They’re among those who have rejuvenated thrifting and second-hand shopping like no generation before; made TikTok’s far-out aesthetics a mass phenomenon; and see how they dress as an extension of their identities – their favourite brand being that of themselves. So what happens when we task this new era of fashion enthusiasts to put their own spin on Spring Summer 2023 looks? Aged between 19 and 31, 12 individuals show how runway fashion can really be worn.
On her relationship with fashion
“Fashion is a form of my identity – how I like to portray myself… I convey my creativity and art through the way I dress.”
Her personal style now…
“It’s very much inspired by ’90s Japanese fashion – the result of a lot of self-exploration and thrifting… I’m currently in a bit of a style crisis, but I would still consider myself chic.”
… And her personal style before
“Very ‘mini skirt-plus-cropped top’ sort of look – Y2K vibes”
A memorable comment others have made about her current style
“Someone called a midi skirt that I was wearing ‘auntie’.”
Time she takes to put together an outfit
“Anywhere between five minutes and an hour”
Three personal style essentials
“A practical shoulder bag, a dainty necklace & rings”
Places she shops at most
“Taobao for emerging Chinese labels such as Nodress (founded by the Central Saint Martins-trained Luqi Yu and known for its punk princess-lensed interpretations of ’90s Asian street fashion) and Hudiegongzhu (a London and Beijing-based brand heavy on Y2K flash and glamour), as well as vintage and thrift stores”
What she looks out for most when shopping
“Brand values and pricing”
If her wardrobe could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
“A hard choice between Blumarine and Diesel! I adore their runway looks. Their clothes make me feel sexy.”
All-time style icon
“Gabbriette Bechtel (model and frontwoman of the Charli XCX-founded indie pop band Nasty Cherry) for her unconventional style”
One thing she would never wear
“Skinny jeans as the cut is not flattering on my body”
A personal fashion disaster
“Neon-coloured clothes – horrendous!”
A misconception about the way young people in Singapore dress
“That everyone wears hideous slippers or sandals everywhere”
Her thought process putting together her looks for this FEMALE editorial
“The outfits speak for themselves so I focused on the beauty aspect: ’90s-influenced thin brows and funky hair.”
Fashion should be…
“Experimental and fun.”
Lila wears cotton-knit sweater dress, poplin shirt dress and cotton waist pouch, Miu Miu; and her own boots sourced from Taobao
On her relationship with fashion
“I always dress to reflect how I’m feeling that day because I see fashion as a way to express oneself and to articulate one’s interests and personality. After all, the first thing I notice about anyone is their fit.”
Her personal style
“I don’t really know how to describe my taste in fashion. I just go for low-key yet unique pieces. I also change my style so often. Before this phase, I was more into a hip-hop look – chunky shoes and baggy jeans that sagged enough so the band of my colourful boxers could be seen. I really loved it.”
A memorable comment others have made about her current style
“That I look like a bumfly – or someone’s aunt”
The influences that have helped shape her style
“Friends mainly – it’s hard to not be influenced by the people you’re surrounded by. And sometimes the music I’m listening to at that point in time.”
What she loves most about her look
“Most of the pieces I own are either secondhand or have been discontinued so they’re probably rare or difficult to find again.”
Time she takes to put together an outfit
“Between five minutes and half an hour. Sometimes it’s instinctive. Other times I struggle.”
Three personal style essentials
“Eccentric jewellery and anything with subversive proportions or interesting silhouettes”
Places she shops at most
“Recently I’ve only been shopping on Depop because that’s where I’ll always find the most interesting or strange pieces – but it’s low-key hella pricey.”
What she looks out for most when shopping
“It’s always aesthetic and comfort first. I want to be drippy, but the look has also got to be practical. At the end of the day though, drip or drown.”
If her wardrobe could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
“I’m not really into luxury brands, but if I had to choose one I’d say Vivienne Westwood – the weirder, more experimental side of it.”
All-time style icon
“Soulja boy – bro so dripped-out for no reason. Effortless steeze.”
One thing she would never wear
“I personally like contrasting and messing around with colours, and just don’t like all-black fits on me.”
A personal fashion disaster
“Never really had any. I always pull up prepared.”
A misconception about the way young people in Singapore dress
“You’d think kids here would wear clothes suited for the hot weather, but I’ve got friends hanging out in hoodies and multiple layers. Even I do that. I once went out in a sweater, a jacket over it, a beanie and a scarf because I wanted to feel the Christmas spirit.”
