Fashion in Singapore? Check out 5 incredible homegrown creatives who are doing more than just styling; rewriting what fashion means and just how progressive it can be.
‘Macbeth’ film and image. Courtesy of Gagandeep Singh
Singapore is a melting pot of cultures known for many things like great food, education and more. Fashion, however, may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to this island (possibly not even the top five or 10). Despite the straight-laced fashion here, there is plenty of potential and talent everywhere. You just need to know where to look, and of course how to style.
Courtesy of Evon Chng
We scoured the internet and came up with a list of up and coming, as well as experienced individuals who are changing spectrums and pushing boundaries in the realm of fashion. If you’re looking for a stylist to bring your vision to life or pondering about pursuing it as a career, have a look at these profiles!
Gagandeep Singh
Gagandeep Singh is a man of many talents. This image-maker has multiple hats of a creative and art director, set designer, stylist, and producer. His work always illustrates a blend of two or more prominent themes, coupled with splashes of “maximalism sensibilities”.
Haven “Musuem” music video. Courtesy of Gagandeep Singh
This inspired creative has been featured in Female Magazine and Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, and has worked on campaigns with G-Shock Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board. Singh’s artistry has also met with music videos of local artists like Haven and Yung Raja.
Discover his expressive and spellbinding body of work here.
Evon Chng
Evon Chng is a commercial and editorial stylist and currently the Deputy Fashion Director at fashion magazine L’Officiel Singapore. With an abundance of glorious spreads under her belt, she has worked with a number of publishing companies from Her World to Esquire, and with luxury brands such as Gucci, Chopard and Louis Vuitton.
Courtesy of Evon Chng
As a multi-faceted creative, Chng is also well-versed in advertising, having been part of video projects alongside McDonald’s, Singtel, Scoot, Singapore Airlines and more.
Browse through her dreamy portfolio here.
Mazri Ismail
With works from design, styling and creative direction, Mazri Ismail graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts with BA (hons) Fashion Design and Textiles — specialising in creative pattern cutting and tailoring. The core and essence of the designs in his fashion label Maz shine the light on genderless style; constantly promoting the notion of fluidity throughout his works. More excitingly, Maz offers modular garments where pieces can be worn differently based on how one manipulates the clothing, as per The Straits Times.
Explore how his work blurs the line between commercial and avant-garde here.
Joshua Cheung
Touted as an innovative and visionary fashion stylist, Joshua Cheung has a portfolio that speaks for itself. He has contributed to various local and international magazines, namely Elle, Numéro, Tatler, L’Officiel and Harper’s Bazaar. Cheung’s style and versatility placed him on the map for collaborations with acclaimed fashion photographers in the region. Also known as a great “business fixer” amongst industry partners, he is undoubtedly a creative that’s highly sought after.
Most recently, he has styled Singaporean actress Fiona Xie on a metaverse-themed fashion fantasy shoot with CNA, where Xie speaks about her role as Kitty Pong in Crazy Rich Asians and the local art scene.
See Cheung’s intriguing works here.
Sabrina Elman
A multidisciplinary creative, Sabrina Elman thrives in both fashion styling and making beautiful short films. Her dreamy portfolio, featuring projects she’s done with many other talented photographers and art directors, draws you in wanting more. Elman’s work personifies “her fascination with the reciprocity between humans and their environment”.
The Movement Issue: BAUHAUS. Courtesy of Sabrina Elman
Last November, Elman’s graduating project for Lasalle College of the Arts’ Fashion Media and Industries was a stylised short film. Written, directed and produced by Elman herself, ‘Children of the Soil’ explores the notions of Malayness; casting a contemporary eye on traditional Malay narratives.
Take a look at this image-maker’s captivating work here.
We’d agree that it’s true there is a small playing field for our dear homegrown fashion professionals, be it, designers or stylists. After seeing all the truly vibrant and fascinating work from local stylists, who do a lot more than only styling, it’s pertinent that we recognise the originality and individuality that are clearly present. And with some trailblazing concepts, like androgynous looks and more representation which has both been a long time coming truthfully, the future of fashion in Singapore seems brighter.
On the very top of the fashion scene in Singapore stands fashion commune Youths in Balaclava, which started from the ground up and has now presented collections at the prestigious Paris Fashion Week. Read on to see everything you need to know about this group of vibrant creatives here.
