The Experiential issue is not intended to be ironic in light of the global pandemic of COVID-19. Instead, it is supposed to be poignant. With many people around the world being advised to stay at home, we are experiencing a loss of freedom to a certain degree — minuscule when compared to communities whose freedom and rights are constantly jeopardised, and at risk of being marginalised. 

During this unprecedented time, the human race is evolving and engaged in deep-seated, difficult conversations. On page 13, a list of the world’s largest luxury conglomerates rallying to aid frontline healthcare professionals — reconfiguring their factories to provide the world with what it really needs at the moment. 

Thus, it begins the discussion of the breakneck speed that the fashion industry has been churning collections. However, it is important to note that the fashion industry had always been aware of this issue and have been actively takings steps to remedy it. One such house is Ermenegildo Zegna and in this issue, three industry stalwarts — Colin Chen, Desmond Shen and Nicholas Ng — shares their sustainability outlook alongside the Italian luxury maison’s #USETHEEXISTING (page 36). 

In reducing collections, it is also to encourage consumers to buy better. Finally, consumers have a chance to take the time to understand and appreciate the work behind their products — echoed in the exclusive interview with Dior Men’s Kim Jones on page 14. 

Other than the above, we have also been forced to approach our routines differently and to dream bigger. Discover on page 48 how the team has executed a fantastical fashion spread in a time where we are restricted to work within our homes. 

Therefore, the Experiential issue is meant for readers to be exposed to the world’s beauty. Contributors Ng Aik-Phong (page 34), Pauline Ng (page 35) and also cover star, Wang Ta Lu (page 40) bear positive messages and share their life experiences on how challenges shape us to be better individuals.

The most exacting definition for “Loud and Proud” is fleshed out by contributor ArChan Chan on page 42 – being able to speak up on what one thinks is meaningful and impactful while being self-confident and appreciative of one’s flaws and positives. 

The Men’s Folio team set out to explore this theme because our April issues were – and still are – traditionally dedicated to accessories. Menswear accessories have transcended practicality to become the flashiest items men don. They have been promoted to integral components of an outfit, rather than optional items.

While the outlook of accessories has been refocused, many of the season’s best accessories still retain their practical purpose, as seen in fashion stylist and writer Manfred Lu’s accessories spread that highlights their inspiration from everyday occurrence (page 28) and his very first full fashion spread about a man obsessed with bags (page 58).

As the Men’s Folio team explored the theme, It morphed into a conversation about being aware of one’s self-identity. Cover star, Jasper Liu, epitomises the quality by unabashedly sharing insights to his journey to becoming one of the most demanded actors in the region (page 48).
 
Footwear brand Clarks purports to be the first company to invent desert boots in 1950. Men’s Folio joins in its 70th anniversary celebrations with a group of talented men – Gentle Bones, Alyph, and Axel Brizzy – on page 44 to explore what it means to hone a craft to perfection.
 
The Loud and Proud Issue is dropping on newsstands in the most trying period of the last decade with many nations closing their borders in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Men’s Folio hope to bring readers entertainment and optimism in this gloom – a reminder that everyone’s essence is worthy of being recognised, loudly and proudly. 

With the success of the March ’19 issue, this Big Blast Issue sees the return of the upsized Men’s Folio magazine to present all the team has to share in its full glory. The season’s best trends to don (page 36), novel ways to wear watches (page 52), and new scents that smell as handsome as they look (page 126) are meant to inspire one to blast through the gloom. 

As always, the good-looking men found in this issue are presented in poster size for fans to tear off and admire. Leading the pack is cover star, Desmond Tan, who shares his journey as a leading man (page 64). Representing our sunny shores are the inspiring tales of three men at the head of their empires, who share their secrets to being trailblazers (page 60). 

Readers would have realised that Men’s Folio has begun to tell, more avidly, the Singapore story together with gentlemen from the business front alongside creative renegades this year. As Men’s Folio continues to share the extraordinary story of Asian men, the team thought it would be more complete to add chapters from various walks of life. 

Perhaps the global epidemic will teach the world to stop living their lives through their screens and go out to experience life in person instead. Nothing will beat the experience of seeing that pair of Gucci Tennis sneakers in a showcase at the brand’s boutique, trying it on, and having a full-on realisation of its beauty.

This is the purpose of a print magazine – inspiring readers to strut out into the real world and experience what the editorial team has relayed from their first-hand experience – which this Big Blast Issue has proven. We hope.

Life is no bed of roses, but we do not have to choose the path of despondency; there is still so much beauty to admire along the journey.  

Start appreciating beauty with the Big Blast Issue.

"What is love?” This is the perennial question on everyone’s mind since the dawn of human history. While many philosophers had offered various profound answers, love is an extremely difficult concept to grasp – look at the world’s current state of unrest. 

Hence, the Men’s Folio team decided to work on the theme of Modern Love for the start of the new year – offering the varied facets of love for your consideration. There is the popular concept of deep affection and intimacy between two people, and contributors Yah-Leng Yu and Jason Song weighed in on their respective journeys to find their better halves on pages 42 and 43 respectively.

Yu’s husband, Arthur Chin, also graces this issue with a league of extraordinary gentlemen – Fahmy and Sanjeev – to share about their exemplary manners of spreading love on page 44. 

With the Men’s Folio DNA of exalting Asian talents, love expressed through passions is an inescapable topic. Cover star, Dharni is the epitome of overflowing love in this sense, and digital editor Bryan Goh brings to life his passion on page 54. Associate watch and features editor Asaph Low explores the difficulty of sustaining love in unsympathetic circumstances with the winners of Designer of the Year and Male Model Search 2019 on page 48. On the contrary, Louis Vuitton’s nose, Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud shares what it is like to thrive with unbridled love on page 102. 

