SINGAPORE’S MOST STYLISH WOMEN 2013
Confidence, style and marvellous wardrobes are but three of the things these stylish women possess, as Ng Yi Lian discovers.
Confidence, style and marvellous wardrobes are once again on our watchlist
YVETTE KING
T V presenter
FASHION OBSESSION: Shoes! I sometimes hide my new ones under the bed, especially if I’ve bought en masse and will slowly bring them out in a staggered manner. That way, I can safely say without lying when questioned on another pair of heels, “Oh these old things? I’ve had them for ages!” GO-TO BRANDS: Balenciaga, Aijek, Topshop and Asos. SHOPPING HAUNTS: Haji Lane in Singapore, Oxford Street and Paddington market in Sydney, Central in Hong Kong and Chatuchak market in Bangkok. FAVOURITE ACCESSORY: I’m kind of obsessed with my new Karl Lagerfeld for Melissa Ice Cream rubber heels. STYLE INSPIRATION: Women who give me style envy and carry themselves with unapologetic yet unintimidating confidence. Their well-dressed, unique look inspires me to rethink my wardrobe.
Yvette wears silk and wool dress, Dior. Leather sandals, her own
LYNETTE ONG
Jeweller y designer/owner of Edge of Ember
FAVOURITE DESIGNERS: Jason Wu for his sleek aesthetic with great attention to details and ability to mix textures and colours— I especially love his spring/summer 2013 pieces that combine leather and lace. Also, Dion Lee for his modern, timeless collections with a strong sense of fluidity.
SHOPPING HAUNTS: I go to Outnet, Shopbop, Barneys and Intermix for online shopping, and in Singapore, I like independent multi-label boutiques such as Nana & Bird and Willow & Huxley.
FAVOURITE ACCESSORY: My Edge of Ember crystal-spike earrings. It’s simple and edgy and I can wear it with a casual outfit.
STYLE INSPIRATION: Someone who is quietly confident and has a simple understated style that complements her and does not overwhelm. She should also be someone who doesn’t try too hard with colours and brands.
Lynette wears silk and wool Tuxedo jumpsuit, Lanvin. Snakeskin heels, Louis Vuitton. Metal Edge of Ember bangles and rings, her own
JAMIE IRENA R AYER KEET
Property investor
GO-TO BRANDS: Acne, Alexander Wang, Balmain, Lanvin, Stella McCartney and 3.1 Phillip Lim.
SHOPPING HAUNTS: Net-a-porter.com and matchesfashion.com. I also like scouring Italian flea markets, scavenging for discounted artefacts in New York and Hong Kong and patting myself on the back for having bagged designer staples at tear-jerking prices from fashion outlets.
FAVOURITE PURCHASE: A spectacular vintage gold Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche necklace from the ’80s. After a riveting class on fashion history at the Istituto Marangoni in Milan last year, I was cursing at the long line at a frozen yoghurt shop in the Brera district when something winked at me from under a huge umbrella. I made a beeline for it, picked it up and coiled it around my neck even before negotiating the price. Not my best haggling effort.
STYLE ICON: If I may plagiarise the late Isabelle Blow, “My icon is anyone who gives a bloody effort.” Too true.
Jamie wears silk jersey Khoon Hooi dress; leather Balmain boots; accessories, her own
APSARA OSWAL
Founder of Mythology
SIGNATURE STYLE: Experimental chic.
SHOPPING HAUNTS: Underground local designers who can be found at Orchard Central, Haji Lane, Parco and Mythology. Internationally, my favourite place to shop is in and around Soho, New York.
FAVOURITE DESIGNER: I have been an admirer of Haider Ackermann’s designs for a very long time. I love how he makes edgy so wearable and sophisticated.
BEST PURCHASE: The Prada leather trolley suitcase I bought last year. It’s the perfect size for carry-on luggage and remains classy and chic looking despite all the abuse.
IDEA OF BEAUTY: A person’s essence and spirit are the genesis of beauty and that is displayed through his or her mannerism and by the level of emotional intelligence.
Apsara wears silk jersey Sisley dress; metal and rhinestone body armour, her own
LISA CROSSWHITE
Founder and Managing Director of Gnossem.com
GO-TO BRANDS: Calvin Klein, Shanghai Tang, Kai-aakmann and Alynne Lavigne.
