-ravaged countries, leading them to rediscover the city state’s unique characteristics and reflect on the pandemic’s effects.

Daniel Boey conceived The Front Row, an online fashion festival, to offer smaller, local Singaporean brands doing great work a digital platform in a time of reduced bricks-and- mortar shopping.

With stay-at-home dining all the rage, some of the city state’s coolest trendsetters have turned their hand to making food for delivery, and even opening a cafe. They may or may not go back to fashion.

As the world adjusts to living with the coronavirus, we need to adapt to new norms of behaviour, says Singapore-based etiquette consultant Astrie Sunindar-Ratner.

Ifeoma Ubby, cancer researcher turned fashion designer, launched OliveAnkara in 2016 as a side hustle when she could not find African fabric in Singapore.

Supported by Dover Street Market and Comme des Garcons president Adrian Joffe, and fresh from their first showing in Paris, Singapore design collective Youths In Balaclava could be the breath of fresh air the fashion industry needs.

Singaporean luxury retail group boss Michael Tay says wearing a smartwatch could stoke a young consumer’s appetite for a mechanical watch later on. He reflects on the future of bricks-and-mortar retailing and the importance of service.

Singapore Social on Netflix is no Crazy Rich Asians, but are the haters hating on themselves when they say this new reality show is vapid and fake?

Designer Afton Chen, of Reckless Ericka, is marking the Singapore label’s 10th anniversary by making the country’s national obsession – food – an object of sartorial desire.

Whether it’s for private functions with VIP guests or flashy store openings, Olga Iserlis is who many in the Lion City turn to. After fleeing Russia for the US aged 15, she draws on her experiences for inspiration.

Plus size and 1.85 metres tall, Becca D’Bus would stand out on the streets of Singapore even if she didn’t wear dresses that draw stares. ‘I wear my creations because I am proud of them and not to challenge societal views,’ she says.

Pek Lay Peng, of Singaporean multi-label boutique SocietyA, is on a mission to get Asian designers the credit they deserve – labels such as LIE from South Korea, Malaysia’s Jonathan Liang and Peggy Hartanto from Indonesia.

Lelian Chew pulls out all the stops to create perfect weddings for her wealthy clientele, for whom little is beyond the realms of possibility: million dollar dresses, purpose-built structures in remote places – even weather control.

Biro, founded by Singaporean brothers Kenghow and Kage Chong, sells a tightly curated collection of utilitarian apparel made in Japan that combines precision tailoring with carefully sourced premium textiles.

Two Singaporean entrepreneurs have launched a brand, Caviar Colony, to showcase the ‘black gold’ harvested from a caviar farm in Yunnan, southwest China, and gain for Chinese caviar the recognition they say it deserves.

Singapore-based Priscilla Shunmugam says one of her design hallmarks is tasteful colours for Asian skin. Diffusion line OM is for women who are not afraid to look both capable and fashionable.

Muslim women from Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, by offering followers a glimpse of their lives through Instagram, aim to spread understanding of their fashion and faith.

Marquee in Singapore features a 30-metre-tall Ferris wheel, Ce La Vi is the highest rooftop lounge in Taiwan, and Zouk Genting in Malaysia has a social gaming lounge. And they’re not all the new venues offering something different.

LVMH regional chairman Ravi Thakran says there are many rising fashion stars in Asia that have the potential to go global, but he does not see the continent producing a true global luxury fashion brand in the next decade.

Contrary to popular belief, using ethical sources of crocodile leather and snakeskin in the fashion industry can help in wildlife conservation, says some industry leaders.

A trip to Colombia led to the opening of Singapore-based Artitude Galeria. Owners Ravi Thakran and partner Holly Turner were amazed at the similarities between Latin America and Asian art and decided to bring the two together.

There are 200 Hermès handbags, a similar number of shoes and fashion from the world’s leading luxury labels. The former Singapore Airlines stewardess talks about her style, her work, and the perils of not staying in five-star hotels.

Clothing rental companies are springing up in Asia as shoppers overcome their reluctance to wear used designer outfits. Some companies also offer alteration services and package deals.

Singapore and Malaysia-based company Zalora says that understanding the region inside out is what has given it the edge.