Bearing in mind RuPaul’s famous words – “if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else” – the Men’s Folio team also explores self-indulgence as a way of Modern Love. Naturally, as a local men’s fashion title, we have self-love covered in the material sense — from the best accessories to shop (page 26) and the best looks to don (page 64) to the best way to look flawless (page 100).

This has been a great year for Men’s Folio – we sold out all 36,000 copies in circulation for our 200th Issue in March , got embroiled in a national conversation, and mens-folio.com has edged out our “competition”.

We have prepared a comprehensive guide to revel in after all the mad blessings one has received this marvellous year – editorial assistant Jordan Liow wants you to wind down at party resorts around the world, digital editor Bryan Goh eggs you on to chug the top spirits, and Men’s Folio editors are urging you to reward yourself with the best things money can buy with the No Returns Guaranteed gift guide. In addition, newly minted winners of Models of the Year 2019 joined in the festivities by showing us how they party hard in the glossies.

Concurrently, we are crossing into 2020 with a special feature on new Korean pop idol Lim Young-min of AB6IX. In a time when everyone thinks they have “seen one, seen them all”, he has something to say.  Watch and features editor Asaph Low advises on starting the year right with some “starter watches” that will sync with the resolutions one has set in the coming year.

The best is yet to come – goodbye 2019, we will be smashing 2020!

Traditionally, the November issues have always been travel-themed to prepare readers for the upcoming holiday seasons. Still, I reasoned that today’s men do not only travel during a designated period – they embark on a voyage whenever. Championing men’s fashion and Asian talents are the names of the Men’s Folio game, and naturally, we possess the flair to be able to stay in business for 22 years. It is only natural that we dedicate an issue about the art in all that Men’s Folio is known for, so readers can have a deeper appreciation of the luxury lifestyle. This is the simple truth behind Men’s Folio’s inaugural Art Issue.

Where were you when you were 22? Many people think that adulthood starts at 21, but truth be told, that is when one is mostly acclimatising to the new-found freedom and the realisation of the legal implications in every action he makes. Then at 22, he will get his act together and blaze a path to a glorious future. 
This October, Men’s Folio turns 22, and we remain Singapore’s oldest (and only) men’s fashion title. The anniversary issue celebrates a new “first” for the brand – a double cover run of Korean heartthrob Nam Joo Hyuk (page 74). Commemorating the joyous occasion, there is a bumper fashion spread of accessories (page 18) to inform readers about the top accessories this Fall/Winter while the six Model of the Year finalists join in the doubles celebration by facing off in this season’s top trends (page 84) – reminding all that Men’s Folio is the go-to for the best men’s fashion in Singapore. 
Men’s Folio will be holding a “doubles” celebration at the Riverhouse on 22 October. The event promises to be double the fun with an all-out attendance of Men’s Folio style influencers who have graced the pages in the past years. Good things come in pairs, and where would Men’s Folio be if there were no Asian talents for us to shout out about? 
As Men’s Folio turns 22, it is also time for the brand to get its act together. There have been too many reformulations in the past 21 years, and with several competing titles dropping out of the race, it proves that Men’s Folio’s steadfast stance on extolling international luxury men’s fashion, worn on the backs of Asian talents, is the winning formula. This is the DNA that our founders have set for us to a bright future ahead, especially on an international front where Asian talents have gained significant prominence. 
Men’s Folio is not following the trend; Men’s Folio had set the trend – 22 years ago. Onwards to more glorious years ahead. Happy 22nd birthday, Men’s Folio!

The biggest fixation for this Breakout Issue is questioning what the metrics for success are. A quote from one of the cover stars of our previous issue, Ayden Sng, serves as a great starting point for this topic – “People are starting to realise that the industry doesn’t have to be this way. People are doing things differently now.”

Editor-in-Chief, Wilson Lim explores the balance of possessing the core proficiencies before progressing to next better heights and breaking out on page 76. Cover star, Jam Hsiao, seems to agree as he shares on page 80 that talent is a basic requirement, and having the X factor is the extra punch that facilitates a breakout. Further to that, editorial assistant Daniel Li sets the record straight for the definition of talent on page 81, which is not to be confused with “doing things differently”.

As a brand whose core DNA is extolling Asian talents, Men’s Folio takes a lot of pride in guarding the sanctum of talented men who appear in our pages. We have always insisted that beyond the handsome faces, our style influencers need to possess real talents to inspire and influence. This month, fashion stylist Sapphire Chin catches up with busker-turned-recording-singer Gavin Teo and rapper Axel Brizzy on page 78, as they share their journey of breaking out in the local music industry.  

Besides the above, Men’s Folio also takes pride in being our city-state’s first men’s fashion magazine. We continue that ethos with 88 pages worth of fashion-focused articles in this September ‘19 issue. 

We have been doing this for 22 years. Over the course, Men’s Folio had several “breakout” moments, but that was to serve the changing needs of our readers; it does get challenging serving two generations of markedly different readers. At every breakout juncture (or revamp, as we call it), we synthesise what works and what will work – it goes to show that breaking out is not just one moment, but a continuous journey for ensuing success.

