Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Esquire Singapore

Though this May 2021 issue marks my tenth as editor-in-chief of Esquire Singapore, it’s a milestone for a much more significant reason. After years of producing some of the most innovative journalism, groundbreaking visuals and special events in the region, we’ve reached that most celebration-worthy of numbers: 100 issues in print. Ordinarily, this mightn’t be cause for popping open the champagne, but if you’ve been keeping track of the media landscape in recent years, you will have noticed a remarkable shift. The freedom of the press is under attack, print has been significantly usurped by digital, and there’s been a major reckoning in terms of representation and diversity. That we are still here—and, more than that, command a place of strength and audience rapport—is testament to the talent and creativity…

It has been two years since his first collection for French label Berluti, and Belgian artistic director Kris Van Assche has crafted a new aesthetic for the brand. It’s no major revamp yet one that has refocused attention on design icons, while modernising a wardrobe peppered with Berluti symbolisms, both familiar and new. Berluti’s reworking needed time to settle before any form of collaboration could be introduced; doing the reverse could have defeated the purpose of building on a new direction. And with the brand’s summer 2021 collection, Van Assche seemed ready to do just that. American ceramist and sculptor Brian Rochefort was enlisted to be the first collaborator for Berluti under Van Assche. Taking inspiration from volcanoes, Rochefort is known for ceramic sculptures (of varying sizes) that are certainly…

The oldest Douglas DC-10 airliner in operation today is known as the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital. Donated to the Orbis International charity in 2011, it has been kitted out to be an ophthalmic clinic and teaching facility, one where medical personnel can watch live surgeries and undergo training. Within this ‘hospital with wings’ there’s a 48-seat classroom, a laser treatment room, an operating theatre and an intensive care unit. Orbis was founded in 1982 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to tackling preventable blindness in developing countries. It approaches this in two ways: by flying doctors to nations where the blind and partially sighted have limited access to treatment, and by training local healthcare workers in sustainable and transferable skills. “Our goal is not to come in and show off,” Dr…

“It should really be called The Confession,” actor Adrian Pang explains, “because it’s meant to be a tongue-in-cheek, behind-the-scenes look at the shenanigans that us theatre folk get up to.” And between this trio—comprising Singapore Repertory Theatre’s Gaurav Kripalani and Wild Rice’s Ivan Heng, alongside Pang of theatre company Pangdemonium—there is “lots of dirt,” according to Pang. Titled The Commission, this original piece of theatre is a sequel to the 2020 short film The Pitch, and is conceived and written by Ken Kwek as a satirical look at how live theatre companies are struggling to survive the disastrous fallout caused by the Covid pandemic. “Little did they know that the theatre gods were plotting to take this motley ménage à trois and elevate it to another dimension,” as the play’s…

It’s rare to profess that your favourite part of a hotel is the ground floor. You probably think I’m referring to the lobby, where guests make their first impression of the place, second only to the establishment’s exterior. Except that the lobby is not where you step into when you set foot through the opaque glass doors at The Clan Hotel. Though that’s not to say that the lobby doesn’t pull its weight. Located a floor above with lofty ceilings and full-height window views of Telok Ayer, the dark and modern interiors keep the space sleek, while towering shelves featuring Chinese centrepieces by local artisans add a storied touch. Of all the paraphernalia, the umbrella collection easily steals your gaze. Exhibited Kingsman-style in full black with fancy knobs, all are…

Virgil Abloh is a designer of the most cerebral kind. Rather than taking inspiration from aesthetics, the Men’s Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton often delves deep into subject matter – identity politics, for example – developing a thesis that forms the framework within which the garments sit. For pre-fall 2021, Abloh was thinking about conformity, that sociological endeavour of a person or a community to blend in or to integrate with a societal culture to which they desire to belong. This, according to Abloh, is a concept rooted in both luxury and privilege, and one he sought to interrogate and deconstruct this season. The resultant collection is on the surface quite traditional. Back-to-work tailoring, peacoats, eveningwear, shirting and knitwear – all long-time staples of a men’s wardrobe – are present…

