LIPS & LASHES

Forget what you see on the runway, let's talk about good ol' makeup on the everyday women = me and you. After a lil' bit of foundation and powder, the first (and sometimes the only) area I focus on is my eyes. When I run out of time, I would apply a dash of eye liner and off I go. BORRRING. 

I've started to appreciate makeup more (finally) and I realised that I haven't been making use of two underrated areas - lips and lashes. Even in small amounts, they make a whole lot of difference on your face. 

The first thing that men notice on women is their lips and in red. No, I ain't gonna teach you about attracting men but this is a sign. Our lips is something we should take good care of. With all that talking, smiling and laughing in a conversation, adding a sweet shade of red will definitely do you more good. 

I like Lancôme's Rouge In Love lipstick range. It has a gentle scent and feels very smooth and light. The range has 27 different shades in total and this bright Rose Boudoir colour is perfect for a casual dayout. It certainly makes your lips pop! I like the clean and silver casing that has a tight closure that 'clicks'. I don't have to worry about my lipstick cap falling off and ruining the insides of my bag anymore! 

Another thing I've learned is that eye liner isn't enough for your eyes. It's great to define your eyes but with a closer look, your lashes are down and your eyed slightly covered. 

I like my lashes to be thick and long. I use Hypnôse Star Waterproof mascara (also from Lancôme). One cool feature the mascara has is two flat and two oblique sides. The flat side is great for coating and the oblique awesome for making your lashes decently long. It's also very easy to change to the different sides while applying. 

I'm not saying you have to apply the lipstick and mascara early in the day. But they have a  permanent spot in my bag, ready to touch up my exhausted face after a day at work. Yes, especially for a night out with my girlzzz! You should too!

HIGH CONTRAST

My t-shirt frenzy is far from over, so is my obsession with purple hair. I'm a proud owner of a local designed t-shirt by illustrator Mojoko and of course, my gradual toned purple hair, see those bright purp ends? I think they look much better then dip dyed. It's more natural since my inner layer of hair is lighter instead of just my ends. Okay! Enough about those two. Here's something new: my shades, a.k.a the two tone SXUC Bruno Black 2023 from Australian e-tailer Sunglasses Shop. Black vs white = love. 

Mixing prints can really go haywire sometimes, you know, OOT. What I did here was matching a unique print (top) with a geometrical pattern (bottom), keeping a simple colour palette of black and white (see: sunnies) with a little purple, of course! You can go vice versa too but since the unique print looks heavier, I'd keep it at the top. Print vs pattern = love also! Finally, one must not left out my new Dr. Martens badass heels!

Here's the roundup: SXUC sunglasses, kult Unbreakable's Warrior Tee, Zalora skirt, Issey Miyake clutch and Dr Martens heels. 

The moment you've been waiting for, my virgin SHADES giveaway! Get ready to own this pair of extremely versatile SXUC Bruno Black 2023 (worth S$31) by:

1) Liking Sunglasses Shop here and
2) Leaving the comment, 'I <3 Sunglasses Shop! #VWgiveaway at www.vionawang.com'

This is as easy as it gets (coz you know, me loves you) so no excuses not to take part. Contest ends on 18th Apr and is open to all my readers. Yes, every single one of you no matter where you're reading this!

Stay tuned for my winner announcement on my Facebook Page. 'Like' if you haven't!

Psst! Sunglasses Shop sells designer brands like Ray-Ban, Prada Sport and loads more. :)

LUISA FIETTA

There I was, sitting in front of the general manager of Pedder Red, Luisa Fietta, holding onto my smartphone with the voice recorder. We were at the corner of On Pedder's flagship store at Scotts Square overlooking Orchard Road. Before you get to know this amazing lady, let's rewind a few minutes. 

It was press day at On Pedder and we were introduced the latest shoes, bags and accessories (which I will be sharing my favs with you soon). I haven't met LuisaFietta yet. Then, as we were ushered to Pedder Red's 'Let's Gold' collection, the amiable Fietta appeared and boy was I captivated by her presence. If you are reading this, Luisa, pardon me for being slightly distracted. 

