FEARLESS

THE MOST MODERN OF LUXURY ESSENTIALS – TO PARAPHRASE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY’S MOST POWERFUL FEMALE OF 2023, TAYLOR SWIFT – NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE. WHAT THIS ALSO MEANS: THERE IS NO WRONG WAY TO WEAR THEM.

Good Vibes Only

While Some Might Be Into Doom Scrolling And Generally Project Pessimism Or Satirise About The Ways Of The World, The Seven Gen Zers Here Paint A Noticeably Different Pov On Their Social Media Accounts. They Tend To Document Their Interests, Hobbies And Every Day With Both Authenticity And An Infectious Zeal: Their Grwm Moments; The Time They Spend With Their Friends And Family (Parents And Grandparents Included); And, For Two Of Them, Even Their Medical Missions Overseas And Travels Around Singapore To Sketch Passers-by – Essentially, Heart-warming, Aw-inducing Stuff That Brims With Wholesomeness. But What Gets Them Going And How Do They Really Feel About The World?

fuelled by happy thoughts

A GROWING COTERIE OF ARTISTS AND RETAILERS HERE ARE SPECIALISING IN FUN, DESIGN-DRIVEN ACCESSORIES AND KNICK-KNACKS THAT SOME MIGHT CONSIDER NON-ESSENTIAL OR EVEN FRIVOLOUS. THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THESE PRODUCTS? TO INJECT SOME SUNSHINE AND PUT A SMILE ON ONE'S FACE. KENG YANG SHUEN EXPLORES THE NEW CREATIVE MOVEMENT OF SPARKING JOY.

la dolce vita

YOU'VE GOT TO BE NOURISHED TO FLOURISH. TOGETHER WITH FENDI, FEMALE SERVES UP THE ITALIAN LUXURY LABEL'S LATEST SIGNATURE BAGS THAT ENRICH ONE'S DAY-TO-DAY LIFE WITH THEIR SOPHISTICATION, FUNCTIONALITY AND PLAYFUL LITTLE TWISTS THAT LEND PLENTY OF FLAVOUR.

To Greater Heights

If There's One Person Who Can Teach Women A Thing Or Two About The Life Skills Needed In Their Climb Towards The Top, It's 33-year-old Nepali Mountaineer And Rolex Testimonee Dawa Yangzum Sherpa.

CAREER FILE: MUSICIAN KIN LEONN

AUTEUR ANTHONY CHEN'S LATEST FEATURE THE BREAKING ICE DEBUTED TO WARM ACCLAIM AT THIS YEAR'S CANNES FILM FESTIVAL. A TENDER STORY ABOUT THREE YOUNG ADULTS AND THEIR BLOSSOMING RELATIONSHIPS, THE FILM IS SET IN THE ICY LANDSCAPES OF CHINA'S NORTHEASTERN COUNTRYSIDE AND ITS CAST AND CREW ARE PREDOMINANTLY CHINESE SAVE FOR ONE CONNECTION THAT'S CLOSER TO HOME: KIN LEONN. THE YOUNG SINGAPORE AMBIENT ARTIST WAS BEHIND THE MOVIE'S DREAMY SCORE, MARKING HIS DEBUT AS A FEATURE FILM COMPOSER. AHEAD OF THE SHOW'S RELEASE IN CINEMAS HERE THIS MONTH, HE TELLS KENG YANG SHUEN ABOUT HOW HE LANDED THIS GIG, AND WHY THE ACT OF MAKING WILL ALWAYS BE MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM THAN THAT OF MAKING IT.

