Tatler Most Stylish 2026 celebrates the jubilation of style

Unlike some style personalities whose aesthetic eclipses their work, Desmond Tan’s sartorial evolution has unfolded in step with his career. Over nearly two decades, the actor has grown from television heart‑throb into one of Singapore’s most dependable leading men, moving fluidly between English‑ and Mandarin‑language productions and proving equally at ease in romantic dramas, action roles and dark psychological thrillers—most notably Derek, where he shed his clean‑cut image to play a serial killer. His approach to dressing has undergone a similar refinement. Whether in a tuxedo, sharp tailoring or understated luxury sportswear, Tan wears clothes with the quiet assurance of someone who understands that they should enhance the man, never overwhelm him. That confidence, he shares, only came when he stopped performing style and began inhabiting it. “Style becomes a lot easier when you stop dressing to impress and start dressing to express,” he reflects.

“The best style isn’t about following trends … it’s about wearing something that feels authentic to who you are.” For someone whose profession depends on becoming someone else, the way he dresses has become his truest constant. Off screen, he gravitates towards what he describes as “clean, classic, with a little personality” , while a perfectly tailored jacket remains the garment that best captures the man he has grown into. “It’s not about looking important, ” he says. “It’s about feeling comfortable in your own skin. ” There is something distinctly modern about that philosophy. In an age where excess can be mistaken for impact, Tan makes a case for restraint, guided by the belief that “confidence doesn’t need to shout” . Perhaps that is why his style resonates so naturally. It has never been about chasing relevance but revealing character. Like the man himself, his aesthetic has only become more assured with time.

Salina Chai has a name for her style: classic minimalism, grounded in an appreciation for detail, texture, silhouette and comfort. She favours timeless pieces she knows she will return to season after season, adding that “it’s the little details like buttons, the fabric, the cut that draws me in”. Chai has spent years in fashion, but her business today is focused on preserving luxury rather than simply selling it. Through Margo & Smith, an atelier specialising in the restoration of luxury bags, shoes and leather goods, she has developed a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship behind each brand—and it has reshaped the way she shops. Before buying anything now, she considers elements that matter to her as much as how a piece looks: how it is made, how it will age and whether it is something she will continue to value over time.

Her work also affords her a rare vantage point, allowing her to see new collections up close—and what becomes of them long after they leave the boutique. What has surprised her most is how rarely luxury is simply about the object itself. Every piece carries a story: a milestone, a gift, a memory. “Preserving those pieces,” she says, “isn’t just about restoring leather; it’s about preserving the memories attached to them.” Her one indulgence is shoes—a slowly growing Chanel collection close to her heart, chosen as much for comfort as for craftsmanship.

At 63, Pat Kraal is still working the runway—but today, she does it with a completely different mission. Following a long hiatus after her early modelling career in Paris, Kraal returned to the industry in 2019, co‑founding Platinum Angels Management, a modelling agency representing talent aged 50 and above. By continuing to grace the catwalk herself, she champions the very idea the agency stands for: that style and confidence evolve with every stage of life. Her approach to dressing is rooted in comfort—whether it is a crisp shirt paired with tailored trousers or a sweeping full skirt inspired by Audrey Hepburn, whom she once met and still considers her ultimate style icon.

“I’m a very classic person,” she says, which explains why timeless silhouettes that far outlast fleeting trends remain the foundation of her wardrobe. Accessories are where Kraal allows herself the greatest freedom. Oversized earrings, sculptural bangles and vintage jewellery collected over decades have become her signature, bringing a sense of drama and personality to even the simplest ensemble. It is a lesson she now shares through her styling workshops, encouraging women aged 50 and above to experiment with statement jewellery, scarves and layering—and in the process rediscover the confidence to dress on their own terms.

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Having spent more than half her life in front of the camera, Fiona Fussi has become increasingly intentional about what earns a place in her wardrobe. She has little patience for prescriptions such as “dress for your age”, or the notion that elegance should conform to a fixed set of rules. “If I don’t feel comfortable, I won’t feel confident.” For Fussi, that single line distils everything about the way she dresses. These days, she begins her outfit selection process not by asking whether something simply looks good, but whether it feels true to her.