Benjamin Kheng is the guest editor of Men's Folio second instalment of the Heroes Issue. Sharing the common goal with Men’s Folio in pushing the local agenda, it was only befitting that Kheng is this issue’s guest editor. Like a breath of fresh air, he delivers with the tightly curated details that he placed on every piece of work he did for the humble title – from engineering the roundtable discussion of the cover stars, Nathan Hartono, Alexander Yue, Joel Choo & Ayden Sng with creative veteran Gurmit Singh (which can be seen on YouTube and IGTV) to providing the editorial direction for the team to work on. Editor-in-chief Wilson Lim's grooming opinion piece about men and makeup on page 106 is Kheng’s take on toxic masculinity. He even contributed an original think piece on page 48, which proves that he is indeed the leader he deserves to be, disregarding political correctness to focus on being the most correct he thinks he needs to be. There is so much exciting content in this issue from Kheng’s and Hartono’s role-play of rock heroes (page 42) to the unveiling of the finalists of the second edition of our Model of the Year (page 68). The Men's Folio team want Singaporeans to be extremely proud of the talents Singapore has and hope this issue inspires you to make similar grand propositions for Singapore’s (creative) future as well.

The summer holiday is a relatively foreign concept in perpetually sunny Singapore, where the mid-year period is more affectionately known as the “June holidays”. Many Singaporeans enjoy travelling during these “summer breaks” but revisiting familiar vacation spots may leave us more restless than rested. Embark on a new adventure with editorial assistant Nico Lim as he proposes a new list of summer destinations on page 100.

That is right, the Men’s Folio team took on a different perspective for this Hot Summer Issue – aka the “June Holidays” edition. For instance, editor-in-chief Wilson Lim approached the fashion spread in the spirit of tranquillity (page 62), as opposed to the usual high-octane sexiness surrounding the season, where our idea of a holiday is to be away from all the city buzz. 

On the other hand, fashion stylist and writer Sapphire Chin snapped the holiday dreamers back to reality by putting together a practical wardrobe for men who decide to stay in the city without missing out on the vacation vibes (page 24). Deputy editor Yong Wei Jian also steered away from typical sporty watches for the season and turned the spotlight on timepieces that are built for larger-than-life adventures (page 30).

Naturally, the hottest subject for our summer issue is our cover star, SF9’s Ro Woon, who, beyond his 1.92m towering presence, has a burning thirst for greater heights in his career (page 52). His assured combination of charm, groove, and vocal prowess proves to be irresistible. The other natural for the sizzling season is cocktails, and editorial assistant Daniel Li came up with a list of local bars to check out this summer (page 102).

It is going to be a different summer, and everyone’s ideal is to discover a fresh fleeting love for the season. Hopefully, this Hot Summer Issue gets you in the mood.

Men’s Folio May ’19, with “Dynamic” as its theme, is the first attempt at dedicating an issue to boys’ toys. How does a men’s fashion title approach this? A potential pitfall is to project into a future based on technological advancements; technology is the future, after all.
But with that, we would further paint fashion as a dream that is unattainable by the masses, even though technological advancements have been used to democratise the industry. Features and watch editor, Yong Wei Jian echoes this sentiment with his exploration of “fashion tech” on page 48 because some of these advancements are unfathomable and unnecessary for the everyday people.
Lest we forget, we are living in the technologically advanced reality right now. Editor-in-chief, Wilson Lim worked with eight currently available tech gadgets for this issue’s fashion spread (on page 62) while fashion stylist and writer, Sapphire Chin explored current technological advances in fabrics and manufacturing in Pre-Fall ‘19 fashion on page 28. 
There has been so much criticism about screen addiction, but the biggest worry is that human-to-human connections and interactions are suffering despite us being more “connected” on social media. Cover star, Shane Pow shares about screen addiction and the consequent human-to-human disconnections but is conflicted when it comes to the convenient interactions he has with his fans (page 52).  
Despite “staying woke” to the consequences, we continue rolling down the slippery slope just because we can. Contributing writer Valerie Wong questions the necessity of fitting vintage cars with electric engines given the rise of electric vehicles in recent years (page 49) while digital writer Jocelyn Tan explores dining experiences enhanced by technology such as holographic projections on food (page 106). 
Live in the now, let this issue of Men’s Folio show you the technological world as it passes you by, and revel in all the goodness with which that we have been blessed.

After celebrating 200 issues of unwavering fashion reporting last month, Men’s Folio is diving straight into addressing the elephant in the room – fashion being practical. More than ever, “utility” and “function” have become buzzwords in the fashion industry. This gives rise to the “normcore” and “athleisure” trends, which in the previous decade and before were deeply frowned upon by the fashion industry as lazy and uninspiring. 

Features and watch editor Yong Wei Jian weighs in on fashion’s obsession with being practical and how it could be limiting creativity (page 52). On the other hand, contributing writer Valerie Wong wants us to consider that perhaps the flip side of beauty is not ugliness but the innate desire to remain practical (page 53).

Fashion shows have bigger budgets than before, but is the fantasy still alive? This is where practicality comes to play. More money is spent on spreading the news to every corner of the world – bigger venues to accommodate as many fashion influencers as possible and all that expensive technology involved in live-streaming.

To be fair, fashion is a business after all. Many times, we lose sight of our beliefs as we get too caught up with the rat race. It is never too late to steer out of the fog and to be smart about it. This is why fashion has seen many collaborations of late to steer it back towards its original narrative of being an artistic commentary on society. In this issue, stylist/writer Sapphire Chin perfectly showcased the power of collaborations in the accessories trend report on page 32. 

Balance is so important in life; too much of one thing and things start getting ugly quickly. At Men’s Folio, where fashion is business, we never forget that we are fashion fans first and fashion insiders second, so we pride ourselves in providing the best mix of the popular with the finest. This continues to be one of the biggest reasons behind the continued success of Men’s Folio.