Her thought process putting together her look for this FEMALE editorial
“These jeans are my favourite pair of jeans because of its flared cut and bagginess. I thought its proportions would look pretty gas. Contrasted with the bright colours of the sweater and the results? Fire.”
Fashion should be…
“Personalised. People need to stop wearing what’s trending and just wear what they like. I understand it’s hard not to be influenced by others, but there’s a difference between being inspired by someone and copying. Just express yourself more, you know?”
Macky wears cotton sweater and leather loafers, Kenzo, and her own Kikwear jeans and thrifted crossbody bag
On fashion
“Fashion knows no bounds… The only limitation in fashion is fit: Always choose pieces that suit your body type. And no fast fashion, please. If you aren’t able to fork out the money for something, don’t get a cheaper alternative from a fast fashion label because you could be supporting the suffering of abused workers.”
Fashion is a form of self-expression – agree?
“Agree. Fashion usually says a lot about one’s personality and preferences… What I wear on a particular day is also heavily influenced by how I feel and think.”
His personal style now…
“I’ve been dabbling in archival gothic looks as well as biker, military, grunge and punk aesthetics. It all started in 2020 when we were under lockdown and I was going through a mix of mental turmoil and a desire to express my personality physically. I started to nose-dive into the history of metal and its subcultures, looking at outfits of concert goers and archival punk accounts, and got heavily inspired by its icons. Some special mentions include Sid Vicious and the Sex Pistols; the Melvins; fashion labels such as Vivienne Westwood, Ann Demeulemeester, Professor E and Hysteric Glamour; and Fruits magazine.”
… And his personal style before
“A retro ’90s look: mainly polos and sports tees, and anything with Disney characters or colour blocking. And lots of corduroy and overalls”
A memorable comment others have made about her current style
“A tourist once described my style as gladiator.”
Time he takes to put together an outfit
“Usually less than 15 minutes”
Three personal style essentials
“I cannot live without my rings, pouch and some accessory or garment that’s punk-ish or Japanese.”
Places he shops at most
“I’ve been buying a lot from PPFM (or Peyton Place For Men, a denim-forward Japanese brand that dates back to 1985 and can be found on Grailed); Hysteric Glamour and Niko And… (another Japanese label specialising in preppy-casual separates). I love their cuts and design, and the materials they use are interesting yet comfortable. Examples that I own include the linen culottes and balloon pants from Niko And…; a distressed jacket and pair of linen harem pants from PPFM; and the mock neck silk star top from Hysteric Glamour.”
What he looks out for most when shopping
“I do not buy from places that sell brand-new clothes unless they’re produced here… Pieces that are great for layering are a major plus along with those in black, white or earthy tones. I also like to customise my clothes so if there’s a garment that I can cut and change up to create something cool, I will purchase it.”
If his wardrobe could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
“Ann Demeulemeester so I can feel like a gothic-slash-bohemian lord who ruled the 1800s”
All-time style icon
“Sid Vicious – the epitome of punk icons who was dressed by Vivienne Westwood.”
One thing he would never wear
“Joggers – I just don’t like how the cuffs strangle my ankles and make me feel uncomfortable.”
A misconception about the way young people in Singapore dress
“That those who dress up are hipsters or fashion students. Not everyone who does so studies – or studied – fashion”
His thought process putting together his look for this FEMALE editorial
“No thoughts; just mad slay.”
Wilson wears Serge crepe jumpsuit, Hermes, and his own Peyton Place For Men jacket and thrifted Guidi Big Daddy boots
On her relationship with fashion
“I love to experiment with fashion and constantly try to reinvent my look.”
Fashion is a form of self-expression – agree?
“Agree! I quote Marc Jacobs: ‘There are hints about who you are in what you wear.’”
Her personal style now…
“A mix of what’s trending with some minimalism and French-meets-American influences as inspired by Emily In Paris – think bold colours, fun prints and lots of texture… I work in a corporate setting and my co-workers describe my style as ‘quite strange yet something that I can pull off’. For example, I once wore pyjamas inspired by the kaftans makciks (aunties) like to wear at home with chunky earrings and Converse sneakers to the office, and got stares all day.”
… And her personal style before
“Before I got into fashion, I enjoyed dressing up in outfits inspired by K-pop idols and I really sucked at pairing garments and accessories – not a vibe.”