SIGNATURE STYLE: I gravitate towards fashion that is strong and quite complex while giving the appearance of clean and simple lines. I like embellishments and interesting prints sometimes, but the overall look must feel uncluttered.
FAVOURITE ACCESSORY: My Mauboussin citrine and diamond ring, which was gifted to me by my best friend on our first anniversary. It brings back memories of how we spent that beautiful day. We started with a champagne brunch at the Ritz, got a bit trashed and staggered home to watch the ending of There will be
Blood with that incredible Brahms violin concerto. He then pulled out this ring that I had been eyeing for a while.
BEST PURCHASE: My American Apparel waisted black “leather-look” skinny pants. It has this insane ability to match with everything and gives a sexy edginess. It’s such an outfit asset that I have had to deliberately exclude them from my luggage during my past few trips to force myself to be more creative.
FAVOURITE DESIGNERS: Olivier Rousteing and Stephane Rolland. I recently met Rolland and was just blown away with his stunningly elegant femme fatale creations. There’s this sense of purity, strength and mystery in his designs. I’ve always been a fan of Balmain and am thrilled at Rousteing’s direction at the label.
Lisa wears wool Giorgio Armani top; accessories, her own. Wool skirt, Balenciaga
CHARINA WIDJAJA
Project director of Digital Fashion Week
SHOPPING HAUNTS: Locally, I like Wisma Atria and Club 21 and online, Asos.
GO-TO BRANDS: Mary Katrantzou and Singaporean designers and brands such as Thomas Wee, In Good Company, Mae Pang, Al & Alicia and L’ile aux Ashby.
BEST PURCHASE: A printed dress by Holly Fulton when I was in London. I love the print and the cut is superb and most importantly, it fits my body to a T.
STYLE MUSES: Mature women who do not let their age govern how well they dress and how they carry themselves and are stylish regardless.
FAVOURITE DESIGNER: Zen Chi who is the opening designer for Digital Fashion Week Singapore 2013. His designs are simple yet elegant.
Charina wears silk Zen Chi dress; stretch band and metal Zen Chi belt; other accessories; leather pumps, her own
ELSA KURNIAWAN
Co-founder of Katiana
GO-TO BRANDS: Rick Owens, Victoria Beckham and Helmut Lang. I absolutely love Rick Owens’ and Victoria Beckham’s dresses. They have precise tailoring and use excellent materials. Sacai is another brand that I’ve been collecting for the past few years. The pieces are unique and have so much character.
FAVOURITE ACCESSORY: My Patek Philippe World Time watch that my father gave me a few years back. It’s my very first Patek Philippe and I love it because my father has a matching one.
SARTORIAL RULE: “Fit is the most important part to looking well and know what works and doesn’t for your body.”
BEST PURCHASES: Going all out in New York, buying all of the 140cm cashmere scarves available at Hermès.
IDEA OF BEAUTY: Confidence and inner happiness—if you are happy and confident, it shows and that makes you much more beautiful.
WARDROBE STAPLES: T-shirts from various brands, from Commes des Garçons to Topshop.
Elsa wears wool Haider Ackermann dress; custom yellow gold and diamond ear piece; other accessories, her own
SIGRID TEIG
Corporate Risk Manager
GO-TO BRANDS: Giorgio Armani is my fail-proof work wear— I love his jackets. By Malene Birger and Hugo Boss are also great for my North European body type.
SHOPPING HAUNTS: I shop more when I go back home to Oslo as European brands are cheaper there. In Singapore, Inhabit is a favourite and so is Net-a-Porter.
FAVOURITE DESIGNER: Alexander McQueen for his amazing couture creations, which are more art than fashion.
FAVOURITE ACCESSORY: A yellow gold Saga ring my father gave to my mother when they were still married. It’s a replica of a ring that was found in a Viking burial mound in Norway. Sigrid is a very old traditional Scandinavian name that was often used during the Viking age.
BEST PURCHASE: My Azzedine Alaïa crocodile handbag. It’s absolutely timeless and has only gotten nicer with age. Sigrid wears embroidered silk jacket, Balmain at TriBeca. Silk top; leather pants, her own. Leather sandals, Raoul