Don't Stop Believing

All eyes have been on the man behind the most anticipated debut in fashion this season, but Sabato De Sarno-Gucci's new creative director isn't letting the spotlight get to him. Keng Yang Shuen expounds on why he is the antithesis of this era's celebrity designer - and exactly the kind of figure the industry needs in these times.

IT'S BEEN A LONG BELIEVING

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT TAYLOR SWIFT IS ONE OF THE TOP CELEBRITIES IF NOT THE TOP CELEBRITY ― OF HER GENERATION. SHE WAS TIME'S 2023 PERSON OF THE YEAR AND HER ONGOING THE ERAS TOUR HAS BECOME THE HIGHEST-GROSSING OF ALL TIME. HER TRAJECTORY AND DISCOGRAPHY ARE THE SUBJECTS OF A COURSE AT HARVARD AND IN A WORLD FIRST NEWSPAPERS HAVE TURNED HER INTO A BEAT WITH DEDICATED REPORTERS. THERE'S ALSO LITTLE DOUBT THAT MUCH OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH HER FANS. AS HER CONCERT ROLLS INTO TOWN THIS MONTH, FOUR CREATIVE SWIFTIES TELL US HOW THE AMERICAN IDOL HAS INSPIRED THEM, AND SHAPED THEIR STYLE AND CRAFT.

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN

AMONG THE FIVE LAUREATES OF THE 2023 ROLEX AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE IS INDONESIAN ENTREPRENEUR DENICA RIADINI-FLESCH, WHOSE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE SUKKHACITTA EMPOWERS LOCAL RURAL CRAFTSWOMEN WHILE BRINGING BALANCE BACK TO THE LOCAL FOREST ECOSYSTEM. HERE’S MORE ON THIS NEW STAR ON THE ROLEX LAUREATES NETWORK AND WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR HER.

THE CRAFT

IN ALL HER YEARS AS THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF DIOR, MARIA GRAZIA CHIURI HAS USED HER INFLUENCE AND DESIGNS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE SUPPORT AND REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN.

NEW WORLD PLAZA

ITS SHUTTERS COME DOWN FOR GOOD ON JAN 27, BUT PEACE CENTRE HAS LIVED OUT SOME OF ITS BEST DAYS IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS AS A HAVEN FOR INDEPENDENT CREATIVES AND EVERYDAY ART-GOERS, THANKS TO THE UNCONVENTIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECT KNOWN AS PLAYPAN. IMRAN JALAL MEETS SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE FOUND A HOME, HOPE AND INSPIRATION IN A DOOMED MALL.

A CLASS OF THEIR OWN

IT SURE SEEMS LIKE AN EMPOWERING TIME TO BE STUDYING THE ARTS. THIS AUGUST, THE FIRST GOVERNMENT-BACKED PRIVATE ARTS UNIVERSITY HERE, THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS SINGAPORE, WILL WELCOME ITS INAUGURAL COHORT. ACCORDING TO THE STRAITS TIMES IN A SEPTEMBER 2023 REPORT, OUR COUNTRY WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN ARTS EDUCATION, WHILE THE NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL’S LATEST POPULATION SURVEY ON THE ARTS SHOWED CONSISTENT GROWTH IN INTEREST IN THE SECTOR AND AT LEAST TWO-THIRDS OF SINGAPOREANS RECOGNISING THE BENEFITS OF ARTS AND CULTURE ON THE COMMUNITY. ULTIMATELY THOUGH, PURSUING THE ARTS AS AN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE REMAINS NICHE THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND YOUTH’S SINGAPORE CULTURAL STATISTICS STUDY IN 2022 SHOWED YEAR-ON-YEAR DIPS IN FULL-TIME ENROLMENT IN TERTIARY ARTS COURSES BETWEEN 2016 AND 2021). HERE, SEVEN YOUTHS SHARE THEIR INTENTIONS, ASPIRATIONS AND LESSONS LEARNT IN HAVING EMBARKED ON THIS PATH LESS CHOSEN.

THE RAINBOW CONNECTION

INCLUSIVITY HAS BECOME AN INCREASINGLY HOT TOPIC IN THE ART WORLD, BUT FOR ACCLAIMED BROOKLYN-BASED ARTIST JEFFREY GIBSON, IT HAS DEFINED HIS WHOLE REPERTOIRE. AS A MEMBER OF THE MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS AND OF CHEROKEE DESCENT, HE INTEGRATES ELEMENTS OF NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE (ALONGSIDE INFLUENCES FROM MUSIC, FASHION, AND CLUB AND QUEER CULTURES) INTO HIS KALEIDOSCOPIC, CRAFT-INTENSIVE POP ART-INFLECTED WORKS THAT SPAN PAINTINGS TO SCULPTURES. COUPLED WITH A PROCLIVITY FOR COLLABORATIONS (BE IT WITH CRAFTSMEN, OTHER ARTISTS OR EVEN THE PUBLIC), HE AIMS NOT JUST FOR MINORITY EMPOWERMENT, BUT ALSO FOR ART TO HELP BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY FOR ALL IDENTITIES. ON JAN 4, HIS LATEST PARTNERSHIP HITS TOWN: TWO RENDITIONS OF THE LADY DIOR BAG THAT ARE PART OF THE ANNUAL DIOR LADY ART INITIATIVE BY DIOR AND CARRIED AT THE BRAND'S ION ORCHARD BOUTIQUE. HERE, HE GIVES US AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW ON HOW HIS WORK AND BAGS - BRING TOGETHER MANY.

