Founder of Illumia Therapeutics, Illumia Medical and Papilla Haircare

Despite the spotlight cast on her, Kim Lim does not dress to please. “I’ve always worn whatever I wanted, regardless of what people think,” says the daughter of billionaire business magnate Peter Lim. Her fearless approach to fashion, admired by her more than 350,000 followers on Instagram, is not the only thing that makes her a force to be reckoned with. It takes a lot of nerve to start a business and yet, the 31‑year‑old summoned enough to launch both Illumia Therapeutics and Papilla Haircare in the past couple of years. On a mission to build her own beauty empire, Lim’s challenge now lies in setting herself apart from competitors. And that’s an easy enough feat if she applies her style philosophy to her business: “To me, good style means not being predictable. There should always be an unexpected element.”

Founder and CEO of Limited Edt

For Mandeep Chopra, style and sports have always been intrinsically linked. “My biggest influence were famous sports stars and what they wore,” he says. While the fashion world only made that connection in recent years, Chopra has been steadily building Limited Edt, a popular chain of sneaker stores in Singapore, since 2003 for those who already spoke the language of streetwear. If street culture is even more pronounced in Singapore today, we have Chopra to thank. And yet, even as his fashion empire grows, his eye never strays far from the street. After all, as he puts it, “expensive doesn’t mean stylish”.

Founder of A – The Etiquette Consultancy

The doe‑eyed grace of Audrey Hepburn lives on in Astrie Sunindar‑Ratner, who quotes the Hollywood icon when sharing her style philosophy: “Elegance is the only beauty that never fades.” While the words are Hepburn’s, it is Sunindar‑Ratner’s mother who taught her the meaning of them. “I come from a family that believes that looking good is a form of good manners, so I’ve always wanted to look presentable,” she says. Sunindar‑Ratner certainly proved to be a great student—and an even better teacher, now that she advocates for sophistication through her own platform, A – The Etiquette Consultancy.

Drag performer

Azizul Mahathir was not particularly interested in botany when he christened his drag persona Vanda Miss Joaquim. But the name stuck and Vanda has become a Singapore icon in her own right. From representing the nation in the reality drag competition series Drag Race Thailand to cultivating a community through her own House of Miss Joaquim, the drag queen has broken boundaries through her art. And just as metamorphosis defines the life cycle of an orchid, so, too, does it lie at the heart of Vanda’s style. “A drag queen is like a superhero,” she muses, mid‑transformation into a blonde bombshell. “Being in drag is like wearing a power suit that lets you become somebody else.” 

Co-founder of Oh Hello Bae

As the daughter of beauty mogul Jean Yip, Rachel Wee has always understood how much appearances matter. “Good style is feeling good in what you wear,” she says. “Even if you’re wearing a chic outfit, if it’s not comfortable, it’ll show.” Unsurprisingly, feeling good about yourself is a cause that Wee champions at Oh Hello Bae, the skincare brand that she co‑founded. As she juggles being a mother and an entrepreneur, she carries herself with confidence—setting an excellent example for women to follow.

Curator at The Fifth Collection

Angie Chen never stopped playing dress up. After all, “the art of dressing is a joy” are the words she lives by. And Chen certainly expresses it through her eclectic style, informed by her personality as a self‑described fashion schizophrenic. But her appreciation of clothes goes deeper than the fun outfit photos on her Instagram feed; she also applies her fashion expertise as a curator for luxury vintage fashion e‑tailer The Fifth Collection, where she advocates her belief that great style tells a story. And in Chen’s case, that story is one you will never get bored of.

Marketing specialist at Flower Diamond

Sabrina Ho’s style speaks for itself—boldly so. Through outfits ranging from athleisure chic to city girl cool, she demonstrates a multifaceted nature that mirrors that of a diamond. In fact, the gem is one of Ho’s best friends, as she helms marketing and design at Flower Diamond, the luxury jewellery company founded by her mother Belinda Chua. Being in the business of creating something timeless, it’s no wonder that Ho eschews trends. Instead, she declares that “true style is the ability to put your own spin on whatever you wear”.

Co-founder of Cutis Medical Laser Clinics

“What I love about getting dressed up is that it reflects my mantra in life: the process is the product. It means that you only get a good outcome if you do every step as well as you can.” These are the words that guide aesthetic doctor Sylvia Ramirez, who specialises in making others look flawless at Cutis Medical Laser Clinics. Unsurprisingly, Ramirez does so while impeccably dressed. In fact, she compares her style to an emerald‑cut diamond: “It has very few facets, so the diamond needs to be pure in order to shine.” And shine she does.

Ballroom dancing enthusiast

As a dancer, Grace Wong is completely attuned to her body: she poses with confidence and attitude, and knows what clothes suit her best. “As I grow older, I’ve learned to love clean‑cut clothes,” says the society doyenne with a spark in her eyes. “I love mixing and matching different pieces together.” It is that sense of adventure that colours Wong’s life, as she continues to pursue her passion for ballroom dancing even in her swinging sixties. And you will never find her out of step at a party, especially when there is a theme. Ultimately, though, Wong moves to her own beat. “I’ve always been a believer of expressing myself through my individual style and wearing clothes that reflect my personality.”

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