I never thought myself much of an artist. My grandfather was though; he used watercolours to paint landscapes and architecture around South Wales, and while an ‘original Bryan Shambler’ isn’t worth a huge amount today (when compared to a David Hockney or Yayoi Kusama), he made a tidy sum of money over the years selling to wealthy people who had a connection with the area. I do wonder what he would think about the art world’s current obsession with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) though, especially as he often referred to any style of art created after the 1900s (think Surrealism, Cubism or contemporary) simply as a load of rubbish. NFTs have currently taken the world by storm, mainly thanks to one Mike Winkelmann, a digital artist from Wisconsin who goes by…

It’s a no-brainer that with Matthew M Williams at the creative helm of Givenchy, the American designer is bringing along his streetwear know-how to the Parisian fashion house. This is a skill he’s honed for years as the creative director and founder of 1017 ALYX 9SM. And certainly a reason why he’s garnered a following among the streetwear community. What makes a great streetwear maven is their sneaker designs, and Williams has got plenty of cachet on that front. 1017 ALYX 9SM’s chunky soled Indivisible sneakers have been a clear favourite from the brand, while Williams’s collaborations with Nike have arguably been incredibly well received. His most recent outing with the sneaker giant was an update of the Air Force 1 that was brandished with his signature rollercoaster buckle. At…

Venturing out into the greater world often presents boundless opportunities. All you’ve got to do is take the first step out, even if it’s perilous. For 20-year-old college dropout Tiller Bardmon, he falls into a rabbit hole unexpectedly, thanks to his sensitive tastebuds and a friendship with Pong Lou, a shrewd Chinese-American entrepreneur acquaintance. Pandemonium ensures, obviously. Tiller’s adventures are penned by Chang-rae Lee, Pulitzer Prize finalist and award-winning author of Native Speaker and On Such a Full Sea, in his sixth and newest novel My Year Abroad. Keeping tight-lipped about his intentions with this narrative, Lee professes that “a novel should be about many things, most of those notions open-ended and mysterious. A novel should capture the vitality of human experience and the world, in whatever it chooses to…

Hair and make-up by Eun-hye Lee. Model: Ji-seop Lim. Assistant: Ha-min Lee. Art designer: Dae-seop Kim…

The Birthright Issue, for August 2013, was the first time that Esquire Singapore eschewed a personality for its cover, and based on the National Day song ‘Stand Up For Singapore’, it was intended as an interactive experience whereby readers could write on the cover what they believed in as citizens of this state. The concept was so well received that Esquire Malaysia followed with the same schematics, this time with “Malaysia Boleh_!” on a yellow background. When Lee Kuan Yew passed away, every publication was trying to write about the man and his legacy. But there was speculation around the legality of using the Minister Mentor’s image. We decided to produce a story where we examined the legacy and lionisation of LKY through the artwork that incorporated his likeness, nodding…

Singapore has long been known as a business hub. A global transit point. Renowned for its food. But over the past decade, a new generation of emerging talent has redefined what it is to be Singaporean, pushing the boundaries of the state’s creative capital through a completely unique cultural viewpoint. Now, being Singaporean and creative are not mutually exclusive. In partnership with innovative watchmaker Swatch, on these pages we explore, celebrate and rethink what it means to be inventive in Singapore by shining a spotlight on the artists, designers, performers and entrepreneurs bringing to the world ideas and artistry never seen before. FIRDAOS PIDAU FOOTWEAR DESIGNER “Art is essential more than ever right now. We need more art,” Firdaos Pidau affirms. The footwear designer is by no means a beginner…

