https://www.scmp.com/rss/327158/feed Karen is a lifestyle and travel journalist who is constantly roaming the globe in search of her next great adventure. A graduate of Columbia University’s School of Journalism in New York City, she has also taught journalism at Lasalle College of the Arts. She covers fashion and beauty for South China Morning Post. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Karen Tee Karen Tee “If you get eaten by a croc,” our guide Dennis Miller says with a grin, “I’ll try to bring back what’s left of you.” In true Aussie fashion, he is only half joking. We are, after all, cruising the Yellow Water Billabong in Kakadu National Park, home to around 10,000 crocodiles – or 10 per cent of all the crocs in the Northern Territory. In the dry season from May to October, they sun themselves on the sandy banks. But now, in early April, as the last rains of the wet season linger, they slide... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3320378/how-do-you-kakadu-crocodile-cruises-and-safari-glamping-australias-northern-territory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3320378/how-do-you-kakadu-crocodile-cruises-and-safari-glamping-australias-northern-territory?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 02:00:13 +0000 Karen Tee Karen Tee Nicolas Travis’ determination to succeed is born out of personal tragedy. At 19, a traumatic accident at home left him with severe facial injuries. Then came infections following the reconstructive surgery, all of which led him to attempt suicide. Intensive therapy eventually helped him recover. “I had always hated myself, and I realised that if I could somehow channel that pain into helping other people feel more confident or even more fearless in their own skin, then this would have been worth... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/article/3305678/skincare-brand-allies-skin-was-inspired-serious-accident-now-its-drawing-attention-worldwide-its?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/article/3305678/skincare-brand-allies-skin-was-inspired-serious-accident-now-its-drawing-attention-worldwide-its?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 May 2025 06:00:09 +0000 Olivier Polge expresses surprise at his first impression of Singapore. “I was expecting a very dense city but I found the cityscape to be much more spread out and much greener than I imagined. There is something very calming about it,” remarks Polge, Chanel’s in-house master perfumer who is visiting the Lion City for the first time for a regional showcase of the Chanel N° 5 range of fragrances. The event, held in a heritage colonial bungalow in central Singapore, was attended by celebrities... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/beauty-news/article/3286544/style-edit-reimagining-ndeg5-modern-chanel-woman-master-perfumer-olivier-polge-explains-concept?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/beauty-news/article/3286544/style-edit-reimagining-ndeg5-modern-chanel-woman-master-perfumer-olivier-polge-explains-concept?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2024 02:00:20 +0000 A former girls’ school has been reimagined as Singapore’s first lifestyle destination focused on local brands in retail, F&B, wellness and hospitality. The venture is spearheaded by home-grown hospitality company, The Lo & Behold Group. The city state may be small in size but it has long nurtured a vibrant creative scene. Yet home-grown talent has often been underrated, in part because mainstream and international brands tend to dominate the scene. This is set to change with the launch of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3273504/new-bahru-how-old-school-singapore-getting-new-life-creative-shopping-wellness-and-lifestyle-enclave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3273504/new-bahru-how-old-school-singapore-getting-new-life-creative-shopping-wellness-and-lifestyle-enclave?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Aug 2024 04:20:21 +0000 Watchmaker Richard Mille has set up a home in Singapore! The luxury Swiss horological brand just opened a spacious 7,500 sq ft boutique – its largest in the world – on 1 St Martin’s Drive in the Lion City’s prestigious Orchard Road district. The brand marked the occasion with a star-studded launch event last week. But instead of creating a typical watch store where the timepieces are displayed prominently, the team was inspired by the secret cocktail bars of the Prohibition era to conceal a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3237546/richard-mille-unveils-its-largest-store-world-singapore-new-flagship-orchard-road-boasts-11?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3237546/richard-mille-unveils-its-largest-store-world-singapore-new-flagship-orchard-road-boasts-11?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Oct 2023 08:00:07 +0000 In Singapore’s vibrant dining scene, one of its newest entrants might also be its oldest – classic American teppanyaki chain Benihana has just opened a restaurant in the Lion City. Created by Japanese-American restaurateur Rocky Aoki in New York in 1964, the chain played a key role in popularising teppanyaki, in part thanks to the fancy knife theatrics involved in slicing and dicing ingredients, and the showy pyrotechnics while cooking and grilling on a hot iron griddle. The roots of this... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3233038/how-teppanyaki-became-more-about-food-theatre-and-restaurants-asia-cooking-new-generation-even?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3233038/how-teppanyaki-became-more-about-food-theatre-and-restaurants-asia-cooking-new-generation-even?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Sep 2023 05:15:18 +0000 One does not often see a traditional mortar and pestle in the kitchen of a fine-dining restaurant. But there it is, taking pride of place at the newly opened Restaurant Fiz in Singapore’s buzzy Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood, where it is used to coax out the rich, earthy flavours of ingredients used in Malay cuisine. It is the latest in a small but growing cadre of restaurants in Singapore – and the region – that are focusing on introducing the indigenous flavours, ingredients and dishes of Malay... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3231007/malay-cuisine-champion-hails-its-reinvention-and-elevation-hawker-centre-fine-dining-fare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3231007/malay-cuisine-champion-hails-its-reinvention-and-elevation-hawker-centre-fine-dining-fare?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Aug 2023 23:15:16 +0000 Singapore has a global reputation for its hearty and affordable street food such as chicken rice, laksa (spicy soup noodles) and bak kut teh (pork rib broth). But when Singaporean chef Jimmy Lim Tyan Yaw – whose father once ran a hawker stall – had the opportunity to open his own restaurant in Taiwan, he chose to showcase a different aspect of the Lion City’s culinary culture and create a fine-dining concept. “At that time, there were no restaurants offering high-end Singaporean cuisine outside... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3230194/worlds-only-2-michelin-star-restaurant-serving-singaporean-cuisine-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3230194/worlds-only-2-michelin-star-restaurant-serving-singaporean-cuisine-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Aug 2023 04:45:08 +0000 If there is one chef who is currently the toast of Singapore’s culinary scene, it would undoubtedly be Kevin Wong. At the recent unveiling of the Michelin Guide Singapore 2023, the 30-year-old Malaysian was the man of the night – picking up three awards, including a coveted one star for Seroja, the restaurant he opened in October 2022. For two nights, on August 8 and 9 – dates chosen to coincide with Singapore’s National Day, on August 9 – Hong Kong’s one-Michelin-star modern Singaporean... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3229970/michelin-guide-singapore-triple-awardee-kevin-wong-his-four-hands-dinner-barry-quek-whey-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3229970/michelin-guide-singapore-triple-awardee-kevin-wong-his-four-hands-dinner-barry-quek-whey-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Aug 2023 03:15:09 +0000 I am quite lost, even though I’m using both Google Maps and the South Korean equivalent, KakaoMap, and have a paper map of Seochon in hand. Still, this Seoul neighbourhood – fondly known as the West Village of the South Korean capital – is a picturesque place in which to wander, akin to having stepped onto a period K-drama set. Deep within its twisty network of lanes are the Instagram-worthy facades of traditional hanok buildings, with their wooden pillars, brick walls and gently curved tiled... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3229460/seoul-area-thats-historical-k-drama-set-seochon-mixes-traditional-hanok-houses-hip-shops-and-cool?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3229460/seoul-area-thats-historical-k-drama-set-seochon-mixes-traditional-hanok-houses-hip-shops-and-cool?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Aug 2023 04:45:19 +0000 An unassuming warehouse in Singapore probably seems like an unlikely place for a priceless collection of historic timepieces, including ornate Patek Philippe table clocks and vintage Audemars Piguet pocket watches. But that is exactly where a new watch museum, an initiative by watch investment advisory firm FutureGrail, is located. It houses over 200 ultra-rare timepieces unrestored and polished to perfection, and is open to the public by appointment. Highlights include the Navigator’s Watch by... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3226095/inside-futuregrails-new-watch-museum-singapore-how-private-museum-unassuming-warehouse-widening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3226095/inside-futuregrails-new-watch-museum-singapore-how-private-museum-unassuming-warehouse-widening?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jul 2023 02:00:10 +0000 For almost three decades, a Singaporean in Paris has been quietly dressing some of the most influential women in the world, from pop star Beyoncé to Queen Rania of Jordan and Kate Middleton. Meet Andrew Gn, the designer who decided to follow his heart and set up an atelier in Paris simply because he wanted to “live in a beautiful place”. In the years since, he has slowly but surely grown his brand from a tiny knitwear collection into a house that showcases excellent sartorial craftsmanship. His... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3224759/meet-andrew-gn-singaporean-fashion-designer-stars-paris-based-creative-has-dressed-beyonce-and-kate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3224759/meet-andrew-gn-singaporean-fashion-designer-stars-paris-based-creative-has-dressed-beyonce-and-kate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jun 2023 02:00:22 +0000 Many chefs dream of creating memorable dishes in a state-of-the-art kitchen. For Singaporean culinary wunderkind Mathew Leong, executive chef at the two Michelin-star restaurant Re-Naa in Norway, a US$320,000 hi-tech kitchen is simply his training ground. His ambition is to win the prestigious biennial Bocuse d’Or world chef championship, widely considered among chefs to be the Olympics of the gastronomy world. No one from Asia has ever previously won. The 28-year-old chef is so serious about... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3223791/singaporean-chef-2-michelin-star-restaurant-re-naa-gunning-gold-worlds-culinary-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3223791/singaporean-chef-2-michelin-star-restaurant-re-naa-gunning-gold-worlds-culinary-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jun 2023 10:15:08 +0000 The moment we hear a rustling in the jungle canopy, a hush falls upon the group as we ready our phone cameras, necks craned and eyes straining. The prize we are seeking is a family of critically endangered red-shanked douc langurs, one of the world’s rarest species of primates. Finally, we spot the douc’s distinctive red legs and white tail as it lazily chews on leaves while peering at us curiously. “Where’s the bananas?” someone quips in a theatrical whisper. Right on cue, a juvenile leaps... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3222981/why-da-nang-vietnam-hottest-new-wellness-destination-head-intercontinental-sound-healing-and-nature?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3222981/why-da-nang-vietnam-hottest-new-wellness-destination-head-intercontinental-sound-healing-and-nature?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jun 2023 02:00:10 +0000 Meticulously plated on hand-painted Richard Ginori tableware, the poached rice topped with delicate morsels of tender lobster arrives at the table. A waiter then ceremoniously pours a vivid orange-hued broth into the dish, its delicate aroma awakening the senses and whetting the appetite. Sometimes, if one is lucky, chef de cuisine Cheung Siu-kong of the one-Michelin-star Summer Pavilion, located at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, will personally do the honours. At the same time, he takes... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3222761/how-hong-kong-chef-championing-fine-cantonese-cuisine-michelin-starred-singapore-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3222761/how-hong-kong-chef-championing-fine-cantonese-cuisine-michelin-starred-singapore-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jun 2023 23:15:07 +0000 When on holiday, fresh eggs cooked to order, creamy yogurt, delicate smoked salmon and crispy bacon are some of the breakfast ingredients most travellers have come to expect from the average luxury resort. But it certainly adds another dimension to the indulgence to discover that most, if not all of this food has been grown or made at the resort. Being offered freshly laid duck eggs at the egg station is often the first indication that, at the Conrad Koh Samui, there is more to the food than the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3221927/high-quality-throughout-how-thai-luxury-hotel-farms-its-own-food-eggs-and-bacon-bananas-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3221927/high-quality-throughout-how-thai-luxury-hotel-farms-its-own-food-eggs-and-bacon-bananas-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 May 2023 06:15:15 +0000 Soon after fine jewellery brand State Property launched its first retail boutique last year, at Takashimaya Shopping Centre, in Orchard Road, Singapore, where the brand is based, the team began to notice a surge in demand for ear cuffs. Generally worn on the edge of the ear without the need for a piercing, they are considered the edgier accessory to regular earrings. “Many clients are looking to spice things up,” says Afzal Imram, who co-founded State Property with his wife, Lin Ruiyin, in... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3217278/taylor-swift-michelle-obama-and-nicole-kidman-are-fans-their-jewellery-founders-state-property-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3217278/taylor-swift-michelle-obama-and-nicole-kidman-are-fans-their-jewellery-founders-state-property-why?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Apr 2023 04:45:08 +0000 It is a restaurant residency two years in the making, but finally the time is right for famed Japanese chef Yoshihiro Narisawa to hold his long-awaited pop-up in Singapore. From March 24 to April 30, the chef will uproot himself and his 15-strong team to the Lion City. Concurrently, his Narisawa restaurant in Japan, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, will be closed for a much needed refurbishment. “I am 100 per cent at the restaurant whenever it is open. My guests will never not... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3214108/chef-yoshihiro-narisawa-uprooting-his-3-michelin-star-restaurant-tokyo-singapore-residency-i-am?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3214108/chef-yoshihiro-narisawa-uprooting-his-3-michelin-star-restaurant-tokyo-singapore-residency-i-am?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Mar 2023 03:20:07 +0000 Like fur coats, handbags made of crocodile leather or exotic skins do not necessarily garner the best press. In recent years, some fashion brands, such as Burberry, Chanel, Hugo Boss and Paul Smith, have announced that they will no longer use crocodile, alligator or python skin in their products. But among the most affluent consumers, the demand for such bags – which require expert craftsmanship to create – has led some of the most exclusive names to double down on such collections. Hermès’... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3207393/why-love-exotic-skin-bags-hermes-birkin-remains-strong-even-chanel-and-other-brands-say-no-crocodile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3207393/why-love-exotic-skin-bags-hermes-birkin-remains-strong-even-chanel-and-other-brands-say-no-crocodile?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jan 2023 10:15:12 +0000 For months, fashion lovers in Singapore walked by a boarded-up shop on the third floor of Ion Orchard, a popular shopping centre in the city state’s main retail district. Those in the know would pause in excitement and wonder when it would finally open. Their anticipation was for & Other Stories, a cult fashion and lifestyle brand owned by Swedish fashion retailer H&M Group. Since its launch in 2013, & Other Stories has gathered a devoted fan base thanks to its stylish and quirky approach to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3191917/other-stories-opens-singapore-what-you-need-know-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3191917/other-stories-opens-singapore-what-you-need-know-about?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Sep 2022 10:15:12 +0000 To many, the potato is merely a filler food that plays second fiddle on the dinner plate to meat, or another, more attractive ingredient. For Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon, the culinary power couple behind Central restaurant in Lima, Peru, however, the native tuber tells a story of their home country’s history, culture and resilience. This is why, for their recently launched three-month residency in Singapore – called MASL (Metres Above Sea Level) – the humble potato takes centre stage. The... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3189851/perus-best-restaurant-spotlights-potatoes-singapore-pop-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3189851/perus-best-restaurant-spotlights-potatoes-singapore-pop-high?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Aug 2022 23:15:09 +0000 My first taste of ikan chuan chuan, a fish dish at newly opened contemporary Straits restaurant Pangium in Singapore, brings about a sudden jolt of nostalgia. The flaky Glacier 51 toothfish, served with a sauce of Bentong ginger and taucheo – salted, fermented soy beans – reminds me of a much humbler version of the fried pomfret that my grandmother and mother used to cook when I was a child. It is exactly the sort of reaction that chef-owner Malcolm Lee – whose other restaurant is the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3185662/singapore-restaurants-reimagine-grandmas-home-cooking-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3185662/singapore-restaurants-reimagine-grandmas-home-cooking-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jul 2022 23:15:18 +0000 The Design Orchard multi-label retail space is an experience like no other along Singapore’s Orchard Road. Unlike other glitzy malls in the country’s prime shopping district full of designer labels as well as popular fast fashion brands, this 2½-storey building focuses exclusively on home-grown independent designs. It recently reopened following a redesign after two years of pandemic-induced restrictions. Among its targets are post-pandemic travellers. Improvements include a more prominent... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3182624/singapores-fashion-designers-post-covid-recovery-rests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3182624/singapores-fashion-designers-post-covid-recovery-rests?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jun 2022 23:15:19 +0000 It takes just 30 minutes to undergo a Venus Freeze procedure, a face-contouring and skin-tightening treatment popular with customers of medical aesthetic clinics. During the treatment, which is relaxing enough to sneak in a quick power nap, a technician glides a warm device over the face and neck. The device emits radio frequency and pulsed magnetic fields to firm up the skin and enhance one’s facial contours. While the results vary depending on the individual, most will notice a subtle... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3132571/desirable-or-unattainable-v-shaped-face-quest-spurred?