Wonder what happens when a freelance fashion consultant takes on the mandatory 14-day SHN? In the case of Camilla Testori who recently returned from a trip to Italy, she decided to make her stay at the Fairmont Singapore a stylishly memorable one.
Turning her hotel suite into a zany fashion playground, the 35-year-old came up with what she dubbed The Quarantine Show as a creative project to document her experience during Covid confinement. That fun outlet also allowed Testori to revisit her love for performing and to tap into her passions in styling and pop culture.
Curious to know more about this colourful and larger-than-life personality? We chatted with Testori to get the inside scoop of her two-week stay at what she lovingly calls the “Chateau Fairmont”.
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Tell us more about yourself.
“I’m a 35-year-old Italian who’s lived in Singapore for eight years now. My adventure to Asia began 10 years ago when I decided to relocate to a different continent after a holiday to Bali.
It’s been two years since I became a freelance fashion consultant and now after the recent hotel quarantine, I’ve rediscovered a passion that I had for performance. At the moment, I’m also currently doing an online course in psychology and continue to have a long-running interest in yoga.”
What brought you to Asia?
“Similar to the film Eat Pray Love, I moved to Bali from Milan and became a yoga teacher there for two years. So that was a little change in my career (she was working as a stylist for Italy’s Mediaset).
Then I came to Singapore and returned to the fashion world, working as a fashion director for a pre-loved fashion e-commerce site Style Tribute. Six years after that, I decided to become a freelance fashion consultant because I wanted to travel more. But now, I’ll have to wait until after Covid is over to arrange my travel ambitions again.”
Tell us more about your work as a fashion consultant. What has been a highlight in your career?
“Currently, I work on a lot of different styling and creative projects between Singapore and Europe as well as partake in occasional collaborations with the Style Tribute.
On the side, I’ve also just launched a capsule collection of kimonos that I produce in India from antique saris and sell via word-of-mouth or on Instagram (@kimonosbycamillatestori).
Just before Covid hit, I used to assist Gucci in Milan with their sales campaigns and handle the accounts within the Asia Pacific region. Similar to my current role as a fashion consultant, I would assist the fashion buyers in Asia and provide guidance on what they should buy from the collection.
A highlight of my career I would say was in Europe when I lived in Milan. I worked under the Italian media house, Mediaset, where I got the chance to style two of our local celebrities, Ilary Blasy and Silvia Toffanin.”
“I think a lot of people, including expats, have been complaining now about the mandatory quarantine that we need to do coming back to Singapore. But I wanted to actually explain the fact that there are two ways to think about quarantine.
You can take it very negatively and say that it’s two weeks of being locked in a hotel room – there’s no fresh air and get frustrated thinking about what you can do. You may think the experience would be boring especially if you perceive that time isn’t moving.
But there’s actually a positive way to view the experience. It’s a similar philosophy we practise in yoga; it’s actually a very good opportunity to take a step back. My SHN video was a kind of social detox which I think is crucial when you’re locked in a room for two weeks. It’s better to not watch Instagram stories or whatever is happening outside as it’ll feel a little frustrating.
I also found the stay as an experience of self-discovery – it’s incredible to discover how many resources you can find inside you. Of course, the first days would be a little challenging because it’s tough to completely change your mindset. But after that, I basically told myself that in order to survive the next two weeks, I’d need to have a project.
Since I’ve always enjoyed expressing my creativity through styling photoshoots, dance and music, I decided to tap on my passions and turn my room into a kind of cabaret, performing as a different character each day. Depending on my mood, I’d let the ideas flow. But of course, up the fun by incorporating items from my wardrobe.
Through this experience what I realised that when you have less, you become more creative – from how I wear my bodysuit in different ways to how I managed to turn a hat into Venetian hat to a Michael Jackson-esque fedora.”
What inspired you to create this eclectic fashion diary of sorts?
“The inspiration came more from the fact that I found myself in a very nice suite at the Fairmont Singapore and, being creative, it was really about using my experience to think out of the box.