There’s this quote by the American actress Sarah Paulson, from an interview she gave some years ago, in which she explains her fondness for retrospect. “Looking back is a way to sharpen the focus on the things you want to change in your life,” said Paulson. “I think there’s something about nostalgia that really puts a fine point on the here-and-now, and that can be incredibly fascinating and interesting and engaging for the mind.” Conventional wisdom would have us believe that looking ahead in life is best—that focusing on the future adds a healthy dose of optimism to our world, and sets us up for success by creating goals to work towards. Wallowing in the past, with all its familiarity, is said to rob us of a chance to enjoy…

The vintage shop, tucked in the back of a Brooklyn strip mall, smelled like a grandparent’s bedroom. The best ones always do. It was autumn, the sun had nearly set, and I was sifting through piles of T-shirts. It didn’t take long to find what I didn’t know I was looking for. The tee was so thin it was practically see-through. The font was zany. The graphic delightfully unhinged. It marked the occasion of Jacob’s bar mitzvah, back in ’86. Suddenly, I felt nostalgia for an event that happened before I was born—all thanks to a shirt unbound by what less imaginative shoppers might call good taste. In other words, it was perfect. Yes, we’ve been here before. Vintage is a perennial, but the codes shift over time. Chances are,…

As pressure builds on the fashion industry to reduce the weight of its environmental footprint, the house brand of online menswear retailer Mr Porter, aptly titled Mr P., has introduced plant-based alternative to its iconic leather Larry sneakers. Made from repurposed grape waste generated by the wine industry (yes, water into wine into wearability, and all that), the raw vegetable biomatter materiality of the updated Larry sneakers offers a more environmentally friendly alternative for the brand’s loyal customer base. Beyond simply being free of animal product, the byproducts of the Italian wine production process (including the grape skins, stalks and seeds) are also free of toxic solvents and heavy metals traditionally inherent in leather goods. “Quality, craftsmanship and stylish design are at the heart of all that we do with…

HEELEY Zeste De Gingembre Eau de Parfum Containing fresh lime, lemon and orange zest blended with gingerbread, this is a refreshing ginger cocktail scent. Pink pepper and cardamom add an elegant balance and depth. 100ml/SGD24O TOM FORD Tubereuse Nue Eau de Parfum The fragrance of flowers, starting with tuberose and jasmine, adds to the sensual timut pepper and suede accord. It creates a refined yet decadent atmosphere. 50ml/SGD478 HERMES H24 Eau de Toilette The tender sprout grows through concrete—this scent captures the nature of the city. Made from daffodils, clary sage and rosewood, it is both botanical and modern. 100ml/SGD192 LOUIS VUITTON Météore Mandarin from Sicily; black, pink and Sichuan peppers; and vetiver from Java Island—all combine to leave behind a fascinating trace with a flaming sting. It is a…

NAME Theo Chen PROFESSION Playwright and performer The “What I’ve Learned” section was a popular column in Esquire’s publishing history. Back under David Granger’s tenure as Editorin-Chief of American Esquire, Cal Fussman mostly took up the reins of the “What I’ve Learned” section. Subjects profiled range from athletes to actors to musicians—across the spectrum of the human race—each one of them provide an insight into a life lived. We adopted the “What I’ve Learned” section for the local publication of Esquire and over the years as we collected these words of wisdom we wondered what else have they learned since? No one lives in situ; the years will weather and circumstances will alter the fabric of who you are. Here, we’ve revisited some of our profiles from the early days…

The day after Robert Aaron Long killed six Asian women as they were working at a series of massage parlours in Atlanta, Georgia, I spent the day thinking of my mother. She is a nail technician, a different kind of care worker. But like massage workers, she tended to people’s bodies. Cutting, buffing, filing, polishing. I grew up familiar with the smell of acetone. I eavesdropped on the women in her salon speaking to one another in Vietnamese while massaging the feet of wealthy white women. I imagined what would have happened if Long entered my mother’s salon, looking for more businesses where Asian women worked, and shot up the place. The glass decals shattering, the leather seats punctured by bullets, water from the pedicure fountains spraying all over the…