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3132571/desirable-or-unattainable-v-shaped-face-quest-spurred?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 May 2021 23:15:14 +0000 Rae, based in Singapore, did something at the start of the year that most of the city state’s denizens have not been able to do for some time – she “travelled” to Shanghai. There, the street-style loving digital artist graced the cover of Jstyle magazine with China’s top female rapper, Vava. However, the slim, blue-haired fashion lover is not a real person – she’s a CGI creation that’s powered by artificial intelligence technology. The digital girl, launched last October, has become one of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3127120/will-virtual-social-media-influencers-replace-human-ones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3127120/will-virtual-social-media-influencers-replace-human-ones?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Mar 2021 23:15:07 +0000 Kimberley Ho grew up in tropical Malaysia where the sun shines brightly all year round, and had the importance of wearing sunscreen drummed into her. So when the co-founder of family-focused skincare label Evereden discovered from a dermatologist that some of the chemicals used in sunscreens could be harming her, she had to unlearn old habits. These days, she eschews chemical sunscreens in favour of mineral sunscreens on her doctor’s advice. “It was tough for me at first, because I use a lot of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3118129/new-york-based-malaysian-clean-beauty-brand-everedens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3118129/new-york-based-malaysian-clean-beauty-brand-everedens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Jan 2021 23:15:07 +0000 Like most people around the world, Singaporeans have had to put their travel plans on hold over the last year because of the global pandemic. But while locals were unable to fly on Singapore Airlines as frequently as they would have liked, some wore their love for the national airline on their sleeves – literally. Local company Makerly SG, which tailors small-batch orders of handmade batik clothing, has been making a splash with its crop top made with a similar print as the one used in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3117173/viral-singapore-airlines-style-crop-top-shows-wonders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3117173/viral-singapore-airlines-style-crop-top-shows-wonders?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jan 2021 04:15:17 +0000 Malaysia may lay claim to the legendary Jimmy Choo but perhaps in the future, Singapore might also have a shoe maestro to call its own. Up-and-coming designer Firdaos Pidau has been turning heads in the world of footwear design ever since he was a scholarship student on a prestigious Cordwainers course at the London College of Fashion. In 2015, Pidau, then a first-year student, edged out older and more experienced applicants to snag the inaugural scholarship offered by shoe designer Charlotte... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3108599/how-make-it-fashion-singapores-most-exciting-shoe-designer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3108599/how-make-it-fashion-singapores-most-exciting-shoe-designer?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Nov 2020 05:15:13 +0000 If there is one thing the Covid-19 pandemic might have proven, it’s that the spa and beauty industries are more recession-proof than most. People wanting cosmetic surgery have realised it is the perfect time to have some major work done, with no social events looming and everyone hiding their faces behind masks, says the head of a group that provides such services to an international clientele in the Philippines. In Singapore, meanwhile, a spa chain has taken over a company running aesthetic... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3102836/pent-demand-massages-facials-and-treatments-sees-spas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3102836/pent-demand-massages-facials-and-treatments-sees-spas?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2020 04:49:31 +0000 When California-based performance artist and actor Loo Zihan returned home to Singapore in March, he began taking long walks along the Rail Corridor – a stretch of greenery that spans the country’s old railway line. The three-hour, 9.5km (6 mile) hikes through nature were a balm for the social isolation he endured during Singapore’s partial lockdown, when people were only permitted to leave their homes for essential business or exercise. “Being a performance-based artist, I was interested in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3101452/singaporean-creatives-forced-home-rediscover-lion-citys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3101452/singaporean-creatives-forced-home-rediscover-lion-citys?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2020 23:15:08 +0000 He may be dubbed Singapore’s godfather of fashion but it took the pandemic to reignite Daniel Boey’s passion for the industry. A tireless champion of the local scene, Boey has been conspicuously absent from fashion for the past few years – though that’s not quite how he sees it. “I was never actually away from the fashion scene. Other aspects of my work simply took centre stage because there were more exciting projects that [meant] we could stretch ourselves creatively,” says the famously... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3096841/singapore-online-fashion-festival-front-row-give-smaller?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3096841/singapore-online-fashion-festival-front-row-give-smaller?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Aug 2020 04:15:13 +0000 When Singapore’s circuit breaker – or partial lockdown – measures began in April, fashion designer Samuel Wong had to face a stark reality. Because of the mandated closure of non-essential businesses, the founder and creative director of apparel label Evenodd realised his business would soon be grinding to a halt. “Everything seemed to freeze in time. My new production line was stuck in the factory, which was also closed. One morning in April, I woke up and asked my mum what I should do now that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3089565/food-meets-fashion-singapore-industry-elite-sell-chilli?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3089565/food-meets-fashion-singapore-industry-elite-sell-chilli?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jun 2020 23:15:07 +0000 Social life in a post-pandemic world, as many have discovered, is dramatically different from life as we knew it. This also means that the way we interact with each other has also changed. “This pandemic has created a lot of ambiguity about how we should behave in general, but especially in terms of physical contact,” says etiquette consultant Astrie Sunindar-Ratner. “Many of the social etiquette norms that ordinarily enable us to create pleasant and rewarding relationships have been taken away... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3089579/masks-and-manners-your-essential-etiquette-tips-polite-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3089579/masks-and-manners-your-essential-etiquette-tips-polite-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jun 2020 04:45:09 +0000 Why did you decide to start OliveAnkara in Singapore? “I was born and raised in Italy, where my parents moved from Nigeria in the early 80s, and my roots played an important role in my upbringing. One aspect that always fascinated me when attending family gatherings was the colourful clothing – I fell in love with African fabrics. After I did my PhD in human molecular genetics, in Italy, I received an offer to continue my career in Singapore in the field of cancer research. But when I tried to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3052418/oliveankara-singapore-brand-fuses-african-prints?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3052418/oliveankara-singapore-brand-fuses-african-prints?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2020 23:30:13 +0000 They’re young, restless and unafraid to speak their minds – meet the members of Youths In Balaclava who, in something of a career coup, debuted their first full-fledged collection at Paris Fashion Week in September. Even before Youths In Balaclava made it to Paris, though, the Singapore-based design collective – whose interests also include art and music – was already making waves in the fashion scene. The 13-member group had first been noticed by industry insiders when Britain-based... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3045789/singapore-design-group-shaking-fashion-its-rebel-t-shirts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3045789/singapore-design-group-shaking-fashion-its-rebel-t-shirts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jan 2020 07:00:19 +0000 Michael Tay owns just one smartwatch – the first version of the Apple Watch. But it remains unused in its original packaging, the shrink wrap still intact. “It's embarrassing to say but it's still in the box. I kind of figured I would experiment but was never motivated to unwrap it,” confesses the group managing director of Singapore-based luxury watch retail group The Hour Glass. “I think in time to come this could be kind of an interesting collectible.” It is possibly the most modestly priced... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3044369/why-e-commerce-isnt-threat-luxury-watch-stores-hour-glass?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3044369/why-e-commerce-isnt-threat-luxury-watch-stores-hour-glass?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jan 2020 10:00:05 +0000 Last month saw the Netflix release of Singapore Social. The show follows a cast of semi-famous 20- and 30-somethings in Singapore, including pop singer Tabitha Nauser, burlesque performer Sukki Singapora and fashion influencer Mae Tan, as they attend parties and imbibe fancy drinks at swanky bars. Together with the other three co-leads – actor-host Paul Foster, blockchain entrepreneur Nicole Ong and YouTuber Vinny Sharp – they flit around their Crazy Rich Asians-esque social spheres. Local... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3040010/singapore-social-netflix-bad-its-critics-say-or-are-haters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3040010/singapore-social-netflix-bad-its-critics-say-or-are-haters?