How does it feel to hold something big in your hands? Perhaps this rhetoric is best applied to life’s guilty pleasures – big spoonful of ice-cream and big d…oughnut – but in general, who would not want more out of life? 

This is Men’s Folio 200th issue, and we want to remain one of life’s guilty pleasures. Therefore, we decided to produce a large-format commemorative book so our readers will never forget the joy of physically flipping through one of life’s best escapes. 

Beyond being aspirational, Men’s Folio is also a style guide. Every season, the team tirelessly synthesise the season’s best trends into palatable bites (page 34) for men. The points of reference are also rife with the many vibrant photo spreads produced by this humble local team and especially for this BIG Issue; the fashion section contains six spreads!

To celebrate the 200th issue, Men’s Folio cannot get any bigger than having the region’s larger-than-life celebrity grace our cover – leader of the phenomenal K-pop group, GOT7, Im Jae Bum aka JB. Discover some of his biggest secrets on page 68. 

Like JB and the many personalities who have been featured in the past 200 issues, we all have something to say in life. With Men’s Folio, we hope to tell the world that dreams and fantasy, painted through life’s canvasses in fashion strokes, are still relevant in our lives. 

Even though Men’s Folio has had 200 issues to show the world what we can do, we still have 200 and more issues to show the world what we have yet to do and we are not ready to rest on our laurels just yet. 

Like what contributing writer Valerie Wong asked in her article about the parroting mediocrity in the #10YearChallenge on social media  (page 62), “Why could we not think of epic transformation as slower, smaller, or transient?”

So, please take your time and enjoy this BIG 200th Issue. We know it feels great in your hands.

It has been a year since Men’s Folio updated its look to suit the changing needs of an audience who consume bit-sized information and increasingly look for stories with which they can identify. To celebrate this one-year mark, this issue has been designed with three separate covers, each highlighting our brand in a different colour with neon effect (a first for Men’s Folio), so nobody will only cast a customary glance on us. Be sure to collect them all. 
Loyal readers will notice that, in the past year, we have amped up our fashion pages with more spreads, and there are increased collaborations with style influencers to tell their stories together with luxury brands. We do not take the accolade of being the leading men’s fashion title in Singapore lightly. 
We do many things in the name of love, like juice up on aphrodisiacs (page 112) and take our dates to intimate restaurants (page 132) in hopes that the love will flourish. A chat with cover star, Nathan Hartono (page 62) reveals that, in the face of changing realities, old love does not need to give way to new ones. Even though Hartono is releasing a new movie this month, he promises 2019 will be the year he focuses on his old love, music. Like Hartono, even though we have adapted to changing tastes, we have not forgotten our old love of fashion and Asian talents. We are firmly keeping to the commitment of promoting local talents – turn to page 56 for our feature on the Men’s Folio Designer of the Year 2018, Azra Syakirah, and Male Model Search 2018 winner, Mako Chia.  
With all that we have achieved in the past year, the best is yet to come. In fact, Men’s Folio is celebrating our 200th issue next month, and we have planned a surprise for our readers. Hint: the issue’s theme is going to be “BIG”. 
Till the day our local talents stand shoulder-to-shoulder with giants in the international arena, our job will never be done. 

Onward to a new year of adventure!

For this Festive Issue, the Men’s Folio team went big on celebrating the success of 2018 and also the anticipation of 2019. There are no fixed rules to how a celebration should be done and editorial assistant Marcus Li takes us on a journey around the world to see how other people revel in the festivities (page 146). However, a celebration is never complete without good food and some alcohol; both editorial assistants Khoo Yong Hao and Li provide some worthy suggestions on pages 148 and 150 respectively. 
The crowd contributes to a good party as well. An infectious energy around the room will put any Debbie Downer to perpetual rest. Men’s Folio showcases a group of stylish guys on page 76 who can bring any celebration to a fever high. Good-lookers with good vibes, they should be a permanent fixture at every occasion. 
Other than being celebratory, it is also the season of gifting. Contributing writer Valerie Wong reflects on Kodak’s famous tagline, “the gift that keeps on giving” on page 72, to examine our obsession with nostalgia. In capturing our memories, we inevitably want to immortalise and show appreciation for that moment, but on that note, do we want to be forever “trapped”? 
Being grateful is a great virtue to have as it acknowledges what is important and works in our lives to propel us further in the future. Sometimes, that gratitude needs to be outwardly expressed in the forms of words, an experience or a thoughtful physical gift. It could be gifted to others and also to yourself. The team has put together an A to Z gift guide on page 33 to help with two of the above three; the gift of words could really only come straight from the heart.
2018 has been the year Men’s Folio brought attention to stylish Singaporean men, and hopefully 2019 would be the year these men and more to-be-featured men flourish.

Rightly called out by contributor Valerie Wong, on page 56, the hype of wanderlust for the ‘gram is about escapism. Perhaps, all of us are so fixated on the drudgeries of life that running away from our responsibilities seems like the easiest and most convenient option. Therefore, the romanticisation of going on a voyage is widely accepted by the masses. One such romanticisation is idealised by the biker riding his café racer in the countryside, which inspired the accessories spread (page 26) by fashion stylist and writer Sapphire Chin. 
The downside of voyages is often downplayed and outweighed by the upside. Celebrity contributor, Juni Goh, shares his travel experiences (page 54) with his a capella group, MICappella, to give us an insight into some of the perils he faced. While social media has shaped our travel habits, it does not dictate that one’s personal beliefs need to be congruent with the “usual”. Our cover star, Eric Chou, shares his views about this disconnect between social media persona and personal preferences on page 62, from the musical styles he dabbles in to growing up in two contrasting cultures. 
Take the road less travelled; the world is bigger than what #wanderlust on Instagram has to offer. Editorial assistant Marcus Li gives us a heads-up on some recently anointed UNESCO World Heritage sites on page 124. Editorial assistant Khoo Yong Hao also provides a list of fantastical Airbnb offerings around the world (page 128) that lets one get the full experience of cultural immersion. Costly fancy hotels and crowded backpackers hostels are not the only two extreme accommodation options.
Speaking of “usual”, associate art director Jeremy Ang, features and watch editor Yong Wei Jian, and fashion stylist and writer Sapphire Chin collectively took a very different journey for the theme of “voyage” – they travelled through time in a winsome spread on page 44.

