Turn Up The Heat With Our August 2019 Issue

It’s been a scorcher everywhere I go lately. So, I was hoping to find some cool respite in Europe, away from the humidity and soaring temperatures in Singapore. Alas, Europe was experiencing a heat wave of its own, one that brought burning Sahara winds as well as temperatures above 45 deg C. I was boiling as I walked the streets of Paris during couture week in July, keen to beat the horrific traffic jams, and the stuffy, smelly metros packed full of sweaty tourists. This tropical Singaporean was finding himself out of sorts in his natural weather environs; I think I’ve grown too accustomed to airconditioning—something practically non-existent in Europe. Still, it’s beautiful to witness late sunsets after dinner, walk down avenues turning russet orange or stroll past rivers glistening with diamond-flecked waters touched by the last rays of sunshine. It’s these times when I miss Singapore most. Yes, while we don’t experience late sunsets or colours quite as dramatic as seen during a European summer, the heat of day always reminds me of home.

In this issue which celebrates the best of Singapore, there’s fashion that reminds us of what works best in the Little Red Dot, as well as hotels and cultural events that celebrate the best of our island nation. Take your styling cue from the two gorgeous ladies on the cover in ’70s florals that are all the rage this fall/winter—“Desert Rose” on page 96 will serve as summer dressing #inspo. We also highlight six powerful women who are leading the charge in tech and digital innovation to push Singapore into the next millennium. Industry leaders, they are placing Singapore on the global map but doing so in their own chic way—read about their work, life and style mantras on page 62.

On a personal front, a friend of mine recently remarked that despite my constant global trekking, I actually find it hard to make a temporary home wherever I am. It keeps me on edge whenever I am abroad, and I end up fussing over the smallest detail. It’s the comforts of home that I miss the most, the familiar sticky humidity and of course, the wonderful food. Even cosseted in a luxurious hotel’s softest Egyptian cotton sheets and fluffiest cashmere blankets, I kind of miss my own humble creature comforts. I guess that home is really a state of mind, and not necessarily a physical place. And mine is truly within this small island I call home. Travelling to Paris every year to see all the wonders of couture in person is a fantastic break from Singapore, but it’s true when they say absence makes the heart grow fonder—there’s no warmer feels than when I’m 35,000 feet in the air and the plane is approaching Changi Airport. Yong Tau Foo is less than an hour away.

—Kenneth Goh, Editor-in-Chief 

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Photographer: Yu Tsai

Stylist: Martina Nilsson

Models: Yuka Mannami/The Society; Ysaunny Brito/The Society

Makeup: Rachel Goodwin/Streeters

Hair: John Ruggiero/The Wall Group

Manicure: Christina Aviles/Star Touch Artists

Producer: Trever Swearingen/88 Phases

Digital artist: Luis Jaime/88 Phases

Photography assistants: Massimo Campana, Jamie Kang