Time she takes to put together an outfit
“35 minutes”
Three personal style essentials
“I have just two: chunky earrings and high-cut Converse – my go-to sneakers”
Places she shops at most
“Zara, Shein, COS and Acne Studios”
What she looks out for most when shopping
“The aesthetic and comfort”
If her wardrobe could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
“Balenciaga. It’s one of my favourite brands and whenever I watch one of its runway shows, I feel so strong and confident.”
All-time style icon
“Bella Hadid, Malaysian influencers/twin sisters Deanna & Deanni and local It girl Mae Tan”
One thing she would never wear
“Anything of the Y2K aesthetic: mini skirts, mini cropped tops, low-rise jeans etc. They make me look too cute and I hate that.”
Her thought process putting together her look for this FEMALE editorial
“Make it runway, cute, chic.”
Fashion should be…
“Fun and comfortable!”
Jenica wears cotton dress, Fendi Peekaboo Cut leather bag and PU platform slides, Fendi; and her own Lovisa earrings
On fashion
“You don’t have to sacrifice looking good because of the weather… Always wear what you want whether or not it’s trendy… And keep fashion accessible, but we as consumers should not over-buy.”
His personal style now
“Grunge, punk, Jesse Pinkman-core (yes, the protagonist in Breaking Bad) and ’90s skater core. Someone once said I look like the peak emocore goth boy of early days Tumblr.”
Time he takes to put together an outfit
“Maximum 30 minutes, but it’s usually more like 10 minutes.”
Places he shops at most
“Anteiku Studios to support my own team (its physical space at Pearl’s Hill Terrace houses not only its own vintage fashion business Shibuigarm, but also other emerging local fashion retailers); my favourite thrift store Honsieponsie (located at Queensway Shopping Centre); the Instagram/Depop-based @dirt_fruit3s (which specialises in casualwear inspired by the now-defunct Japanese street style magazine Fruits); and @flatncurly (a TikTok account selling secondhand clothes).
What he looks out for most when shopping
“The aesthetic, cut and fit, and price”
If his wardrobe could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
“The short-lived yet seminal Seditionaries by Vivienne Westwood (it opened in 1976 and closed in 1980). I’ve always liked Westwood’s ideas and play on punk culture, and I would be overjoyed to be able to wear a piece of history.”
All-time style icon
“The characters in the (Japanese supernatural anime TV series) Bleach – I find them hella cool and unique.”
Fashion should be…
“For you.”
Alvin wears Moncler X JW Anderson cotton cardigan, Moncler; and his own vintage shirt, skirt and trapper hat; thrifted jeans and Harley Davidson boots
On her relationship with fashion
“I grew up in a really frugal household that didn’t see value in fashion so I spent a lot of time observing and daydreaming about fashion from the sidelines. All that envy and yearning really helped to kickstart my obsession with it.”
Fashion is a form of self-expression – agree?
“Absolutely. I see it as an extension of myself and when I make clothes, it becomes a way to leave my mark on the world. As an Aquarius, that’s all I can ask for.”
Her personal style now…
“It’s heavy on historical references, romantic, a little soft and a little suggestive. I’ve been evolving this look since 2020, when I was working on my final-year project as a fashion design student that focused on Victorian mourning garments. I’ve come a long way since, but I’d say that really helped set the tone for my aesthetic now.”
… And her personal style before
“Unfortunately, it was really boring. I couldn’t afford to invest in my wardrobe much before I had started making my own clothes, so my outfits were usually some variation of a graphic, jeans and sneakers.”
Time she takes to put together an outfit
“Thirty minutes max. I usually have a piece that I really want to wear in mind then build my outfit around it.”
Three personal style essentials
“Lacy stockings, high boots and a corset”
Places she shops at most
“Etsy is my go-to for vintage or historical garments; the RealReal for archival fashion and @doomscrolling on Instagram for unique wardrobe staples from indie designers.”
If her wardrobe could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
“Dior when John Galliano was at the helm. I would kill to have a wardrobe full of his genius.”
All-time style icon
“FKA Twigs. I love how she’s managed to extend her artistic vision into her music and image so seamlessly throughout the years to such an unparalleled degree. It’s just so exciting to see how she manages to style the most interesting pieces so chaotically yet cohesively.”
One thing she would never wear
“Crocs. I don’t think they go with my style.”
A misconception about the way young people in Singapore dress
“I don’t know if there’s a misconception. I’ve been seeing more youths experimenting with their clothes and I’m all for it. I love how expressive they are and it’s really refreshing to see how diverse people’s tastes are now.”