This was what happened in my head, 'I love her style! I must photograph her and share it with my readers! How should I do it? Should I ask her directly? But I may seem a bit too freaky and unprofessional. How about Marie (marketing and communications consultant)? Okay! I'll ask Marie later.' Yes, I had a spurt of adrenaline rush and that was just a small excerpt of the impromptu meeting with myself. 

It was Fietta's energy and vibe that I admire. She's stylish, super down-to-earth and talking to her feels just like catching up with an old friend. So here she is!

I love your hairstyle.

I cut it myself actually. (I literally went, WWWHAT?!) I just cut the sides, keeping front part long so that I can have two different ways of wearing it. Sometimes I will roll my fringe up, sometimes it's down. I'm inspired by Alice Dellal. I shaved my sides before too but it didn't look as good. 

How did you start working in fashion? 

I'm originally from Italy and I studied accounting and finance mainly because my parents feel that it's the safer way to go. I went to work in sales for Diesel right after my studies and spent three years there before moving to their Hong Kong office. Then, I decided to study nutrition in a Hong Kong university before joining the Pedder Group. It has been a year now. 

How many tattoos do you have? 

Lots. They are all on my arms. I like nature and flowers. *started unbuttoning her sleeves to reveal her tattoos* This is peach blossoms. Always need to be surrounded by flowers. 

When did you first get your tattoo? 

My first got it when I gave birth to my daughter. It's her name. 

Why do you like tattoos so much? 

It's an expression. There are several ways of expressing yourself. I have strong feelings for my daughter and I like to imprint something visible so it feel more real. My peach blossoms tattoo is an expression of freedom, about rebirth. Peach blossoms are slightly bigger than cherry blossoms and they only blossom for two weeks. In Japanese tradition, it teaches you to embrace the beauty and appreciate what you have cos' sometimes, it goes away very fast.  Just like childhood memories. My roses (tattoo) is about passion. I am passionate in everything I do. I love drawing. Even when I was a child, I draw everything. I like art on my body. 

Do you speak Cantonese?

Xiu xiu (means very little)! Hong Kong is very much like Singapore, everybody speaks English there. My colleagues are always surprised to hear my speak Cantonese. I've spent 13 years in Hong Kong and have learned to understand it better. I don't know Mandarin thou. But my daughter does. 

How old is your daughter?

She's four years old and her name is Viola. She was born in Hong Kong and she speaks Mandarin very fluently. 

Tell me about your style. 

Women now play important roles in the society and they like to feel strong yet feminine. I like a good mix of hard vs soft, masculine vs feminine. And a bit of rock 'n' roll. 

What are you wearing today?

My glasses are Alexander McQueen and my necklace is by Ela Stone. The necklace is perfect: not too shiny and has a clever use of chain and leaves. I love to collect vintage accessories, especially necklaces and glasses from 40s and 50s. 

What is the most valuable vintage item you have?

It's a pair of glasses from 1960s, made of real gold. I bought it from an old vintage shop in London, England. It has thin round frames. Very cool. I don't buy secondhand. I buy old stock that nobody wants to buy so I get to buy all those pieces at their original price sold in the 60s. Some cost about S$100 - 200. (!!!!!) I find really good vintage stuff such as glasses and sunglasses from Germany, London, Australia, both sunglasses and glasses. I like old way of jewelry making. 

How different is tradition way of jewelry making?

It's of higher quality because they are handmade. The makers pay a lot of attention to details, especially the closure. It's perfect. Sadly, they don't have time to focus on this now. 

What do you like about Singapore?

I really like the peacefulness here, especially when you exit from the airport. First of all the cabs are clean, drivers are nice and the road lined with trees are amazing. The big streets and trees are very different from Hong Kong. All the wide streets don't exist in Hong Kong. People here are very friendly. I love it! The trees and weather here make me happy. 

Luisa made me realise something I didn't know about Singapore. Come to think about it, the long straight road towards to airport is the indeed very calming and beautiful. 

