No Small Talk
If you have been a keen observer of this publication, you may have noticed key changes in our cover and feature stories. One of the most significant ones is our annual Society List which used to be a stand-alone magazine. This morphed into the A list, then to Asia’s Most Influential List. Whatever it was called, it remained a chronicle of the who’s who in the country—from the landed rich to shipping owners, big property developers and those born to wealth and name.
Much has changed in the last 15 years since we first started the list, and along with the magazine, it has come to represent who we are today. We wanted to capture the zeitgeist and the most relevant, whether they are billionaires or molecular biologists. The 100 individuals on our list this year have made the most measurable impact in the country in the last two years through their business, achievements and commitment to social, cultural and economic change. The complete Asia’s Most Influential list will be up on our website this month.
One of the individuals who made this year’s list is our cover lady, Marissa “Small” Laude. She has become an internet sensation and has made her every Saturday drop an anticipated event. I have seen this woman’s trajectory—from wife to Philip, mother to four teenagers and sister to Alice (Eduardo)—morph into the star that she is today as well as her development as a person. I have witnessed how fans scream out her name or want to take photos with her—and they come from every stratum of society. During the pandemic and beyond, her Youtube vlog has made everyone laugh and cry and has captivated millions of viewers and followers. She has become everyone’s happy pill.
For this cover story, we flew to Singapore, with Tiffany & Co hosting us since they were only opening this month in Greenbelt 3. Small’s photos were taken in Studio 2000 and the National Botanical Gardens. I marvelled at her energy and joie de vivre during the pictorial and realised why people love her: she stays true to her authentic self.
We at the Tatler are so proud of her! And love the fact that at this point in her life, she has managed to reinvent herself and become what she is supposed to be, a star!
Elsewhere in this issue, don’t forget to read our exclusive features: Rolex Mentor and Arts, for which Stephanie Zubiri flew to New York to interview the likes of Lin Manuel Miranda and Spike Lee on their mentorship programme. We welcome Eliza Romualdez-Valtos to our magazine as she writes on the National Museum restoration, preservation and volunteer programme and find out who the eight restaurants around Asia are, whose purposes are not only to serve excellent food but help the environment as well.
Catch you next month as we welcome the Yuletide season, with our theme Celebration and Heroes. See you then!