ON THE MAKING OF A MODEL
It was the summer of 1990 and my mother had put me in a finishing school because I was a tomboy. During the graduation ceremony, they made me look pretty and I was very grumpy about it. A lot of people from the modeling agencies were there and the next thing I knew, I was going to Paris.
I was only 16 and my parents let me go only if I could live in the house of the agent. I had never been away from my family before this. I was miserable. Long story short, I cried so much as I couldn’t understand the industry. They wanted me to wear short skirts and tights, and that wasn’t my thing. I hung out a lot at Les Halles, which was one of the roughest areas in Paris.
I wouldn’t say that fashion really set in for me until the early ’90s in New York. I was still trying to go to college then. I was intrigued by the grunge look of that era. It was how I dressed normally, and the music was what I was listening to, so the whole thing was really relatable.
I saw Kate Moss in New York and I thought, “Oh, she’s shorter than I am.” And this was after I had been told that I wasn’t tall enough. So I thought if I plucked off my eyebrows, I would look weird and could work more! That was my first memory of trying to get into fashion: plucking my eyebrows and dressing grungy.
ON BEING A CREATIVE FORCE
Mario Testino once said at a shoot that I looked like actress Romy Schneider, whom I had never heard of. I started to learn about fashion through him and other photographers that I started to work with from 1993 onwards.
This story is from the February 2020 edition of Harper's BAZAAR Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2020 edition of Harper's BAZAAR Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
Managing consultant Corinne Ng's brutalist home is a safe space that showcases her passion for minimalist design and playful art.
TWICE AS NICE
Thai actresses Sarocha \"Freen\" Chankimha and Rebecca \"Becky\" Patricia Armstrong have broken barriers for inclusivity with their onscreen portrayals, leaving global audiences wanting more.
FEELS GOOD. MAN
Feather-light hydrators and sunscreens that pamper and protect, without the weight.
MOST WANTED
The Kelly clasp is one the most distinctive visual codes in the Hermès canon-one of the many reasons why a product from the House never needs any logos to be recognisable.
10s ACROSS THE BOARD!
Ten Lee is stepping into an even bigger spotlight. The K-pop superstar opens up about going solo and growing into his many facets.
HOROSCOPE
TAURUS (21 APR - 21 MAY) Happy birthday, Taurus! This May, your life takes the form of a mandala an intricate shape made from coloured sand that is destroyed after its creation. This doesn't mean that you'll lose everything. In fact, the whole month has the potential to be highly abundant, especially around the 19th, when Venus transits through your sign. Be brave and let go of attachments.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
In its first-ever Bulgari Studio, the Italian Maison brought together the worlds of music, art and design for one electrifying evening in Seoul.
FAMILY JEWELS
From heirloom watches to her bespoke engagement ring, local jeweller Shanya Amarasuriya's spectacular collection is a simple story of family and love.
IMPOSSIBLE IS POSSIBLE
In a marriage of aesthetics and technology, Richard Mille strikes the perfect balance with its RM 07-01 Automatic collection.
HAUTE BIJOUX
The latest and most talked-about collections.