Now Entering The City Of Angles

Home to Hollywood. The land of the fit and the fab. Sun‑kissed party central. No matter its facet or the era, Los Angeles invokes at once glamour, a playful charm and inspiration quite like no other city in the world.

a new cinema paradiso is here

On November 28, one of the most unprecedented ventures in the local entertainment landscape opened in Cineleisure: Golden Village X The Projector, or GV X TP for short. Besides being mammoth in size (specifically, 41,000 sq ft covering six cinema halls and more), it's monumental in how it's a tie-up between essentially the David and Goliath of cinema. After all, compared to Golden Village - Singapore's largest cinema chain founded in the early 1990s - The Projector remains best known as the independently run, indie film-focused picture house that has captured the heart of the creative community here with not just its programming, but also its resilience and support for the arts. Keng Yang Shuen speaks with its co-founder Karen Tan and general manager Prashant Somosundram on what this new space means for The Projector, cinema-going and possibly Orchard Road.

we could be the next big creative capital

And an anonymous three-month-old collective that goes by the name of Creative Citizens of Singapore is on a mission to make everybody realise that the main thing standing in our way is ourselves. Noelle Loh digs deeper.

it's a bit of a second hand fashion haven

First, the youths here started to dress \"New York\" - their personality-fuelled, sometimes chaotic style referential of eras past because much of what they wear are from another time and had previously been owned by another.

how we spend it

Singaporeans have a reputation for being savvy shoppers and consumers in general are demanding more bang for their buck. Here, a roundup of pieces from the world of fashion and luxury that offer just that with their design, make and novelty factor ‑‑ just in time for the festive season.

winter is here

With more options to ski and snowboard right here in Singapore (shout-out to Trifecta, the hip sports and lifestyle complex that opened on Orchard Road recently), the skiwear collections from the luxury houses have never felt more relevant.

FROM THE VAULT

WITH ITS LATEST \"RE-RECORDING\" OF ITS ICONIC LOVE BRACELET IN A NEW BRUSHED FINISH, CARTIER AGAIN REMINDS OF HOW THIS DISTINCTIVE 1960S-BORN HIT DESIGN IS TRULY TIMELESS. KENG YANG SHUEN OFFERS A CLOSER LOOK AT ITS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

SOMETHING TO GIVE EACH OTHER

CAN TWO DIFFERENT DESIGN GREATS WORK TOGETHER IN HARMONY? THE HOUSE OF FENDI HAS PROVEN IT'S POSSIBLE WITH ALL THE TIMES IT HAS INVITED ANOTHER MAJOR LUXURY NAME TO WORK WITH IT ON A COLLECTION IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO (VERSACE, MARC JACOBS, TIFFANY & CO.). NOW, IT'S MAKING THIS ETHOS OFFICIAL WITH FRIENDS OF FENDI, A SERIES OF PROJECTS THAT CROSSES THE \"PARTY LINES OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY\", STARTING WITH A CAPSULE LINE CREATED WITH FASHION DEMIGOD STEFANO PILATI. CAN YOU ALREADY FEEL THE RUSH?

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.

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.

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: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Glamour! Indie! Rock 'N' Roll!

The pandemic-birthed resuscitation of Indie Chic - or, as the media now puts it, Indie sleaze and its continual ascent on the internet and style charts. The luxury world's embrace of young musical acts such as the leather-suited maneskin and grunge princess Beabadoobee (and, dare we say, a 38-year-old Avril Lavigne). Gen z-ers' obsession with the late Dame Vivienne Westwood. Fashion has always sought stimuli from musical subcultures - the more provocative, the better - but lately, it seems as if we're entering a whole new weirdly nostalgic golden age of dressing like rockstars (go ahead, pick your genre). Boil it down, perhaps to tiktok, where the celebration of individual aesthetics and a hyper-smart algorithm have made discovering and forming a subculture (or the 2.0 version) as easy as a scroll. (at press time, the hashtags #indie and #punk raked in 11.9 billion and 8.1 billion views on the platform, respectively.) of course, many of us could also simply be inspired by the most rockstar generation today: twenty-somethings and under for whom self-expression and creativity are a way of life and, in the wake of the pandemic, are even less afraid of chaos. Ahead, all the fashion houses that are professing their love for rock 'n' roll in one way or another in spring summer 2023