The suite at the Fairmont reminded me of the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. So I thought to myself, ‘What would Camilla as a fashion stylist do in a room with limited clothing?’ and that’s when I decided to run this personal project.
For 14 days, I wanted to portray a different character with only the garments I have and tried my best to recreate the different scenes that my followers can recognise. In this sense, it was a nice way to keep my brain busy, let my creativity run wild, and share my love for fashion, dance, and pop culture.”
When planning the video, was there a particular theme?
“There wasn’t a particular theme – I just wanted to go wild with the characters. I knew I wanted to do one video per day and my aim was more about recreating the different characters from Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany’s to a band member AC/DC. I even tried to go for a Kill Bill/Pulp Fiction/Uma Thurman vibe with the pink bob-cut hairstyle.”
How long did it take for you to film each scene?
“It took me two hours a day to film each scene. I’d wake up in the morning and have an idea for the scene I’m doing for the day. The first thing I would do is to go to my wardrobe and decide on my outfit. Another hour would go towards practising and executing the film scene/clip I’d want to recreate. For example with the Breakfast At Tiffany’s scene, I rewatched the film to figure out the camera angles, and learn the moves.”
The outfits in the video are quite bold and dynamic. How similar is the fashion in this video compared to your personal style?
“The video represents my personal style totally. I always get asked how I have all these amazing pieces in my luggage and my answer is simple. Whenever I travel, I only pack my key wardrobe pieces because I think that basics can easily be found and shopped anywhere you are.
So that’s why every time I travel to cities like Milan, London, Singapore and Bali, my luggage basically ends up looking like a cabaret singer’s luggage because I’ll always bring ensembles filled with sparkles and sequins.
I actually dress like this pretty much on a regular basis because I like to express my creativity through fashion. I can look very punk one day or be very Capri-chic and elegant the next. My tastes are pretty wide and I think that’s my signature style: it’s very experimental.”
Describe your sense of style in five words.
“Eccentric, vintage, ’80s, rock-n-roll and elegant.”
You seem to love dressing up a lot. What’s your current everyday outfit like?
“As I spend a lot of days at home, I’d wear a romper. I always carry a blue pen, a red pen and a green pen with me so I need an outfit that can fit all my pens and phone.”
How about when you’re going out?
“I’d wear high-waisted denim shorts for sure as I’m a very huge fan of the ‘80s and I think it looks a lot more feminine. I pair the shorts with a top with padded shoulders and a pair of Golden Goose sneakers.”
What is the most OTT look you’ve worn?
“Back in the day when I was in Milan, I attended a gala in a black Saint Laurent tuxedo that the Maison loaned to me. I’ve gone to a lot of events in gowns and they’re always elegant but I think a woman looks even more ravishing when she’s in a tuxedo. There’s a wow factor.”
How has Covid changed your attitude towards dressing up?
“When I go out now, I try to wear an outfit that can go from day to night because I want to make the most of the outfit that I’m wearing. I won’t need to waste time going home to change; I’m trying to be much more efficient in the way I dress. I’ll even bring an accessory in my bag like a nice bracelet that can add a touch of elegance to my outfit if I’m going for an afternoon appointment or dinner.”
Why is fashion important to you during this time?
“Fashion brings out the beauty that’s inside us. So when we’re dressing up and being beautiful on the outside, it actually represents the care that you have within.
Being in quarantine, locked alone in a hotel room, or spending more time at home, does not erase the need to feel beautiful or cause us to let go of our fashion inclinations. That’s why I make sure that I dress up daily and use my entire wardrobe even though I’m spending more time indoors and working more from home now.
It’s also a way of taking care of my clothes and allowing them to breathe especially in Singapore where humidity is high.”
What new projects can we look forward to seeing from you this year?
“After this quarantine and with the success I’ve had with this video, I’m actually thinking of venturing into a new career that would involve a mix of performing, acting, and dancing. I’ve taken note of classes for dancing, acting, and on-screen performance that I can sign up for.
I’m also toying with the concept of doing a one-woman show that’ll intertwine the realms of fashion, creativity, and dance. I hope to spread positivity and inspire beauty with the work I come up with.”