GIRLS RULE

Diane von Furstenburg is the Queen of Print and Roxy is the Queen of Surf. And when the two Queens combined (channeling Captain Planet), you know what you're gonna get - the Queen of Beach Prints! And more commonly known as the DVF Loves ROXY collection. 

Although I have yet to fulfill my dream of being a surfer gal (I've been planning for a surf-vacay in Australia for years, only succumbed to procrastination. #shootmyself), DVF Loves ROXY's bikinis (S$79 for a top and S$69 for a bottom), beach shorts, bags and cover-ups are enough to make me inspired all over again. 

DVF's choice of colours and, geometrical and natural shapes used to create the prints hit all the right notes of Roxy's sporty and energetic girl. My personal favourites are the black and white Roxy Maze print (shorts below). Love the playful take on depicting the waves, beach, and the sea filled with Roxy's signature hearts. And of course, the multi-coloured graphic Hopscotch Multi print here with just the perfect amount of shapes and pastel colours. 

Also on going is the Roxy 'DARE YOURSELF' contest, a global search for the quintessential Roxy girl! No matter where you're from, if you're a girl who's adventurous and is reading this, be sure to sign yourself up. Registration ends tomorrow, 28 March so hurry!

ARMY DAZE

Here's something I love about street style photography: You never know who you're going to meet. The unpredictability does make the process more difficult but at the same time it's more fun and spontaneous. 

Jeremy is the tallest person I've met so far. I didn't ask him about his height but he's at least 1.90m tall. An army regular, he sure has a cool sense of style which sets himself apart from his mates. It may be Jeremy's tall physique that allows him (to be the one and only guy) who can pull off drapes, studs and harem pants simply because wearing all of 'em together can easily be too much for somebody other than him. 

Long sleeves and drapes at the collar doesn't seem too comfy for us, Singaporeans. But Jeremy said his top doesn't make him feel warm at all. The material is pretty thin indeed! Plus, it has just the right amount of drape with an asymmetrical opening at the front. There's certainly a lot of thought put into designing this top. 

Style Tip: For guys to look good in drapes, pair it with utilitarian pants and shoes so that your outfit has a balance of masculine vs (a little bit of) feminine. 

Here's the roundup: top from Malaysia City Square, pants and watch (yes, it's a watch!) from Bugis, and Lonsdale shoes.

GREAT EYE DEER

How often do you see collections inspired by something so close to us that we seldom notice its beauty? (Eye) mean floral, nature, aquatic life, fruits and vegetables are so overused in fashion these days, it's hard for designers to keep surprising us with great design (eye)deas, don't you think? But eyeballs? That is just dope! Also, dope = Dr. Martens' second capsule collab with model Agyness Deyn. 

My favourite has got to be the Eyeball Bag above. It's amazing how four circles of different sizes and colours can be used to create the most coveted bag in the collection. Trust me. All the bloggers and editors at the media preview were diggin' it!

Eyeballs are clever alternatives to the common polka dot print. Somehow (eye) feel that eyeballs add a new dimension to the usual 2D pattern even though it's actually two dimensional. It plays with the fact that eyeballs are indeed 3D in real life. The funny thing about it is since the eyeballs aren't covered with eyelids, (eye) can't help but feel slightly wozzy having so many eyes staring straight at me.



Inserting eyeballs everywhere may seem a little trying-too-hard but in this collection, (eye) like the subtle details where eyeballs are used especially the zip details (part of the Denim Biker Jacket). You'll find yourself buttoning up eyeballs too!



Eyeballs as boobies? (Eye)'m sure it will look great and enhance your lovelies only if yours fall nicely in place with the eyeballs. Otherwise, it will look a bit off. Would I wear it? YES! (if they fit nicely, of course)

The collection isn't all about eyeballs, really (even though (eye) wish they have eyeball-printed boots). Be sure to check out the entire collection which includes heart-shaped leather bag, bow sandals, knitted jumpers and more here. Prices included!

