S'pore fashion designer Bobby Chng known for his gender-bending styles

Singaporean fashion designer Bobby Chng, a household name in department stores in the 1980s, died on Sept 3 at the age of 69 from cancer of the bladder.

- Amanda Chai

He died at 8am at his home, a walk-up in Tiong Bahru, surrounded by family members and his live-in helper. The bachelor is survived by an older sister and four younger brothers.

His wake will take place on Sept 4 and 5, his brother Dennis Chng told The Straits Times. The 64-year-old, who worked in the fashion industry alongside Bobby Chng, had moved in with his sibling in end-July to care for him.

It was a quiet morning in comparison with the weeks before, when Bobby Chng was receiving daily visits from family and friends, who flew in from all over the world to see him.

Unknown to many, even some of his closest friends, the veteran had been diagnosed with bladder cancer when he was 26. Over four decades, he kept it under control with medication and yearly chemotherapy, and had kept mum to not worry friends or garner pity.

The cancer progressed to Stage 4 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

His condition deteriorated drastically in recent months, which caused him to be bedridden. After a stroke in June, he was admitted into a hospice, but requested to be discharged to spend his final days at home.

His health continued to fluctuate, and he was put on a morphine drip and daily fentanyl patches.

Yet, his demeanour was always cheerful and his mind active. When The Straits Times last visited him on Aug 8, he was frail but still sprightly.

It was a day before his planned disco-themed "celebration of life" party was to be held at hotel Shangri-La Singapore's ballroom, which eventually got cancelled due to his condition.