In today’s demanding media climate, a homegrown title with regional editions has stayed the course, rigorously shaping men’s fashion in Singapore for 21 years. From the nascent notion of dressing up for men in the 1990s to suiting up in the 2000s and the exuberant menswear scene of the current decade, Men’s Folio has been through it all. 
 For this extra-special Vice issue, we have transformed our usual sections into the seven deadly sins. For instance, fashion stylist and writer, Sapphire Chin, showcases the season’s most lust-worthy accessories in a “battle to the death” photo spread on page 48.
 Being a leader in the local men’s fashion scene for more than two decades, Men’s Folio is ready to unleash its wrath and go beyond the safe and palatable. We have partnered with Ermenegildo Zegna for its “XXX” capsule collection to explore the world of subcultures in rule-abiding Singapore (page 82). Contributor, Valerie Wong also explores the dichotomy between outcasts and fashion insiders in the face of the “unconventional beauty” (page 80). 
 Speaking of fashion, Men’s Folio has been playing an active role in shaping the ideals of menswear in Singapore. What better way to celebrate this landmark occasion than with local cover star, Jon Chua JX, who, likewise, shares how he never imagined being a change-maker in the music industry (page 94).
 The future is definitely bright. With the rising importance of menswear in the international sphere, we have faith in the greater prominence of Men’s Folio not only in Singapore but also worldwide. Artistic director of Ermenegildo Zegna, Alessandro Sartori, affirms this view in our conversation (page 44) when he was in town over the F1 weekend.
 Let us raise a glass and toast to the limitless horizon of Men’s Folio as well as the unventured markets and hidden talents waiting to be unearthed.

Happy 21st birthday Men’s Folio, from your forever fans.

Despite the negative connotations attached to “rogue”; a rogue typically breaks out of the norm while possessing an attractive quality, the word grew on us. That is exactly the ethos of Men’s Folio – striving to elevate men’s fashion in Singapore, yet retaining our accessibility. One will notice that an oddity of the fashion in our book is the occasional appearance of suits because dressing up for a man can be so much more fun than that. The refreshed trends for the new season have been playfully put together on page 42 to prove just that. 

With the democratisation of fashion in the last decade, a dearth of originality has constantly come up as an issue, and it is a challenge for many storied brands to pique the interest of the new generation. Rogue collaborations between high-end brands and street labels have become the new normal, and the purpose of this is questioned on page 76.

One can argue that a rogue is only so because he is wildly passionate about what he believes in, and together with Tissot, we salute a group of individuals dubbed “the unusual suspects” (page 78) who chose to leave their comfort zone to pursue their passions. However, living apart from the herd can often make you feel alone and desperate for someone who understands you. The issue of mental health is addressed on page 74 in the wake of the loss of many fashion luminaries over the past years.

In conclusion, rogues are people too, and they deserve to be loved. Our rogue cover star this month is Derek Chang, whose encounter with a life and death situation (he donated his liver to save his sick father three years ago) sets him apart from the gaggle of boyishly good-looking actors today. Read on to find out why this charming rascal is brimming with positivity in all aspects of his life on page 84, and fall in love with him (and us) will you?

At Men’s Folio, we often get asked, “Who are the male style influencers in Singapore?” With the Heroes Issue, this 21-year-old homegrown brand wants to show Singaporeans, and the world, the talents we have. 
 The preface to the above question is usually “other than Benjamin Kheng and Joseph Schooling.” Natural representations of the Heroes Issue, both stars are still prominently featured here. Kheng took his vibrant energy to Rome to discover the heritage of his close friend, Fendi (page 32) and Schooling demonstrated his appeal when he was announced as an ambassador for the Swiss luxury watchmaker, TAG Heuer (page 50). 
Taking centre stage in this issue is Singapore’s four rising stars: Richie Koh, Yung Raja, Aaron Mossadeg, and Harris Baba (page 72). The boys are already familiar with each other and possess such great chemistry among them on set that we readily suggested that they form a boyband. Their album images have already been produced in this issue! 
The noun “talents” defines more than just a pretty face. In this digital age, there are no ugly faces because beauty is subjective and digital imaging exists. Look up the artistes’ work in the feature story of Singapore’s new creatives (page 66) and be amazed by the level of talent they possess.
For the fashion pages, the Men’s Folio team handpicked the ten finalists for the inaugural Men’s Folio Model of the Year competition amongst the sea of applicants. For a local media title that champions Asian talent, it is only apt that we do so. We called them down and went straight to a casting call-style photo shoot (page 86) wearing the latest Fall/Winter ’18 fashion. 
We hope with this year’s Heroes Issue, one can see that Singaporeans do have a lot to be proud of. We want the world to see Singapore as a leader in fashion with a men’s title worked on by Singaporeans, with Singaporeans, and for Singaporeans. With the Heroes Issue, we hope you will start embarking on this journey with us too.

