25 Years Of Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore: Our 25 Favourite Covers

25 years, over 300 covers, and countless stories.

BAZAAR25 harper’s bazaar singapore covers — Photos: Chuando Tan, Gan, Naruebes Vadvaree, Joel Low, Yu Tsai

By Gracia Phang - published 5 Nov 2026

To celebrate our silver jubilee, we took a trip down memory lane and reminisced about every single cover since our very first, which featured Lucy Liu. From the global icons era with Janet Jackson and Victoria Beckham, to the supermodel era featuring Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks and Cindy Crawford, we also shone the spotlight on our regional phenomena: JJ Lin, Heart Evangelista, and Apo Nattawin, to name a few. Trust us, we could go on and on.

Stories, laughter, and plenty of “Oh my god!”s were exchanged as the team looked through over 300 covers to shortlist only 25—it was tough, but necessary. We spoke to those involved in those shoots, and got the tea on what went down on set.

Ready for the insider scoop? We are.

Janet Jackson, January 2007

“I do remember having such a wonderful time on this shoot. I had a lot of fun. I met some people for the first time, but they felt like old friends. We shot on a little tiny patch of grass at the top of the Tod’s building in Tokyo, and it was just absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed myself tremendously. It was just a beautiful moment and made me fall in love with Singapore and the people even more because everybody was just so generous and kind.” — Janet Jackson, singer

“Interviewing Janet Jackson in the back of her limo as we cruised the streets of Tokyo was pure superstar magic. But the real surprise was when she revealed a gentle, vulnerable side—talking openly about her dualities, ‘growing up Jackson,’ her relationship with Michael, and love. It was so remarkably intimate that I titled the piece ‘Up Close and Personal’ because it truly was.” — Natasha Kraal, former editor-in-chief of Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia

Aaron Kwok, BAZAAR Man March 2010

“This was shot in Hong Kong. It was meant to be a studio shoot, but by the time we started, it was night. I saw that the scene on the balcony was beautiful so we moved the set outdoors— Kenneth [Goh] and I had to think on the fly and just went with the flow. I managed to convince Aaron Kwok to cling onto the back of a fence to catch his lean, muscular form. He was a sport and stayed there for a good 20 minutes. We got the shot.” — Gan, photographer

Apo Nattawin Wattanagitiphat, January 2026

“Looking back, I feel very proud to have been part of this collaboration with Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore and Piaget. I’m also very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Joel [Low], the photographer, who’s truly one of the most talented photographers I’ve ever worked with throughout my career.” — Apo Nattawin, actor

Christy Turlington, March 2012

“I remember fondly having to cut a longer slit on this dress and sew it back right after. And I thought that Kenneth’s decision to mix Tiffany&Co.’s white gold cuff with those acetate bangles that he thrifted in Udaipur was simply brilliant. The shoot was done in a studio in Brooklyn’s Hasidic Jew area, and when we arrived at the set in the wee hours of the morning I could see the community walking to the temple to start their day. It was a sight that I had never seen before. Another thing that I remember was how Christy Turlington truly embodied the supermodel mother-nature persona down pat.” — Windy Aulia, creative director

Toey Jarinporn Joonkiat, February 2025

“This is one of my most memorable shoots, and one of the covers I love most. It features Toey Jarinporn with Kwan Mueng, her own elephant, which we shot in Khao Yai. It was also my first shoot of 2025, which made it even more special.”— Naruebes Vadvaree, photographer

Ikhsan, Iman & Irfan Fandi, January 2018

“This cover means a lot to me because it was my first and I got to do it with my brothers. We’ve never done something like this before, and with a family that travels constantly for our different jobs, it was nice to get some time together—a moment to share and remember. I remember everything about this day just like it was yesterday, and it reminds me how far my brothers and I have come. ” — Iman Fandi, singer

Joseph Schooling, June 2018

“This was Singapore’s golden boy’s big hurrah for his decision to go full on professional and his then appointment as ambassador for global fashion brand, Boss. It also marked our first time having a man on the cover, solo. We took inspiration from Harper’s BAZAAR’s rich visual history. We fashioned the image and styling after the iconic cover of Steve McQueen on the February 1965 US edition. To shoot this, we had to carve out time in between Schooling’s busy training schedule and his studies at the University of Texas, and flew him straight from his student apartment in Austin to photographer Yu Tsai’s swimming pool in Los Angeles.” — Windy Aulia, creative director

Shu Qi, March 2018

“Shu Qi was such a beauty to shoot. Her face is ever-changing yet always so interesting. Her gaze is intense and her ability to take on a character on set is like watching a chameleon at work. I’ve shot Shu Qi a few times since, but this was my first time and it started my love affair with this Chinese beauty.” — Kenneth Goh, editor-in-chief

Related article: All The Fashion News You Need To Know Right Now

Kaigin Yong, Layla Ong, Kaci Beh & Duan Meiyue, January 2020

“I flew home from NYC just for this cover, in the midst of missing local food and people. And to shoot a BAZAAR cover? It was the icing on the cake. Looking back, it was such a fun day—catching up with the girls, hanging out on set and just being in the moment. I would love to relive it!” — Layla Ong, model

Heart Evangelista, August 2026

“Oh my god! I’m always going to look back at this with childlike eyes. I still sometimes can’t believe that this would be my fourth cover (digital included) with Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore! I’m just so very, very grateful. This shoot—how grand, but so fast; how efficient everybody was and how they all just locked in. I love working with creatives who are very active.” — Heart Evangelista, actress

