By Kenneth Goh - published
Sweater; coat; underwear; rings, Miu Miu.
Yes, you guessed it, I’m deep in Barbie world. Barbie-isms have been littering our language of late and you would be hard pressed to not see the plethora of Pepto Bismol pink that’s been colouring all our outfits and phones since the launch of this movie in late July. While many may see Barbie as the quintessential bombshell of a woman, she actually is far more than her blonde mane and impossibly long legs. I have yet to see the movie but I’ve been so impressed with the reviews and, of course, the legendary Ken doll. My namesake (played by the ultra dashing Ryan Gosling) with the perfect set of abs (I want!) sports some of the best candy-coloured fashion. Get Ken-spired with the best in pastels on pages 28 and 29, where ultra-feminine looks and some of the glitziest and shiniest fashion will make you stand out like a doll.
I believe fashion should always have a dopamine effect for the wearer—even if it’s all black. Happiness cannot simply be seen sartorially as bright, happy colours. That would be far too #basic. Take inspo from our pages of feel-good fashion on page 122—they will literally inspire you to leap for joy. Our cover girl this month is Thai singer MINNIE of the K-pop band (G)I-DLE. Her story, on page 114, of how she moved countries and picked up four languages in pursuit of a thriving career in music should be an inspiration to all of us. MINNIE also sports some of the cutest, most feminine fashion from Miu Miu, which brings back all the coquettishness of Barbie in our real world. There are other new looks to refresh your wardrobe—read our trend report on page 36. This season, bold reds take centre stage, while quiet luxury in the form of plain suitings in luxe fabrics and puffer coats are on the rise, as is ultra sexy lingerie dressing—all guaranteed to give you major Kenergy.
And on the need for positive fashion—our power list this year is eight women who are Singapore’s comedy queens. These funny girls have the courage, flair and smarts to break gender barriers. They embody the theme of this issue—rule breakers and daredevils. Read the stories of these brave hearts on page 44.
And one final word on rule breakers—remember when Madonna shocked the world with her near naked cavorting, F-bomb-filled lyrics and explosive videos that pulled the curtains on so many taboo topics? She provoked in the ’80s all the way through to present day—that’s over four decades of rule breaking. So for me to hear lyrics spewed by today’s Gen Z musicians who think an F-bomb in a song makes you a rebel—let me tell you, it does not. You are a mere shadow of the original Mother. And that is my last Ken-ism for the month.
—Kenneth Goh, Editor-in-Chief
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Photographed by Junkyoung Lee
Styled by Gracia Phang
Makeup: Haemin Kim
Hair: Aram Chun
Manicure: Jinsol Kim
Producer: Esther Kim
Production Coordinator: Crystal Sang