CAREER FILE: MOD NICOLE LIEW

TO GET A SINGLE MODEL TO FRONT THE COVER AS WELL AS EVERY FASHION EDITORIAL OF AN ISSUE THAT CELEBRATES PASSIONATE AND DRIVEN NEXT-GEN CREATIVES FOCUSED ON RAISING THE BAR FOR THEMSELVES AS WELL AS THEIR INDUSTRY OF CHOICE COULD EITHER BE A VERY GOOD OR VERY BAD IDEA. WITH NICOLE LIEW BEING THAT MAIN CHARACTER, WE'D LIKE TO THINK THAT THE RESULTS LEAN TOWARDS THE FORMER. AHEAD OF THIS MONTH'S SPRING SUMMER 2024 FASHION WEEK SEASON, WHERE SHE AGAIN HOPES TO MAKE SINGAPORE PROUD ON THE INTERNATIONAL RUNWAYS, THE HARD-WORKING AND EFFORTLESSLY POISED 25-YEAR-OLD REMINDS US OF HOW BEAUTY IS ONLY ONE PART OF THE EQUATION TO A MODEL'S SUCCESS.

BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT

BRITISH DESIGN WUNDERKIND DANIEL LEE'S APPOINTMENT AS THE MAN TO BRING BURBERRY FORWARD AS A LUXURY FASHION AND ACCESSORIES HOUSE HAS BEEN CALLED A MUCH-AWAITED HOMECOMING. DURING A RECENT PRESENTATION OF HIS DEBUT COLLECTION IN HONG KONG, IMRAN JALAL DISCOVERS HOW HIS MODE OF WORKING AND CELEBRATING THE BRAND'S HERITAGE IS REFRESHINGLY PRIMED FOR THE TIMES.

CAREER FILE: ARTISTE YUNG RMA

IN THE FIVE YEARS THAT HE HAS BEEN IN THE HI-HOP BUSINESS YUNG RAJA (REAL NAME: RAJID AHAMED) HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF SLAY-BUT HE'S JUST GETTING STARTED SAYS THE 27-YEAR-OLD. TOGETHER WITH RIMOWA, FEMALE KITS HIM OUT WITH THE PERSONAL THE GERMAN LUXURY LUGGAGE MAKER'S GROOVED CROSSBODY BAG THA AS SLICK AND ONE-OF-A-KEND AS THE RAPPER HIMSELF AND FINDS OUT MORE ABOUT HIS PERSONAL DEFINITION OR AND JOURN Y TOWARDS SUCCESS.

Made With Love

For A Young Emerging Fashion Designer Trying To Make It, Especially In Resourcescarce Singapore, A Sense Of Community Can Be Everything And Make All The Difference. Just Ask Josh Tirados - The Philippines-born, Singapore-based 25-year-old Who Debuted His Label Tirados Three Months Ago To Much Industry Acclaim And Wants To Continue Building It On Kinship And Collaboration.

A New Dawn

It Was A Headline Seen Around The World. Last December, Chanel's Metiers D'art Spectacle Staged In Dakar, Senegal, Made The French Maison The First European Luxury House To Hold A Fashion Show In Sub-saharan Africa. Don't Mistake It For Yet Another Flashy Destination Show Though: The Brand Is Determined To Build An Enduring Relationship With Senegal's Culture And Artistic Community. Keng Yang Shuen Breaks Down How It's Doing Just That Through The Collection And More.

The Big Picture

A First-of-its-kind Sub-line From Coach, Coachtopia Could Just Be Gen Z's Idea Of Fashion Haven Not Only With Its Bright And Feel-good, Nostalgia-inflected Aesthetic, But Also Because It Can Be Said To Be One Of Luxury Fashion's Most Concerted Efforts At Going Circular. Keng Yang Shuen Breaks Down How It's Doing So Ahead Of Its Launch In Singapore This Month.

How They See Us

The Dior Photography And Visual Arts Award For Young Talents An Initiative By Dior Beauty In Partnership With Celebrated Arts Centre Luma_arles And Photography School Ecole Nationale Superieure De La Photographie Returns For Its Sixth Edition. Its Aim: To Discover And Spotlight Emerging Image Makers Who Are Primarily Students And Alumni Of Arts And Photography Schools Around The World. Here, Three Members From This Year's Jury Share With Keng Yang Shuen Their Thoughts On The Next Generation Of Image Makers And How They Are Keeping The Industry Hopeful.