In our minds, the ideal summer is one that is fleeting. Imagine transient summer romances, frolicking by the beach with not a cloud in the sky, or even stargazing on a balmy night. If these sound more like fantasy than reality, then you are just like us, living in Singapore, the island of perpetual summers. In spite of the constant humidity, let us take you on a flight of fancy with this Hot Summer Issue.

Take a summertime sojourn with contributing writer Rachel Ong, as she puts together a hot list of summer vacation ideas (page 146) that are out of the ordinary. For the less intrepid, fashion stylist and writer Sapphire Chin has you covered with a list of fashion essentials for classic island getaways and beach holidays (page 32). Do I hear the clinking of gin and tonics in your near future?

Here at Men’s Folio, we advocate for a healthy body in any size, but it’s so hard to resist a summer-ready chiselled one. Ong has the answers to all your burning questions, from eating right (page 152) to tips on how to get that six pack (page 156), and no, she does not mean beer. Speaking of abs, features and watch editor Yong Wei Jian airs his views on the veiled narcissism rampant in today’s society, as seen in overexposed torsos and the over-indulgence of clean living (page 74). Are you just beach body ready, or have you become beach body personified?

This idea of a fleeting summer mirrors our experience working with the affable cover star, Seo Kang Jun (page 84). It took weeks of coordination and a flight to Korea at the very last minute to catch him on his one and only day off from capturing the hearts of his legion of fangirls (and boys). By the time this issue hits the stands, I can honestly say that these images are hot off the press!

Even though it felt like our summer flew by, the passion behind this mad rush is what makes this romance so much more intense for us. We hope your next hot summer would be as exceptional as ours.

Editor/fashion director Wilson Lim was looking forward to working on this Cinematic Issue so much so that he was already conceptualising the fashion spread while closing last month’s issue – inspired by clowns since their costumes can sometimes be an exaggeration of what is fashionable (page 82).

The other spread by stylist Belda Chung features leading male archetypes (page 32) in cinema. Dressing the models for these roles, we come to the realisation that we are all suckers for stereotypes.

Speaking of stereotypes, contributing writer Rachel Ong shared her opinions about our unforgiving stance towards artistes in the local entertainment industry (page 58). What is it about our one-track minds that define their success by how popular they are overseas? Cover star, Benjamin Kheng (page 70), seems to have overcome this with his legions of local fans without having to prove his mettle by being a success outside of Singapore first. His charming good looks might be a factor, but it is hard to say no to the undeniable passion that shines through his work.

The same support should be given to the local fashion scene too. As the leading men’s fashion magazine championing Asian talents, we are proud to announce the return of the annual Men’s Folio Designer of the Year. This year, we are upping the ante by introducing a model search to complement the competition. So sign up online at www.mens-folio.com; we hope to showcase many new talents to shake up the Singapore fashion scene.

Instead of doing another retro issue, we are introducing potential new fodder for modern cinema with features and watch editor Yong Wei Jian and associate editor Anis Taufik shining a spotlight on the movers and shakers in the world of cryptocurrencies (page 60).

But for now, savour this issue like a quality movie that stirs and inspires emotions from deep within you. We have the materials, we promise.

Working in fashion, we always get asked what is the latest trend one should be buying into.  Rambling to friends, and sometimes acquaintances, at parties about the most hyped bags and shoes this season is no sweat. But we cannot say all fashion is all encompassing.
The problem with hype is that it is simply just buzz and it may pass. For this Hype issue, the team was challenged to examine the nature of hype – contributing writer Rachel Ong looked into the elevation of Sichuan cuisine, editor/fashion director Wilson explored modern youth culture in a fashion spread, and features/watch editor Yong Wei Jian considered collaborations in the world of watches. At the end of the day, when the winds of change blow through, are we still going to hold on to the inherent values present in the collaboration or ditch that watch for the new Apple Watch?
In life, it is important to see past the bulls***. Many times, people like to dress up mediocre products with distracting, moving stories. But are they well made, innovative, and actually useful? This applies to individuals too, both Yong and Ong cut through the noise on “basic people” and multi-hyphenates to question their worth and merit. Cover star, Josh Kua also shares with us how he breaks out in today’s pop music-dominated scene as a classical violin virtuoso.
The team wore our hearts on our sleeves for this issue, and I hope you will see that fashion is not just bulls***, but also a form of culture.

Welcome to the brand new Men's Folio, isn't it ironic that we did a revamp of Men's Folio with a retro-themed issue? If you think about it, a magazine is technically a "retro" medium.

Before social media, magazines were a rich source of knowledge and entertainment. That is the ethos that we at Men's Folio want to work with - entertaining you. But that has become increasingly difficult with the proliferation of new media. Information is so readily available online, so the role of a magazine as a source of information needs to evolve. We have mens-folio.com to bring you breaking news about fashion, watches, and lifestyle. Therefore, in the print version, we endeavour to pack all these information and exclusive content into palatable in-depth reads with a unique Men's Folio voice. 

The biggest change in our revamp is our logo; we have reverted to one that bears our full name, loud and proud: Men's Folio. We feel that for a storied brand like ours (21 years!), we should not abbreviate our name and drown in the sea of vague acronyms. Men's Folio is a guide to the best in men's fashion, watches, and lifestyle, and we are not ones to shy away from our mission. Living in Singapore, we are so used to seeing historic buildings get a new lease of life that we tend to forget those who have trodden across the creaky wooden floorboards because we cannot even tell if it is that old. Consider the Men's Folio logo our version of the proverbial parquet.