Kimora Lee Simmons, January 2012

“Kimora Lee Simmons is someone who knows exactly what she wants, and how she wants it. There was a makeup artist on set, and I was only onboard as her hairstylist. But the makeup artist could not give her the look she wanted, so I stepped in to do her makeup as well, and it all worked out. It was great teamwork that got this shoot going, and it was special seeing how she eventually got excited and started to give it her all.” — Grego, hairstylist and makeup artist

Lucy Liu, August 2009

“I remember flying up with the photographer from Sydney to shoot Lucy. We did it in this incredible house in LA that had its own sauna and hammam, and Lucy was really fun to work with.” — Kenneth Goh, editor-in-chief

Lisa, March 2023

“For the cover with Lisa, BAZAAR Singapore created five, stunning covers and for the first time ever, sold them as a collectible box set. It was great fan service but also a beautiful keepsake for fashion-lovers.” — Renée Batchelor, deputy editor

Anne Curtis, January 2025

“There’s a certain pressure that comes with styling a January cover; it sets the tone for the year ahead, and you just have to make sure that it’s a good one. The direction was clear: Anne as Marilyn Monroe—private, unfiltered, baring it all. Once the blonde wig came on, a mix of her own Tiffany&Co. jewellery as well as the brand’s pieces were put on, and looks were worn in the most sensuous and nonchalant way—Anne became Monroe. It was magical, soft, and powerful; and the pictures captured that perfectly.” — Gracia Phang, style editor

Ong Bee Yan, April 2021

“At 65, I never imagined my first-ever magazine shoot would become a Harper’s BAZAAR cover. I stepped in front of the camera to challenge my fears and step out of my comfort zone, not knowing where it would lead. Being chosen as the cover girl for the 20th anniversary issue was an unforgettable reminder that age doesn’t define how far we can go. Sometimes, all we need is the courage to say yes. Age is not a limitation. We just have to keep surprising ourselves and have fun along the way.” — Ong Bee Yan, model

Bright Vachirawit Chivaaree, September 2022

“What I remember most is how easy and natural everything felt. Bright had this effortless charm in front of the camera. When I saw this cover I thought, ‘Wait, was this really that long ago?’ It still feels so current.” — John Tods, photographer

JJ Lin, October 2021

“The beautiful classic car and the larger-than-life outfits left a strong impression. I also remember I had a deep conversation with Windy on set! Happy 25th anniversary, Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore!” — JJ Lin, singer

Sun Fei Fei, June 2011

“The weather was chilly that day, but we were all warm from the excitement. Shooting on the roof of a skyscraper was intense as the cold wind was blowing, but there was no complaint from [Sun] Fei Fei. We went all out with big hair, while for the face we embraced a more natural, Asian aesthetic.” —Grego, hairstylist and makeup artist

CIndy Crawford, January 2024

“It is always a privilege to work with Cindy. As a supermodel, she always has the choice of who she wants to work with. I am humbled to show up each time to capture one of the most beautiful people in the world, inside and out. Working with someone who brings that level of professionalism and grace to a set is truly a special experience. Capturing moments with an icon like that makes for some unforgettable work in front and behind the lens.” — Yu Tsai, photographer

Michelle Yeoh, January 2010

“It was 10 years after Michelle Yeoh’s Hollywood blockbuster Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but it was hard not to fanboy on set. Especially when she was more than delighted to step into the gravity-defying heels from the fall/winter 2010 runway of Nina Ricci by Olivier Theyskens. Truly, it was a big deal for us to have a few pairs of those shoes flown in from Paris to Singapore and have them on set for her. I also recall how the photoshoot set was filled with chatter, in a mix of English, Mandarin and Cantonese, which the photographer Gan was happy to indulge in.” — Windy Aulia, creative director

Naomi Campbell, January 2014

“We waited for eight to 10 hours. Naomi arrived, took a nap, and we only had 30 minutes to work with before she had to rush off for a show. She came back, we continued, nailed it, and she rushed off to catch a flight.” — Gan, photographer

Victoria Beckham, September 2013

“This shoot was done in London and we had the legendary Ellen von Unwerth photograph Victoria. I remember Victoria walking on set with her daughter, Harper. I think I captured the glamorous, sensual side of Victoria. We shot her on the day news broke about David [Beckham] retiring from football so the paparazzi were all camped outside the hotel we were shooting at. But it was a good shoot and I still remember her asking what lip tint I had on! I told her it was my natural lip colour and she said she loved it! —Kenneth Goh, editor-in-chief

Noelle Woon, Diya Prabhakar & Nargis Musawwir, June 2021

“Shooting with the girls and the team was easy, because the creative direction was based on accentuating the qualities we possessed as individuals. We felt so free to express ourselves and were uplifted by the team on set. The time just flew by because we were having so much fun!” —Noelle Woon, model

Tyra Banks, January 2013

“I remember that Kenneth and I were very impressed by the way that Tyra Banks moved and posed. We remarked that if more models worked like that, it would make our shoots a whole lot easier.” —Marc Teng, hairstylist and makeup artist

Alana Zimmer, January 2015

“This was one of the first collections by Jonathan Anderson for Loewe. I remember styling it in LA and it was also on the eve of my announcement as the new editor-in-chief of BAZAAR. It felt particularly poignant as it would mean me leaving my first love of styling and creative direction to take on a more management and business role at the magazine.” — Kenneth Goh, editor-in-chief