Smells Like Queen Spirit

In 2001, Chanel Debuted Coco Mademoiselle, An Ambery Fragrance Meant To Embody The Young Version Of The Maison's Founder: Unconventional With Its Blend Of Citrus And Patchouli, And At Once Playful, Sensual And Unmistakably Confident. This Year, This Signature Scent Continues To Scintillate With The 20-year-old Actress Whitney Peak Cast As Its New Face. Here In An Exclusive Series Of Interviews With Chanel's Head Of Global Creative Resources For Fragrance And Beauty As Well As Fine Jewelry And Watches Thomas Du Pré De Saint Maur; The Brand's Nose Olivier Polge; And The Gen-z Starlet We Find Out What It Means To Keep The Essence Of Individuality Fresh.

Going Places

Since Its Founding 125 Years Ago, Rimowa Has Carved Out A Niche As A Luxury Luggage Maker With Serious Cool Cachet, Complete With A Rep For Being A Collaboration-heavy Hub Of Creativity. That's The Big Takeaway From The Label's Seit 1898 ("Since 1898" In German) Retrospective That Kicked Off In Tokyo Last Month And Will Wrap In The Brand's Birth City Of Cologne Next Spring. During The Opening Of The Travelling Showcase, Imran Jalal Sat Down With The Company's Senior Vice-president Of Product And Marketing Emelie De Vitis - The Brains Behind Rimowa's Hyper-modern Campaigns And Tie-ups Who Played A Key Role In The Conceptualisation Of The Exhibition To Ask Where This Forward-thinking House Is Headed Next.

The Bold One

The House Of Hermes Has Always Moved To Its Own Whimsy. Take Its Latest Fragrance, Un Jardin A Cythere, Which Is Part Of The Cult Parfums-jardins Collection. Conceptualised With The Theme Of "Astonishment" In Mind (It's The Big Idea Behind Everything That The Brand Creates This Year), This Delightfully Wild Scent Combines Notes Of Fresh Pistachios, Olive Trees And Sun-toasted Grass To Evoke In-house Perfumer Christine Nagel's Memories Of The Greek Island Kythira. During A Recent Visit To Singapore, The Soulful And Good-humoured Nose Tells Keng Yang Shuen About Its Unusual Beginnings And More Unexpected Ways In Which The French Maison Dreams Up Fragrances.

The Stars Aligned

Bringing Together Irreverent Zodiac Elements And A Beachside-perfect Wardrobe, Fendi's Astrology Capsule Launched For The Summer Season This Year Balances Fun, Functionality And Craftsmanship For A Collector-worthy Line-up That Some Might Call Utterly Divine. In Partnership With The Italian Label, Female Pairs Up With Singapore Artist Jaeyyelle A Popular Collaborator In The Graphic Design Scene Here For Her Chic And Whimsical Drawings Το Spotlight Its Universe Of Bags, And How Each Style Spells "Dream Vacay" In Spirit.

Designing For Every Day And Beyond

Industry Guru Pann Lim On The State Of Graphic Design Today And What Is To Begin With.

Ready For Take-off

As An Icon Of British Elegance With A Heritage In Adventure (Founder Thomas Burberry Started By Designing Outdoor Attire And Invented The Weather Proof Gabardine Fabric, After All), Burberry Can Be Counted On For Designs That Are Equal Parts Bold And Practical Take The Bags From Its Summer 2023 Collection. Signature Everyday-friendly Styles That Turn Heads Thanks To A Clever Play On House Motifs. With The Help Of Graphic Designer Natasha Hassan A Name To Watch For Her Vivid, Indie-cool Visuals With A Surreal Touch Female And The Label Show You How They Can Take You Just About Anywhere.

KIDS SUPER

MEET THE FUTURE OF SINGAPORE'S GRAPHIC DESIGN SCENE: EIGHT EMERGING NAMES ALL AGED BELOW 30 WHO ARE BREAKING FREE FROM THE INDUSTRY'S CONVENTIONS IN THEIR OWN IDIOSYNCRATIC WAYS. KENG YANG SHUEN TELLS YOU WHY YOU SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION.

PRINTED MATTERS

Make a mark with these summer season motifs.

