There are few things more exciting for a child (who loves dressing up) than peering into the wardrobe of your mum and rummaging through her blouses, dresses and skirts. Ok, I confess—that was moi as a little one. I relished jumping into my mum’s closet, like it was Narnia, and feeling the soft silks and fragrant satins brushing past my face. I imagined fairies in a garden as I was pushing through mum’s pastel-printed Pucci collection, inhaling the powdery scent of Johnson’s Baby Powder mixed with Cacharel’s Anais Anais.
This changed to dark sinister monsters when it came to her evening wardrobe, where the red shantung silks, and black and gold velvets had the musky perfume of Diva by Ungaro. When mum pulled me out of the closet, I sat enchanted on her bed and observed her dressing up to the nines for one of her many parties—slipping on her silk lingerie and pouring her tanned body into some wrap dress confection for night. The transformation was magical—I still remember her love for glossy lipstick in every shade of red and how she smoked out her bare eyes to seductive peepers for night.
Fast forward to this issue, Joyce Cheo gives you a month-to-day countdown cheat sheet to get party-perfect for the holiday season—it’s guaranteed to turn you into the belle of the ball. And now for the clothes: Read our Most Stylish Women feature—what I would pay to be that same child rummaging through these women’s wardrobes! Some have couture gowns in their cupboards while others just fill them with Off-White creations and every streetwear brand there is. Needless to say, I would much prefer the former, but fashion today has changed so much and even haute couture designers are taking references from the street. Have a read of Gerald Tan’s runway report and relish in the fashion fantasies that Windy Aulia has styled on the streets of Paris.
And if there was a sure-fire way to get you inspired to purchase your own couture gown, read what Supermodel extraordinaire, Linda Evangelista, has to say about her delicious yellow Galliano for Dior gown—it’s literally the stuff that dreams are made of. Who wouldn’t want to have their own make-belief fantasy come true? This little child surely did and lived to tell the tale.
—Kenneth Goh, Editor-in-Chief
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Photographer: Diego Uchitel. Stylist: Windy Aulia. Blanca Padilla/Next Models wears a trompe l’oeil dress with an embroidered and feather-flower embellished top; sequinned and embroidered tweed hat, Chanel Haute Couture. Platinum and diamond Les Blés earring, Chanel Makeup by Chanel. Makeup artist: Tracey Gray/Calliste. On the face: Les Beiges Healthy Glow Gel Touch Foundation SPF 25/PA+++, Poudre Universelle Compacte Natural Finish Pressed Powder. On the eyes: Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette, Stylo Sourcils Waterproof Defining Longwear Eyebrow Pencil, Le Volume de Chanel Mascara. On the lips: Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle. Hair stylist: Moiz Alladina/The Wall Group using Leonor Greyl. Hair assistant: Louis. Production: Kitten. Digital technician: Vincent. Photography assistant: Julien Grignon. Styling assistant: Olivia Arnaud.