The Best-Dressed Guests At ICON Ball 2025

The magazine celebrated its 20th anniversary with the theme “A New Era Reimagined”. Here’s what went down at the gala dinner.

By Renee Batchelor - published 5 May 2025

The annual ICON Ball was held on 30 April in the Shangri-La Hotel’s Island Ballroom. This year, the magazine celebrated its 20th anniversary. The ball was attended by nearly 300 guests including business leaders, entrepreneurs, readers, friends of the title and celebrities such as actress Fiona Xie and singer Nathan Hartono.

The theme was “A New Era Reimagined”, inviting guests to an open interpretation for the black-tie event. The fashion on display that night showed off the remarkable craftsmanship and creativity of those in attendance. BAZAAR spoke to several attendees, including actors Xenia Tan and Joel Choo, to find out how the theme inspired their outfits.

Editor-in-chief of ICON Singapore Sylvester Ng kickstarted the night’s festivities with a welcome address celebrating the title’s 20-year anniversary. “Twenty years is a momentous milestone in a highly competitive media landscape, and we’ve entered a new chapter. April marks the launch of a refreshed ICON issue focusing on Singapore’s foremost artistic talents and spotlighting trailblazing women in tech. Our website also sports a new look and feel, with an even greater focus on remarkable people and impact makers.”

Ng said, “ICON remains committed to authentic stories that emerge from our community. We’ll continue highlighting exceptional craftsmanship, our vibrant arts and culture landscape, and the interplay between heritage and innovation. At our core, we share the journeys of visionaries and changemakers whose work challenges conventions and reshapes our world—stories that both reflect and inspire our community.”

ICON Editor-in-Chief Sylvester Ng presents the Next Icon award to winner Kia Jiehui
Photo: Courtesy of ICON Singapore

The Next ICON Awards, which was inaugurated in 2023, pays focus to young leaders under 40 who are driving innovation in their family enterprises. This year, the three awardees who represented the best of the best in Singapore entrepreneurship included Kia Jiehui, business development manager, Ichi Seiki, and founder & commercial director, Shin Seiki; Ng Yi-Xian, group CEO of EtonHouse International Education Group; and Woon Tien Yuan, director of Killiney Kopitiam.

The keynote address was delivered by Joy Tan, a leading lawyer and partner of law firm WongPartnership. Tan emphasised the importance of the arts and encouraged guests to support and give back to the arts community.

Keynote speaker Joy Tan
Photo: Courtesy of ICON Singapore

Guests were also treated to a performance by renowned local violinist Lynette Seah. Seah, a cultural medallion winner, performed Edward Elgar’s Salut d’Amour live, a piece known for its delicate melody and for evoking rich emotion.

The evening ended with the awarding of bouquets—both literal and figurative—to the 20 best-dressed recipients of the night. With their personal and creative interpretations of the theme, each winner delighted, surprised and inspired in their own way. See BAZAAR’s picks of the best-dressed guests below.

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