She favours pieces with longevity over one‑season trends, turns to smaller and regional labels for individuality, and builds her everyday wardrobe around a neutral foundation of well‑cut essentials: clean lines, polished but never overworked. She describes her style as “comfortable, and elegant with a hint of edge”. Her wardrobe is one shaped for a life in constant motion—from castings to meetings and photo shoots—designed to move effortlessly between different occasions without losing its sense of polish. Among her style references are Rosie Huntington‑Whiteley’s polished, understated elegance and Shay Mitchell’s elevated athleisure and more relaxed approach.

Opera Tang first caught widespread attention with the 2022 release of her documentary Baby Queen. That momentum culminated years later on the Pink Dot 17 soapbox when she took the stage alongside her grandmother Martha Lau—a powerful image of cross‑generational love and queer acceptance. In honouring the woman who had quietly stitched together not only her costumes but also her confidence, Tang made it clear that her greatest performance has never simply been drag; it has been creating space for others to be seen. Even then, she stood apart. More than a drag artist, Tang is an image‑maker and an archivist, constructing entire worlds from Chinese opera, Peranakan heritage, neighbourhood playgrounds and the glorious contradictions of Singapore itself.

While much of drag draws from the codes of Western glamour, she asks a more compelling question: what does Singaporean drag look like when it begins at home? Every look becomes an act of cultural research, every costume an exercise in remembrance, stitched together with stories inherited from her beloved grandmother—her “number one fan”, as Tang puts it, and, in many ways, co‑author of the mythology that is Opera Tang. “Putting on layers of make‑up and costume actually ends up revealing more of who I am inside,” she reflects. By bringing that inner self to the stage, Tang’s drag transforms from mere spectacle into a radical act of visibility: a performance of femininity that is simultaneously delicate, strong, vulnerable and divine. Through her remarkable artistry and generosity of spirit, Tang reminds those who have spent too long feeling invisible that they deserve to take up space and be seen. “I hope my art feels like a big loving hug to all who’ve felt invisible and misunderstood,” she says. There is perhaps, no more stylish ambition.

Style, for Lydea Tan, follows instinct more than any prescribed aesthetic. “I don’t really have a fixed style,” she says. “It depends on my mood.” A vivid palette might brighten a Monday; on other days, she leans into softer, more feminine tones. Ultimately, fashion is her way of choosing the version of herself she wants to bring into the day. That instinct was first cultivated at home. Growing up, she watched her mother sketch and tailor dresses inspired by the kebaya and Peranakan silhouettes, nurturing an enduring appreciation for craftsmanship that continues to shape the way she dresses today.

Victoria Beckham later sparked her affinity for clean, polished style, and she now increasingly seeks out independent designers across Southeast Asia, discovering labels from Vietnam, Malaysia and beyond that reinterpret cultural influences through a contemporary lens. Accessories provide a constant thread through Tan’s wardrobe—Cartier jewellery and a carefully chosen watch are everyday fixtures. Meanwhile, her collecting instincts move fluidly between timepieces, bags and shoes as her interests evolve. Through it all, her philosophy remains unchanged: fashion should instil confidence. “It’s about how you represent yourself,” she says. “That confidence brings energy to everyone you meet.”

For concert pianist and composer Churen Li, fashion is another language through which she interprets her craft. Her style, much like her music, builds upon a classical foundation before veering into surprise twists. “I appreciate dressing for the occasion and also the sort of person I want to be that day,” she says. “Usually, it is classic with a touch of the unexpected.” On stage, this philosophy transforms clothing into an extension of her artistic expression. A classical pianist whose compositions reimagine the canon, Li is drawn to pieces that respect tradition while leaving room for creativity and whimsy.