CRAFT WORK

MUCH OF NIGHTLIFE PROMO MIGHT HAVE GONE DIGITAL, BUT THAT HAS NOT KILLED THE ART OF THE PARTY POSTER. NICHOLAS SEE PULLS IN A PREVIEW OF THE DESIGN COLLATERALS FOR SOME OF THE COOLEST ELECTRONIC MUSIC EVENTS COMING UP ON THE LOCAL CULTURAL CALENDAR.

ON A ROLL

THE PARISIAN HOUSE OF LONGCHAMP HAS BEEN ON A COLLABORATION-HEAVY STREAK IN RECENT YEARS, AND ITS LATEST TIE-UP MIGHT JUST BE ITS MOST VISUALLY AUDACIOUS TO DATE: A CAPSULE OF LE PLIAGE TOTES AND TRAVEL ACCESSORIES SPORTING IMAGERY BY THE BRAZENLY IRREVERENT, POP CULTURE-INFLUENCED ART PUBLICATION/AGENCY TOILETPAPER. AHEAD OF ITS LAUNCH DATE ON JULY 18, HERE'S A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW THE COLLECTION CELEBRATES THE FRENCH LABEL'S HERITAGE IN THE WITTIEST OF WAYS.

A Place Of Beauty

About an hour's drive from the coastal town of Biarritz, where Gabrielle Chanel first opened her couture house in 1915, lies the village of Gaujacq. Here, thousands of camellias - the blooms from which active ingredients are extracted for Chanel's beauty products, including its vitalising N°1 de Chanel skincare line blossom each year during winter. At the height of the harvest season earlier this year, Imran Jalal headed to this magical land to meet its guardians and find out why growing Coco Chanel's favourite flower is a true labour of love.

Defenders Of A Lost Art

On the left is independent writer Xingyun Shen, one of the most prominent young sustainability advocates here whose biggest shtick is encouraging people to get more wear out of their wardrobes. On the right is artist/designer Konanliz Chu, a 27-year-old who moved here from China last year to pursue her master's degree and has not been actively shopping since 2020. Now aren't they also some of the most fashion-forward individuals around? Here, they share with Keng Yang Shuen about how they shop less, buy better and do more for the earth, all while keeping their love for fashion lit.

When You Wish Upon A Star

The restaurant Kausmo has been a small but bright gem in Singapore's fine dining scene, celebrating what most would deem "ugly" (read: oddly shaped or overripe and thus often-shunned) produce, and pro-local and sustainable practices.

Past, Present, Future

Trusted as a classic and associated with legends, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust is a reminder that greatness often begins by making every day count. Here, get acquainted with what makes it one of the most dependable watches around.

the simpler life

Pas Ditching the big city for more rustic pastures that allow for a slower, more intentional way of living might sound like the stuff of Disney+ movies. For the individuals featured here though, it has become not only a reality, but also a calling that sees them parlaying their mindfulness mantras into unique lifestyle experiences that others can also get a taste of. From a photographer who built her own abode from scratch in a Yunnan village to a pair of reformed club kids who've found serenity and community in Koh Phangan, Keng Yang Shuen discovers more about their expedition happiness.

Best Coast

LUXURIOUS SAINT-TROPEZ GETS REIMAGINED THROUGH HEDI SLIMANE'S INDIE ROCK VISION AND HAS NEVER LOOKED COOLER. ENTER CELINE'S SUMMER 23 COLLECTION WHICH REVIVES THE GRUNGE-MADEEFFORTLESSLY-GLAMOROUS STYLE HE POPULARISED IN THE 2000S. THEN, GET ACQUAINTED WITH THE CELINE PLEIN SOLEIL COLLECTION AND ITS POOLSIDE-PERFECT LOUNGEWEAR INSPIRED BY THE TOWN'S BEACH CULTURE IN THE 1960S AND '70S. HERE, LET FEMALE AND THE MAISON LEAD YOU TOWARDS THE SUN

Red Hot

The colour has always had a special place in the heart of chanel, established as one of its most emblematic hues (alongside black, white, beige and gold) since gabrielle chanel invented her first lipstick in her own bespoke shade nearly 100 years ago. Now, the maison has dedicated a makeup collection to it, extending it beyond lippies for an electric effect that brings to mind the beauty of bowie