Ming Ho- Tang

Hong Kong

She’s just flown in from a truffle-hunting trip in Italy and is about to head off to some bucket-list destinations, including Brazil and Bora Bora. So what is Ming Ho-tang looking forward to most? “Six days in Antarctica where there’s no Wi-fi so no one can reach me.”

That should be no surprise. A player in the finance industry, having worked at HSBC Private Equity Management, Ming is now the director of corporate development at Li & Fung—a role she executes with aplomb in 5-inch Christian Louboutin stilettos, no less—and her phone is constantly abuzz.

Given that her wardrobe spans three rooms of her home and she boasts a range of covetable collectibles, from rare Judith Leiber clutches to a Chanel handbag signed by Karl Lagerfeld, it’s surprising she didn’t consider a career in fashion. “I’ve always been the logical, mathematical type,” Ming explains. “My undergraduate degree was in industrial engineering from Stanford University. I never thought I was good at styling. I doubt I’d be good at dressing someone else. I just wear what makes me feel good. I’d rather do the fun part and consume fashion than work in it anyway.”

It must help that fashion runs in her veins, thanks to her parents, Silvana and Stanley Ho Sau-nan, who ran businesses in the garment industry and have also instilled an appreciation of philanthropy in their daughter. Ming can often be snapped in a gorgeous gown in pink or white (her favourite colours) at events supporting the Hong Kong Ballet and Asia Art Archive, among others, and intends to become more actively involved in good causes in the future.

“I hope to give back more not just with financial sponsorship but with my time once I step down from work, but I still want to keep a low profile. I feel you have more control that way.” Be it in fashion, work or philanthropy, Ming does things on her own terms.

She’s one of Singapore’s top doctors, a skincare specialist and a CEO. And if that weren’t enough to make Georgia Lee a cover star in her hometown, her bold fashion sense certainly is. “I’m very open to quirky silhouettes. At the moment I like Mcqueen a lot, and also Prada and The Row by the Olsen twins. M y clothes might be wild but I’m very organised in my wardrobe. Everything is categorised according to colour and length, and in alphabetical order.”

While medical professionals are some of the most admir ed people in society, they are not generally known for their fashion sense, something Georgia w ants to change. “I’m a conformist in terms of the medical pr actice, but never about how I carry myself. I think what’s important is in the essence of a person, ” she says. “We shouldn’t expect doctors to dress in a certain w ay. I always tell my young patients: ‘ Don’t be afraid to be different, and let your work speak for itself.’”

Her top tips for working women wanting to look good? “A great stylist can help open your eyes to new styles and bolder looks that you might never have previously considered and help you see yourself in a new light. Don’t play safe. Let someone disrupt your fashion normality—you might be pleasantly surprised.”

Georgia is also a self - confessed sneaker addict. “My collection is getting bigger and bigger, I’m totally obsessed. I’ve been buying a l ot of Virgil Abloh’s Off-white collection. I like difficult- to- acquire pieces. If it’s too easy, I’m not interested!”

Dian Lee has perfected the knack of looking like a teenager despite being a mother of three and a successful businesswoman. Known for her fashion sense, ambition, happy family and dedication to yoga and meditation, Dian has achieved more in her three decades than most people do in a lifetime. But don’t think all that success has gone to her head, as she’s also delightfully modest.

“When Tatler asked me out for lunch and gave me the letter about the award, I was like, ‘Did you guys print the name wrong? Because I’m really not a fashion icon.’” We beg to differ, Dian. Her simple, well-cut clothes, which are often accessorised with a good scarf or beautiful pair of earrings, bring to mind some of the best-dressed women of Paris or Milan.

“I think my style is pretty chic and relaxed,” she says. “I love white and gold, and my staples are pretty simple: sunglasses, Uniqlo jeans and white Dior shirts, which I often steal from my husband.”

But while she may be known for her relaxed, pared-back aesthetic, life as one of Malaysia’s top property developers and restaurateurs— while also a mother of three children under 12—must be more than a little manic. “Yoga saved me,” she says. “What started out as the cure for a little back pain on holiday in Bali has changed the way I see the world. I meditate and practise mindfulness daily, because I just want to be at peace.”

There’s high-achieving and then there’s Lucy Torres- Gomez. Once an actress, she gave up the silver screen for a career in frontline politics. Today she is hugely influential, working as a representative for the district of Leyte, fighting for women’s rights and campaigning for one of the Philippines’ ruling political parties.

“It was a big shift from showbiz to public service,” she says. “There are bad parts of it, yes. But they’re not as bad as the downside of showbiz, and the flip side is wonderful. You can lead a very purposeful life if you use your network properly. In the end, I’m all about legacy. If I were to define my life as a public servant, I would say that I’m driven by the desire to leave behind something better than what I found.”

Lucy is also making her mark as a private citizen with her latest community project, Truest Society, which creates jobs for local women in her hometown by engaging them in designing and producing luxurious travel bags and accessories, with the profits going to various women’s charities.

Outside her work, there is still time for plenty of razzle-dazzle in her life. Lucy has been married to actor Richard Gomez for 20 years and they have a teenage daughter, Juliana. “I’d loved him since I was 12 years old, long before I ever met him,” she says. “We started dating in August one year and were engaged by December—when you know, you know.”

What about her style inspiration? “I like neutral colours, feminine accents, but nothing too frou-frou. I think dressing up is one of those things that you don’t want to worry about. If I were to give a fashion tip, I’d say find shoes that don’t cut you. I like Repetto and Salvatore Ferragamo’s reissued Varina line of flats. And when it comes to designers, I like Dior and Carolina Herrera. I loved the work of the late Filipino designer Joe Salazar; with him, I never had to worry about the colour or the cut.”

A fashionista and foodie, Sirisopa Chulasewok headed the Christian Dior brand in Thailand for years. But in the past decade she has diversified away from French luxury and towards Thai food, running the Nara group of restaurants and the multi-label fashion boutique Beige. So how does she dress for days filled with everything from food tastings to high-end fashion shows? “During the daytime, I like jeans and sneakers as I’m in such a rush trying to get everything done,” she says. “But I dress up more for dinners. I love Zimmermann at the moment. I’m also a fan of Thai designer Polpat Asavaprapha and his label Asava. He’s a good friend and his looks fit my frame and my personality.”

Like any fashion insider worth her expensive high heels, Sirisopa knows exactly which styles and silhouettes work for her figure. “Generally, I like solid colours and very few prints. I favour A-line skirts as I think they flatter my shape, and I also like skinny jeans paired with a statement jacket. And one of my all-time favourite pieces is a Chanel skirt, which I wear with a Chanel tuxedo jacket—it’s a classic look which feels timeless.” Sirisopa says she inherited her sense of style from her elegant mother. “When I was a little girl I used to love watching my mother get dressed up. From her shoes and accessories to the way she pinned her hair—she always looked so immaculate and chic. There were no big brands in Bangkok back in those days so all her clothes were handmade. I remember going to the couturier with her—feeling the fabrics, examining the beautiful buttons. It was where my love affair with fashion began.”

Looking to the future, the philanthropic entrepreneur has some inspiring plans. These include opening a restaurant in London, building a Buddhist temple or two and improving the Thai education system. She’d better get a few new pairs of sneakers if she wants to fit all that in.