Over the years, her performance wardrobe has taken many forms—from elegant evening gowns to silhouettes inspired by the cheongsam and, occasionally, clouds of voluminous tulle that indulge her love of fantasy. Every sartorial choice is deliberate, balancing visual impact with the practical demands of performance. Off stage, Li gravitates towards independent designers from Singapore and Malaysia, favouring their thoughtful use of natural fabrics such as cotton and silk. Meanwhile, a crisp white Comme des Garçons shirt remains a wardrobe constant, prized for its versatility and endless layering possibilities. Ultimately, clothing helps shape the way she inhabits a role, whether performing on stage, composing new work or simply moving through everyday life—making style yet another expression of curiosity, imagination and craft.

Fashion may be Fumi Lee’s medium, but it has never been her message. One of the few women in Singapore with a genuine relationship with haute couture—as a client who commissions, collects and, crucially, wears it—Lee has become a familiar presence in the front rows of Paris Couture Week, while her assured elegance has earned her regular appearances on international best‑dressed lists. Yet, for the Japan‑born image consultant, such recognition is merely incidental to a far more purposeful pursuit. She prefers to describe herself not as a stylist, but as a “fashion activist”: someone who believes that clothing should empower rather than prescribe. “Fashion should give people the freedom to become themselves—not someone else,” she says.

“When we stop dressing to fit in and start dressing to express who we truly are, fashion becomes meaningful.” It is a deceptively simple philosophy from a woman who has spent years helping others find confidence through dress, even as her own evolution has led her towards a more profound understanding of what style can—and cannot—provide. Couture continues to captivate Lee for its extraordinary craftsmanship and the human stories embedded within it, but it was, unexpectedly, a humble pair of jeans that transformed the way she understood herself. “Luxury fashion gave me confidence for many years,” she shares, “but one pair of jeans taught me that true confidence doesn’t come from what you wear—it comes from within.” That conviction is perhaps what allows Lee to transcend the conventional role of image consultant. As a fashion activist, she is advocating not simply for better wardrobes, but for richer, more authentic lives—using fashion as a language through which people might ultimately learn to inhabit themselves more fully.

Amanda Leong has long embodied a distinctly modern kind of elegance—one that extends far beyond an impeccably curated sense of style. Over the years, she has evolved from beauty queen and entrepreneur into a woman whose relationship with fashion has become less about performance than self‑possession. While the world sees only the polished version of her, Leong is refreshingly candid about the life that unfolds beyond the frame—the school runs, flight changes, vet appointments and wonderfully ordinary logistics of raising three young children. “Social media captures the highlights, not the whole story,” she says. “I choose to share beauty because that’s what inspires me, not because my life is perfect.”

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly for someone so closely associated with glamour, the greatest luxury she has come to value is not something that can be acquired, but something far more elusive: presence. Chaotic family dinners, travelling at an unhurried pace, and simply being there to witness her children grow have become the moments that matter most. Getting dressed, meanwhile, remains one ritual that belongs entirely to her. “It’s less about discipline and more about intention,” she says. “I want my clothes to tell my story.” That story is one of quiet assurance. In place of the young woman who dressed, as she puts it, to “look the part” is someone who has learnt that the most compelling style is unmistakably, unapologetically her own. After all, anyone can cultivate an image. Far fewer understand how to preserve the person behind it.

If there is one constant in gallerist Jazz Chong’s wardrobe, it is the colour black—less the predictable uniform of the art world than a deliberate act of restraint. The founder of contemporary art gallery Ode to Art would rather the works she champions, not her outfits, command attention. “The art should stand out, not me,” she says. Within that disciplined palette, however, Chong finds ample room for expression—with texture, sculptural silhouettes and unexpected details lending her outfits a quiet complexity.

The formula remains remarkably consistent regardless of the occasion: black as the foundation, elevated with accents such as pearls or architectural metallic elements. Japanese designers are particular favourites, reflecting her appreciation for craftsmanship, considered construction and a certain understated experimentation. She highlights jackets as a recurring staple—prized for their versatility and the ease with which they allow her to move seamlessly between appointments without sacrificing polish. Measured, thoughtful and never competing for attention, Chong’s style mirrors her approach to collecting art itself: carefully considered, assured in its restraint and grounded in the conviction that true impact rarely belongs to the loudest voice.

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