That said, we are not entirely harking back to the golden era of magazine publishing. We are not bringing back the "letters of the month", but we brought back the eye candies in our Features section where distinguished readers share their inspiring stories. 

Nonetheless, we have kept the "wooden floors" and some of the "windows" of this architecture we call Men's Folio, but we have also evolved with the times. We sincerely hope you take the time to savour what you have in your hands just like old times.

Men’s Folio cosies up with The Intimate Issue this February

We kick off the new year with a sense of unbridled closeness in The Intimate Issue. With the inundation of overt affection and sensual provocation in the world today, it is important to discover the quieter pleasures in life. Take our cover personality Keith Foo; the Malaysian actor has been doggedly pursuing professional and personal contentment, and we share in his joys of fatherhood and imminent return to the limelight. In our Features section, Call Me By Your Name’s Armie Hammer waxes about the utopian life portrayed in the show — a fantasy world that flies in the face of instant gratification and full frontal displays; he agrees that the characters would have never fallen in love if they had cell phones. 

Fashion houses and designers, too, are writing personal love letters for Spring/Summer 2018: Anthony Vaccarello revisits the city of Marrakech in remembrance of the late Pierre Bergé (longtime business and romantic partner of Yves Saint Laurent), while Alessandro Sartori returns to his collegiate haunt for Ermenegildo Zegna Couture. Struck by this pensive mood, we confront the notions of masculinity in the most intimate of settings — the bedroom — for our fashion spread; our watch spread, on the other hand, is privy to a man’s private time. The sentimentality continues in the Lifestyle section with local photographer and artist Nguan’s pastel perspective of Singapore, as well as a journey to idyllic Bhutan. 

This issue serves as a quiet moment of introspection for us, a brief respite before we gear up with more inspiring issues, pictorials and stories for the new year, so stay tuned!

It may not seem like it, but there’s plenty to celebrate in 2017. We’ve made it through political doomsaying, MRT collisions and Bieber rekindling with his ex (over his hot pastor, no less) — we definitely deserve to party! ’Tis the season to be jolly after all, falala and all that jazz, so we’re putting on a show with The Celebration Issue. 

For those planning to entertain (it’s the best time of the year to do so), we’ve sussed out the best watering holes in Singapore to tipple your fancy. Whether you’re into Gatsby-esque extravagance or clubby cocktails, these thematic settings will make for memorable shindigs. Dressing up is also part of the revelry; our fashion director elevates your festive game with beaded, embroidered and all-around fun-tastic suits — perfect for parties at the arcade.

What’s a celebration without generous gift-giving? While men might be simple creatures with uncomplicated tastes, it’s a proven fact that not all gifts are created equal when it comes to pleasing them. We spare you the gaffes by decoding the different masculine personas in our lives and gathering a gift-box of goodies for each of them. If all else fails, treat them to the delicious spread of timepieces laid out in our Time section.

Celebration need not always involve maximum indulgence, as demonstrated by our cover star Lee Jae-Yoon. The South Korean heartthrob gained a cult following among K-drama fanatics by playing “second leads”, expressing that he doesn’t mind supporting roles so long as it affects others positively. How admirable! Which is why we’re taking a moment to celebrate the little things in life, like making it another year or being pleasantly surprised by the Justice League movie (ignore the naysaying critics). Let’s not forget that it’s our 20th anniversary this year as well (we’re still here!); we’ve closed the last issue of 2017 with well-wishes from Ermenegildo Zegna’s Alessandro Sartori. Happy holidays!

Men’s Folio jets off with The Travel Issue this November

We deserve some good ol’ rest and recuperation after our raucous 20th anniversary birthday bash, which is why we’re jetting off with The Travel Issue for November. But before our getaway, we spent some time with our cover talent, Chinese model and actor Gu Youming. The Asian Adonis was in town for the grand finals of Manhunt Singapore 2017, and has much to share about male pageantry and keeping in peak physical condition.

Then we’re off! We first head to Hong Kong for Hermes’ Men Upside Down event, where we witnessed a runway extravaganza with surprise guests, explored immersive themed rooms, and had an intimate discourse with Véronique Nichanian, the woman behind faultlessly-dressed men for over 30 years. There are several stopovers in our Trending pages as well: Gucci’s Cruise 2018 revisits it’s Florentine home ground; Moncler’s Fall/Winter Postcards collection “wishes you were here” at the Swiss slopes; and Dolce & Gabbana Sartoria provides Italian tailoring for kings.

The rest of the sections round out our travel itinerary. In Fashion, enjoy the dress-down style of a cool jet-setter or take a quiet break from the city noise; in Time, find the timepieces that accompany bleisure/cruise/eco travellers; and in Grooming is a packing list to achieve that radiant glow when abroad.

Finally, we’d like to congratulate Yong De Han, winner of Men’s Folio Designer of the Year 2017. See what he has to say about the future of menswear in the year 2020, and discover his winning designs.

This October, Men’s Folio celebrates its 20th anniversary with a white hot birthday bash, the results of the fourth annual Men’s Folio Designer Of The Year competition, and a bumper collector’s issue. The milestone affair affirms our position as Singapore’s premier men’s fashion and luxury magazine, and while we toast to the title’s enduring presence in the local fashion scene, we are also fiercely focused on the future.

Anchoring our all-important fashion pages are fresh Chinese faces, Ni Haoran and Evan Fang. The former caught the expert eye of Miuccia Prada and landed a spot as an exclusive model for the house’s Spring/Summer 2018 show — a sure sign of bigger and better things to come. The latter is one of Dolce & Gabbana’s latest leading men and our smouldering cover star for the month. Priding ourselves on our reputation for unearthing and championing local talents, we have also taken the liberty to assemble 20 Singapore-based movers and shakers from a variety of industries — F&B, finance, fitness, modelling, music, and more — to celebrate with us.

