Apo Nattawin Is Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore’s January 2026 Cover Star
The idea of performance runs through the issue.
By Kenneth Goh - published
Welcome to 2026! January tends to arrive with a whistle, not a whisper. Suddenly everything is in motion again. Calendars fill up. Everyone talks about focus, discipline and being razor sharp for the year ahead. I find it a little ironic.
To me, January is less about fresh starts than it is about being thrown back into the arena and seeing who’s still standing, who’s warmed up properly, and who’s sprinted too early. Which is why we decided to call this issue the Best in Show. Not in the trophy-shelf sense. More in the way sports understands it. You don’t win by showing up flashy. You win on form, stamina, and knowing when to push and when to hold back.
Related article: Apo Nattawin Rides Into The New Year With Confidence
Our cover star Apo Nattawin understands this instinctively. This is his second cover with us since November 2024. So much has happened in little over a year. He’s preparing for new roles as well as moving behind the camera into directing. But on this cover, he stands alongside a former racehorse. Both resplendent in soft shades of beige and brown. There’s so much strength in the image. The last time we shot Apo, we had a dog in the shoot. This time, we went with a horse—a quiet nod to the Year of the Horse in the Chinese New Year calendar, which is a month away. It speaks about endurance, independence and momentum, traits that unveil over time, not overnight.
On Apo: Trousers, Calvin Klein Collection. Boots, Christian Louboutin. Gold, onyx, yellow serpentine, pink opal, chrysoprase Andy Warhol watch with green alligator strap, Piaget. Top; hat, stylist’s own. On Kenneth: His own clothes and accessories. Makeup and hair for Apo: Pakanat Poolsawat. Styling: Gracia Phang
Related article: A Look Into Apo Nattawin’s Personal Watch Collection
The idea of performance runs through the issue. Our exploration of preppy style looks at how a once-exclusive uniform has been reinterpreted. Preppy today isn’t about belonging to an elite club. It’s about the knit of your sweater; the fall of your chinos and the right wash for your cap. It’s about subverting the obvious to make it yours.
Elsewhere, the renewed appetite for American sportswear is quite telling. After seasons of fashion shouting for attention, there’s a return to clothes that function, move and live with you. Think bold colours, solid shapes and smart tailoring that enhance your everyday activities with minimal fuss.
And then there’s the winner of Physical: Asia—Team Korea—where they display no margin for ego. The six members share their thoughts on pressure, failure and the collective strength needed to win. It’s a reminder that being “best in show” rarely looks glamorous from the inside. There’s repetition. There’s trust. There’s also learning when to let someone else take the lead.
Related article: Team Korea On Winning ‘Physical: Asia’, And What It Took To Get There
So this issue isn’t about perfection. It’s about form; about staying power; about those who understand that real excellence is sustained, not staged. This is a big year for us as it marks our 25th anniversary. There’s so much to share over the next 365 days. Stay with us as we navigate the course. We promise you’ll cross the line in fine, chic form.
Download the digital edition from the App Store, Google Play, or Magzter.
Editor-in-Chief: Kenneth Goh
Photography: Joel Low
Styling: Gracia Phang
Cover look: Piaget
Hair and Makeup: Pakanat Poolsawat
Photographer’s Assistant: Eddie Teo
Stylist’s Assistant: Ynez Loh
Special thanks to: Sir Isaac/ National Equestrian Centre and Equestrian Federation of Singapore.