Her thought process putting together her look for this FEMALE editorial
“When I laid eyes on the Prada dress, I knew without a doubt that I would like to pair one of my own corset creations with it. Once that was on, the bonnet, underskirt, and Tabis followed naturally. Think widow-chic-meets-Little Bo pPeep.”
Fashion should be…
“Enjoyable.”
Kristel wears Re-Nylon dress, Prada, and her own corset and bonnet, thrifted skirt and Maison Margiela Tabi boots
On their relationship with fashion
JT: “It’s exhausting to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not, so I just wear whatever I like.”
AT: “When I was younger and skateboarding a lot, what I wore stemmed from function. Slowly though, those fashion choices have transitioned into a look that I turn to constantly.”
Fashion is a form of self-expression – agree?
JT: “Of course. Fashion is a form of presentation – whether it’s for others or for yourself.”
Their personal style now…
JT: “It changes according to my mood. One day, I could be in an oversized vintage T-shirt courtesy of my husband’s wardrobe and baggy jeans, and on another day, I’d wear a body-hugging maxi dress with a deep cut-out on the back.”
AT: “Skater with vintage pieces incorporated in”
… And their personal style before
JT: “More reserved and pretty typical.”
AT: “Whatever clothes my parents would dress me in.”
Time they take to put together an outfit
JT: “I hardly plan my outfits unless it’s for a special occasion.”
AT: “Five minutes”
Three personal style essentials
JT: “A cut-out top, baggy pants & chunky sneakers”
AT: “Baggy shorts, slippers and vintage T-shirts”
Places they shop at most
JT: “(The Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts-trained South Korean women’s wear designer) Hyein Seo is my all-time favourite, but I do love a Jacquemus moment. And SSENSE carries the most variety of styles that I like.”
AT: “Vintage stores for sustainability reasons as well as how the wares tend to represent my music tastes, and Balenciaga for its interesting take on my current style.”
What they look out for most when shopping
JT: “The first thing is how the garment will look and feel when worn. For example, I love tops with a lot of cut-outs, but I’m also concerned about whether I’m going to be flashing others or adjusting the piece every minute. And because my body type leans towards pear-shape, I avoid any type of fabric that’s not flattering to it. I also try to steer clear of brands or retailers that exploit child labour or don’t pay their workers fairly. This explains why I tend to shop from more independent designers than big fashion conglomerates. For a great one-stop source on how the clothing industry impacts climate change and society, check out the Instagram account @remakeourworld. We stan our late queen Vivienne Westwood who famously said, ‘Buy less, choose well & do it yourself!’”
AT: “Comfort and silhouette.”
If their wardrobes could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
JT: “I’m gonna say Prada. I think their nylon collection is super durable and high quality. I’m not someone who’s very precious about my belongings so I’d be stoked if I could wear Prada all day every day.”
AT: “Balenciaga. I really enjoy Demna’s vision regardless of how controversial it might be at times.”
All-time style icon
JT: “I’m gonna sound so self-absorbed: My answer is me – though I shall not elaborate further. On a more serious note, I love the style of (Chinese influencer) Feng Fan. She’s always so bold and unafraid to incorporate avant-garde pieces into her looks – 100% stan.”
One thing they would never wear
JT: “Never say never! I’m always evolving and every fashion phase that I’ve gone through has helped shape the person I am today.”
AT: “Nothing. I’d try anything.”
A misconception about the way young people in Singapore dress
AT: “That all they’re thinking about is showing off how much wealth they have.”
Their thought process putting together their looks for this FEMALE editorial
JT: “I was thinking about what would look good with the Miu Miu top and I thought I ate (Gen Z slang for doing a good job).”
AT: “Comfort, relatability, personality”
Fashion should be…
JT: “Free from the chokehold of capitalism”
AT: “For everyone”
Julian wears cotton top, Miu Miu; and her own Rui Zhou top from L’amoire, Nodress skirt from Ssense, assorted jewellery, brand-less stockings and Balenciaga sneakers. Abel wears cotton-blend jacket, Prada; mesh top, Tory Burch; and his own Levi’s jeans and Balenciaga boots
On his relationship with fashion
“I’ve always been very adventurous with my wardrobe. I’ve a tendency to get bored of things easily so you’ll see me trying new styles and silhouettes all the time.”
Fashion is a form of self-expression – agree?
“Agree… Clothes are the easiest way to portray how you really feel as a person.”