Elsewhere, for our Trending, Time and Grooming pages, the team has respectively curated ultimate lists of 20 products to tickle your fancy. And this being our big birthday issue, we had to indulge ourselves in at least one major #throwback moment: 20 notable photographers, regular contributors over the years, pay tribute by sharing their favourite MF moments and images, in one formidable photo spread.

Happy 20th anniversary, Men’s Folio!

Men's Folio is finally just a month away from its milestone 20th anniversary issue. And before the real revelry begins, the ultimate amuse-bouche, The Fall Fashion issue, is being served. This could well be MF's best September issue ever. The line-up includes exclusives with Silvia Venturini Fendi and Tomas Maier, who speaks to Men's Folio not once but twice – about his tuxedo-influenced Fall/Winter 2017 collection, as well as Bottega Veneta’s new Parco Palladiano fragrances. Via a special fashion feature, join Gucci backstage at its first combined show in Milan, as MF dissects Alessandro Michele’s enormously complex botany-themed collection.

Closer to home, Dover Street Market Singapore opened its doors slightly over a month ago, sending street fashion fanatics into a frenzy over its special tie-ups with Gosha Rubchinskiy and Nike, amongst others. While limited edition DSM Singapore T-shirts got completely snapped up in a matter of 20 minutes, the store continues to see exciting product drops. Discover the latest collections of some of DSM’s top collaborators as well as fashion’s most exciting new innovators, like Craig Green and Vetements, in the Features section.   

Wang Chenming is one other rising talent that Men's Folio has tapped for The Fall Fashion Issue. The model, who’s currently one of China’s biggest breakouts, fronts the issue in Ermenegildo Zegna Couture – new age, sporty suits designed by Alessandro Sartori for his debut collection as artistic director of the house. "For Wang’s whirlwind, 24-hour trip to Singapore for our September issue cover exclusive, he turns up the heat in front of our camera at The St Regis Singapore before quietly confessing to having a love-hate relationship with photoshoots and flying," says Editor Ian Lee. 

And as always, because Men's Folio believes that it’s not just clothes that maketh the man, the team has also gathered the most captivating timepieces, accessories and scents to complete the season's hottest looks.

While the nation is primed to celebrate its 52nd birthday this month, the Men’s Folio team has spent the last two gearing up for The National Issue: shooting stunning visuals featuring fetching all-red ensembles as well as fragrance bottles, conceptualising the inspired Ties That Bind watch spread, and executing a fashion special that sees haute looks in the heartlands. Fronting the cover is another veritable Singapore icon: this year’s All-Time Favourite Artiste award winner Elvin Ng, donning Prada’s latest.

“One of our most popular and decorated local actors, Elvin has grown with Men’s Folio over his more than decade-long television career, and was a very natural choice for The National Issue,” says Editor Ian Lee.

Ahead of Men’s Folio’s 20th anniversary festivities coming in October, the August issue also marks the start of the style bible’s fall/winter 2017 coverage. In this month’s Trending section, read up on how Singapore will be one city where you can find K-Pop icon Tae Yang’s hotly anticipated tie-up with Fendi, and the only place in South East Asia to carry Prada’s much talked-about first jewellery collection, Prada Talisman. Art fanatics can look to the Lifestyle section, which features a story on exclusive Yayoi Kusama accessories that are available at The National Gallery Singapore.

Other than indulging in reliable retail therapy, Men’s Folio readers can also get in on all the SG52 excitement by catching some of the films that the magazine has spotlighted this month – Dick Lee and Benjamin Kheng’s local production Wonder Boy, as well as the hotly anticipated Dries Van Noten documentary that will headline A Design Film Festival Singapore 2017.

For the June-July 2017 issue, Men’s Folio tackles Design – the art or process of planning and creating a garment, a building or an object. The team bore in mind some wise words by Raf Simons: that there is an enormous difference between fashion and design, which is more diverse, multi-faceted and “fragmented”.
Aiming to dissect and make sense of design, the team interprets and presents its fundamentals in one of The Design Issue’s features. In another, Men’s Folio explores the show-stopping set-ups that fashion houses created to showcase their Fall/Winter 2017 spectaculars. For the issue’s fashion section, we get inspired by minimalist, industrial interiors for its key spread and examine the store design of Saint Laurent’s new flagship at Tokyo’s Ginza 6 for a Trending story. Finally, for the Lifestyle pages, Men’s Folio presents the best of the famed Beijing 789 Art Zone.      
The months of June and July are also when the commercially-viable pre-fall collections hit stores – and there’s no better time to give readers plenty of ready-to-wear and accessories to have designs on. We even flew to Tokyo to bring you an exclusive on Dior Homme’s latest, streetstyle-skewed collection. 
Gracing the issue’s cover is South Korean supermodel Tae Eun Bang. “Having walked the Bottega Veneta Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter 2017 shows, he was a natural choice to don the house’s Early Fall 2017 collection in our issue’s cover spread, shot in Seoul,” says Editor Ian Lee.

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November 2018

For over 20 years, MEN’S FOLIO has been Singapore's premier men’s magazine providing definitive coverage of fashion, style and culture. The magazine's impactful shoots and features from a stable of award-winning writers makes it a style bible. MEN’S FOLIO reaches an influential and affluent audience. MEN'S FOLIO is the definite platform for all fashion and luxury brands looking at reaching opinion leaders and discerning consumers.

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MEN 'S FOLIO Singapore - May 2020

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