Editor’s Letter
If there’s one issue when Team BAZAAR can wax lyrical about our collective obsession, it’s January, when the new year begs for a synopsis of what our stars (read: horoscopes) have lined up for us in 2019. So, we’ve culled the very best from astrology and astronomy to give you a sartorial smorgasbord of fashion delights to delight the senses from start to end. Read what Gerald Tan has to say about what Leos should be wearing and Taureans should be toting on page 62—it makes for scintillating wardrobe planning.We also have a list of extraordinary women talking about their lives in this issue: Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Kate Moss, Nicole Kidman, Hailey Bieber, Detox and Nicole Warne.The former first lady has the most honest chat with Oprah about her new book, Becoming, which showcases her incredible life in the White House and how she has settled into a new “normality” on page 112.The normally reclusive Kate Moss talks about how she’s learning about beauty blogs and Instagram trends via her 16-year-old daughter, Lila, on page 102.
Hailey Bieber and Nicole Warne, both social media darlings and newly-weds, talk about marriage and children, all the while handling the delicate balance of fame, family and fortune.
Detox, aka Matthew Sanderson, recounts, on page 66, how one blue satin Debakalis gown changed her life forever. Detox certainly changed our perceptions of drag when she came down to perform at our annual NewGen event. She spoke candidly to me about how wonderful she felt performing in normally conservative Singapore, and how happy she was to inspire young designers and our audience of fashion insiders with her brand of entertainment. “People love drag queens, but we’re sometimes pariahs in our own communities.” Hearing what Detox had to say about society’s norms and differences struck a chord with me. It was always hard for me to fit in as an Asian in London, where I spent most of my formative years. Upon my return to Singapore after graduation, I found myself being classified as the proverbial “banana” (an Asian with Western thoughts and ideals). A sense of belonging is perhaps the strongest human need; and, dare I say it, even more apparent for Leos like me who thrive in packs. As destiny would have it, I found my place in the fashion community, and two decades later,
I sit here penning this letter to you. I have learnt that it’s one thing to have your fate written in the stars, and another to chart your own path. My advice? Go forth and conquer
(and don’t forget the four-leaf clover for good luck).