His personal style now…
“I’m always trying different styles and adapting things that I resonate with from each fashion experiment so I’d say my style has got a touch of everything with an element of androgyny and grunge always. In recent years, I’ve been influenced most by my desire to go against the gender binary and to help represent a community that does not feel like it fits the standards of how a male-identifying person should look and dress.”
… And his personal style before
“I had a minimalist phase for a while. It was mostly black, white and navy clothes with boxy silhouettes.”
A memorable comment others have made about his style
“Older folks always say I look ‘artsy-fartsy’ and these days I often get called ‘ma’am’ from service staff and I find that fun!”
On how his profession and lifestyle influence his style
“My work is usually labour-intensive and I run a lot of errands on a daily basis so I tend to go for breathable fabrics on work days. When I’m at raves though, I really go all out.”
Time he takes to put together an outfit
“Some outfits are planned a day or two in advance, but most of the time, I simply choose a piece of clothing and work around that and can be dressed in as quick as 15 minutes.”
Three personal style essentials
“Earrings that jingle when I move; women’s clothing – either a top or bottom, and sometimes both – and bravery”
Places he shops at most
“Thrift shops, my friends’ closets and basically anywhere that makes me feel represented”
What he looks out for most when shopping
“I tend to go for aesthetics over comfort and buy things that make me feel great. If it happens to be comfortable, that’s a bonus.”
If his wardrobe could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
“If I was only allowed to wear one brand, I’d feel restricted.”
A personal fashion disaster.
“There was a period of time when I bleached my brows. Before that, I never knew that brows could grow so fast so much so that I had to bleach them weekly. One time, I mixed the formula wrong and burnt my skin, and ended up having scars on my face for a while.”
A misconception about the way young people in Singapore dress
“People tend to think that I’m much younger than I really am, making for an interesting view of how young people and their style.”
His thought process putting together his look for this FEMALE editorial
“What colours and patterns would go well with the clothes assigned to me?”
Fashion should be…
“Liberating”
Bryan wears cotton shirt and tank top, Hermes; and his own Phoebe Pendergast headwear and skirt, Fassbender & Mellon Collie pants, Feyfey Worldwide bag and boots, and assorted jewellery
On her relationship with fashion
“I wouldn’t say I’m super stylish or know a lot about fashion, but it’s an interest. And I love it when other design disciplines such as architecture are integrated into clothes, resulting in a kind of anti-fashion.”
Fashion is a form of self-expression – agree?
“I’m not a fan of the term ‘self-expression’ because it makes it seem like I’m dressing to exhibit myself when I’m really dressing for myself.”
Her personal style
“I’ve absolutely no idea where my style lands, but there’s always a techwear piece in every ensemble that I’ve got on… Since studying interior architecture, techwear and avant garde brands that focus on structural and experimental silhouettes stay on my radar. I also get a lot of inspiration from all creative aspects of futuristic or dystopian films – from the wardrobe to the set design.”
Time she takes to put together an outfit
“Between 10 minutes and two hours”
Three personal style essentials
“Shades, a skin-tight top and a pair of pants with structure.”
Places she shops at most
“Hyein Seo, Gentle Monster and (the Korean techwear-leaning label) Post Archive Faction – all experimental brands that I look up to for their creative process and how they put a distorted spin on the conventional.”
What she looks out for most when shopping
“I’ve realised that I actually buy into a brand’s beliefs over its aesthetic. The design is what catches my eye, but when I start learning about its creative vision and processes and aligning with them, that’s when I become really willing to spend.”
If her wardrobe could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
“Prada – an all-time classic that would fit into both my present and future wardrobe.”
All-time style icon
“Devon Aoki in the early 2000s – she was so effortless and everybody wanted to know her.”
One thing she would never wear
“Anything made from chiffon and anything that’ll make me look like I work a nine-to-five job”
Her thought process putting together her look for this FEMALE editorial
“Achieve both the familiar and foreign – I turned up in what I would usually wear yet put everything together in a way that makes it seem like I’m wearing something that is not clothes.”
Fashion should be…
“A medium to tell a story”
Sarah wears wool-blend skirt, cotton briefs, cotton waist pouch and leather sandals, Miu Miu; and her own Hyein Seo top
On his relationship with fashion
“I’ve always considered fashion to be a super important way to reflect my lifestyle and tend to not get too into what’s hot simply because it’s hot. I like what makes sense to me.”