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Dec 2019 10:00:10 +0000 In Singapore, foods such as chilli crab and durian are an indelible part of the local culture. So how better for a Singapore-based fashion label to mark its 10th anniversary than by plastering these foods over dresses, skirts and hoodies? “It is our first time creating our own digital print, so I wanted something that can resonate with me as a Singaporean and a designer. What can be more iconic than food?” says Afton Chen, head designer and co-founder of label Reckless Ericka. “I chose to start... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3038224/durians-and-chilli-crabs-singapore-fashion-designer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3038224/durians-and-chilli-crabs-singapore-fashion-designer?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Nov 2019 00:15:09 +0000 An “Olga” event, as those who have had the good fortune to attend one – or a dozen – will know, is always a cut above the rest. The go-to event planner for luxury brands and top organisations, Singapore-based Olga Iserlis is the woman behind many of the city state’s most meticulously planned and extravagant events. They range from the annual Singapore Repertory Theatre balls, which are known for their creative themes such as this year’s Game of Thrones gala, to splashy store openings and private... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3035193/how-singapores-go-events-organiser-went-refugee-society?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3035193/how-singapores-go-events-organiser-went-refugee-society?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2019 23:30:06 +0000 In sunny, strait-laced Singapore, Becca D’Bus stands out. The plus-size, 1.85 metre tall drag queen is known for her irrepressible fashion choices, even when she is off duty, and turns heads in muumuus or maxi dresses. She is also outspoken about issues that matter to the LGBTQ community. A supporter of Pink Dot, the annual event in Singapore for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer population, d’Bus – the stage name of 41-year-old Eugene Tan – typically shows up in avant garde... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3032774/singapores-most-outspoken-drag-queen-becca-dbus-fashion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3032774/singapores-most-outspoken-drag-queen-becca-dbus-fashion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Oct 2019 04:35:04 +0000 When Wei Lin and Mijia Zhang, the China-born founders of knitwear label PH5, held their presentation at Singapore Fashion Week in 2015 as a newly launched brand, they were not expecting much. To their surprise, they met Pek Lay Peng, the founder of Singapore-based multi-label boutique SocietyA, who gave them their first big break by placing an order with them. The entrepreneur, who had launched her e-commerce store a year earlier, was on the lookout for distinctive Asian brands with a “unique... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3030093/asian-fashion-labels-championed-singapore-boutique?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3030093/asian-fashion-labels-championed-singapore-boutique?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Sep 2019 07:00:08 +0000 Say the word “bridezilla” and most wedding planners will run in the opposite direction, screaming in horror. But not Lelian Chew, who welcomes such brides-to-be with open arms. “If they are not bridezillas, they won’t come to us,” says Chew, founder of luxury wedding planning company The Wedding Atelier. “I set the expectation that every client will be demanding, or they would not hire us. On a daily basis, these brides get everything that they want, so you can’t tell them that on the biggest... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3025603/crazy-rich-asian-wedding-planner-million-dollar-dresses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3025603/crazy-rich-asian-wedding-planner-million-dollar-dresses?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Sep 2019 00:15:12 +0000 Some of the world’s top caviar brands, including Paris-based Petrossian, sell caviar harvested in China. But they do not label the country of origin on their tins. Singaporean entrepreneur Benjamin Goh, a lifelong lover of the delicacy, is trying to debunk the notion that Chinese caviar can’t compare to caviar from other countries.  Five years ago, he became a partner in a 2,000-acre caviar farm, located in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan. By that time, the sale of caviar from beluga... https://www.scmp.com/food/singaporean-entrepreneurs-trying-put-chinese-caviar-map/article/3018633?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/singaporean-entrepreneurs-trying-put-chinese-caviar-map/article/3018633?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jul 2019 10:52:39 +0000 In a fashion landscape where less is very rarely more, one Singapore label is quietly going against the flow with its take on slow fashion – with a Japanese twist. Clothing label Biro was founded by brothers Kenghow and Kage Chong, who have an almost obsessive love for rare, premium textiles handmade in Japan. Launched in 2013, the brand features a tightly curated collection of Japan-made utilitarian apparel, including denim jeans, shirts, tees and jackets. The pieces may seem all too basic at... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3018395/slow-fashion-singapore-pairs-obsession-hard-find-handmade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3018395/slow-fashion-singapore-pairs-obsession-hard-find-handmade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jul 2019 00:30:14 +0000 More than two decades ago, Benjamin Goh had his first taste of caviar on board a Singapore Airlines flight and was immediately hooked. “I had beluga caviar – a highly prized [caviar from an] endangered species that’s now banned from being imported into the United States. I enjoyed it together with Brut champagne, and its smooth, buttery flavour blew my mind,” the 51-year-old recalls. That first taste encouraged him to develop his palate for so-called “black gold”, the most valuable of which was... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3018198/chinese-caviar-singapore-pair-farming-black-gold-yunnan-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3018198/chinese-caviar-singapore-pair-farming-black-gold-yunnan-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Jul 2019 08:30:09 +0000 Why did you launch your diffusion line, OM? “I had begun thinking of a diffusion line four years ago, when I realised customers were interested in what I wore from Monday to Friday. Even when it was obvious that I wasn’t wearing Ong Shunmugam [her main line], the questions never ceased. For most women, there is a lot of anxiety about what to wear to work or how to present yourself in a professional capacity. OM gets that, but doesn’t suggest you take the easy way out – we believe you can be... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3016003/ong-shunmugams-designer-why-diffusion-line-om?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3016003/ong-shunmugams-designer-why-diffusion-line-om?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jun 2019 03:30:06 +0000 When Anna Belle Francis, at the time an actress and television personality, made the decision to wear the hijab, the head covering many Muslim women wear, there was one thing she was not prepared for – Singapore’s hot climate. “I remember that day vividly. We were invited to [the] Universal Studios [theme park], and boy, what a challenge I faced with the weather,” says Francis, who converted to Islam when she married hip-hop artist Sheikh Haikel. Since then, she has frequently posted selfies to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3012132/cover-girls-five-hijab-wearing-instagram-fashionistas-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3012132/cover-girls-five-hijab-wearing-instagram-fashionistas-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 May 2019 00:45:04 +0000 Forget about Netflix or ordering in Deliveroo for dinner at home – or at least save them for a quiet weekday night. With a number of striking new clubs opening around the region, including Marquee in Singapore, Ce La Vi in Taipei and Shanghai, as well as a new branch of Zouk in Malaysia, there’s more fun to be had painting the town red. Besides offering appearances from some of the biggest DJs from around the world, this new generation of superclubs are also pulling out all the stops to keep... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3007624/five-hottest-new-nightclubs-asia-partying-all-summer-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3007624/five-hottest-new-nightclubs-asia-partying-all-summer-long?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Apr 2019 10:00:08 +0000 Ravi Thakran discovered South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster the good old-fashioned way – through the grapevine. “My attraction came not because I knew the brand or its figures but because I was told there was this brand at Incheon Airport that was so popular it was restricting travellers from not buying more than two pieces per boarding pass,” he says. The next time he visited Seoul, Thakran – who is the chairman and managing partner of L Catterton Asia (the private equity firm formed... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3006237/lvmh-boss-has-faith-asian-brands-are-offering-world-its?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3006237/lvmh-boss-has-faith-asian-brands-are-offering-world-its?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Apr 2019 23:45:05 +0000 These days, carrying fashion accessories made of exotic animal skin seems to have fallen a little out of favour. While bags and shoes made of crocodile leather or snakeskin were once viewed as “ultra luxury” items, a greater awareness of ethical and sustainable sourcing of materials for fashion items has led to an increased scrutiny on high-end brands that make such items. Last year, Chanel became the first luxury fashion marque in the world to stop using exotic skins, including crocodile,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3002429/chanel-victoria-beckham-topshop-have-all-banned-exotic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3002429/chanel-victoria-beckham-topshop-have-all-banned-exotic?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Mar 2019 07:00:11 +0000