His personal style now…
“I hate to say this, but, I guess, punk-y? I wear mainly band T-shirts and occasionally add on pins. My whole wardrobe is predominantly in black and white, and distressed or worn.”
… And his personal style before
“Best described as wannabe Dylan Rieder (the late American professional skateboarder-slash-model-slash-artist): a lot of solid colours, Dickies and skate shoes. This was before I became more involved in punk.”
The influences that have helped shape his style
“Mainly punk culture in the ’70s and ’80s and a little bit of new wave – think The Cure in its early days as well as (the British punk rock band) The Damned. I also like men’s fashion from the ’30s to ’50s with its high-waisted silhouettes.”
Time he takes to put together an outfit
“On most days, I already have a rough idea of what I want to wear the night before.”
Three personal style essentials
“My super worn-out Dr Martens 10-eyelet boots; a bondage-style belt made by a friend and band t-shirts with the sleeves cut short”
Places he shops at most
“Carousell and thrift stores. I like buying used stuff.”
If his wardrobe could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
“If I had to pick a fashion brand, it would be Youths In Balaclava, which is run by my friends. To me, repping a friend’s work is way cooler than wearing a brand just for the sake of.”
All-time style icon
“David Bowie – everything from his hair to clothes and even make-up was super cool. He embodied the androgyny that I resonate with with so much grace.”
One thing he would never wear
“Boat shoes – they’re so jock-ish.”
His thought process putting together his look for this FEMALE editorial
“To create a look that I would wear out on a normal day”
Fashion should be…
“Whatever you want it to be”
Dan wears leather shorts and boots, Prada; and his own thrifted jacket, Uniqlo tank top and Tube Disaster boot straps
On her relationship with fashion
“It’s something that gave me confidence. Growing up, I felt so shy and ugly in my school uniform, but that changed when I entered polytechnic. Since then, fashion has played a big part in my life.”
Fashion is a form of self-expression – agree?
“Yes! I dress according to my mood… However, no matter how lazy I am feeling, the fit still has to look good or I’d feel irked and self-conscious all day.”
Her personal style now…
“I think the best word to describe it would be mercurial because it’s so unpredictable – a mix of eastern and western fashion influences that I don’t think falls under one particular category of style. Social media is a big influence, exposing me to new trends and aesthetics from all over the world and from which I pick and choose elements to formulate my own look.”
… And her personal style before
“Super street wear because I was so heavily influenced by K-pop. This was when Big Bang and 2NE1 were all the rage and were always dressed in the likes of snapback caps, graffiti motifs, and super loud and colourful pullovers”
Time she takes to put together an outfit
“If I already have a look that I want to attempt in mind, it’ll only take a few minutes. If not, I could take up to two hours trying to come up with a look that I’ve never worn before.”
Three personal style essentials
“Silver accessories, sunglasses and attitude”
Places she shops at most
“(The Y2K-inflected Haji Lane boutique) Plop Apparels for cargos; (the Singapore-based e-tailer) Styledxco for one-of-a-kind vintage pieces; and Taobao for budget-friendly yet unique clothing”
What she looks out for most when shopping
“The number of times I can potentially re-wear that piece across different outfits – if the answer is more than three, it’s a pass!”
If her wardrobe could be filled with just one luxury brand, it would be…
“Probably Gucci! I love its play on colours and retro silhouettes, and its style is so distinct. Each piece is of such good quality and bound to turn heads because of that Gucci aura.”
All-time style icon
“I don’t usually have one, but recently it’s been Bella Hadid for the way she styles herself and understands proportions. To me, a good outfit is 20% about the aesthetic and 80% the proportions and she gets that.”
A misconception about the way young people in Singapore dress
“That they can’t dress. I think young people are still figuring out their style – I still am and am constantly refining it.”
Her thought process putting together her look for this FEMALE editorial
“I was thinking about the vibe that I wanted to go for and how extra I should make the fit look so that it’s suitable for a magazine editorial… The results are exactly what I envisioned.”
Fashion should be…
“Timeless and trendless – just wear whatever you want.”
Kerni wears leather jacket, Gucci; and her own top, skirt, scarf, leggings and boots sourced from Taobao
Photography Athirah Annissa & Phyllicia Wang Art Direction Jonathan Chia Fashion Direction Damian Huang Coordination Khong Yawen Styling Assistant Danessa Tong Hair EC Tan/Kizuki+Lim Makeup Sarah Tan, using Gucci Beauty
A version of this article first appeared in the March 2023 Express Yourself! Edition of FEMALE