PAUL'S POODLE

By now, you would have realised I'm a huge fan of Paul Smith. But I'm not Paul's Poodle (the cute mixed breed above is). Having met the designer, Sir Paul Smith himself last year (the thought of taking a photo of him staring straight at me still gives me goosebumps!), shared with you about his work and even the non-fashion related store décor (I want every single one of them), I can officially declare that I've almost traveled a full fashion circle. Your truly is still saving up (more like contemplating a new plan) to own one of Paul Smith's designs and possibly go on a lunch date with him.

No, I'm not sucking up to international brands just because I was invited to view the collection whatsoever. The truth is, I love the world Paul Smith has created. Living in his world is luxurious yet fun and witty with a touch of fantasy.

So there I was, back in Paul Smith's fantasy land, a.k.a. the flagship store at Mandarin Gallery, in search of my favourites from his Spring/Summer 2013 collection. Of course, I've gotten the prices for you, just so you can shop away and complete the Paul Smith's fashion circle pour moi.



1.Long Sleeve Shirt with Red Floral Prints (S$540) - For those who can't get enough of white shirts (me), here's one with a peekaboo floral print to amp up your OL image.



2. Mixed Lace Top (S$1940) - This ain't just a showcase of cut-and-paste. I love the interesting textures created with a variety of lace and how weather appropriate it is.



3. Long Sleeve Cotton Shirt in Polka Dots with Rose Hem (S$410) - You've got the peekaboo white shirt for the ladies, here's a peekaboo one for the gents. I know this is menswear but I'm gonna wear it anyway. 



4. Seagal Perforated Lace Up Shoe in Buffalo Leather (S$650) - How awesome is this pair of oxfords? The punched out polka dots are both cool and practical.



5. Dressed Skull Key Ring (S$210) - Skulls aren't just dead. Sometimes, they head out to the beach and have loads of fun!



6. Assorted Handkerchiefs (from S$70) - I have a thing for guys who have a handkerchief in their shirt pocket and I love photography, so these are just brilliant. 



7. Assorted Mens Leather Belts (from S$180) - I know, I know they are for men but who cares, really?



8. Assorted Mens Silk Ties (from S$170) - My Dad has a specific taste for ties. He only wears those with geometric patterns that are made of basic shapes, covering the background of the tie. Can you spot them?



Till next time, Paul Smith!

ELECTRIC DREAM

Neon! Your colour so bright it doesn't even matter how hard you try. (In case you're wondering, I'm channeling Linkin Park's 'In The End') You won't be missed in a crowd. In actual fact, you get all the attention you want: good or bad? It doesn't matter, does it?

Neon coloured clothing is very tricky to play with. It's a hit or miss. And that's two extreme ends of the style spectrum where only the adventurous can take on. Then comes a refreshing colour-combi: neon yellow and red. Who knew it could be a perfect match. I never thought the two colours will go so well together until I bumped into Pia.

Pia, Central Saint Martens undergraduate, half of womenswear label, SWITCH, intern-to-be of haute couture line, On Aura Tout Vu, has LOADS under her fashion belt. She's also our local street style star known for her eclectic and unexpected ootds, not forgetting her ever-changing hairstyles. Spiked, shaved, bangs, bob, green, blonde, name it, Pia has it. 

In this ootd in particular, the limelight is on her quirky neon yellow tee for sure. Its round neckline may look slightly casual but Pia amped it up by drawing eyes to her bob haircut and statement earrings. Keeping the colour-blocking to three colours - neon yellow, red and white - is great (or rather, just nice) for her ensemble without going overboard. 

Style Tip: Add glamour to your casual tee by pairing it with either statement earrings (preferably for short hair) or necklace (long hair), not both. 

Here's the roundup: Top from Korea, Topshop earrings, Zara pants, Celine bad and shoes from online.

Follow Pia and her ootds on Instagram at @piajacqueline.

Psst! If you're a McQueen fan like me, you're in for a treat!

URBAN FIGHTER

You must be wondering what is this sad looking figurine with a beaten oversized box head and bandaged body. Say Hello! to Tau-Pok King. Tau-pok is the beancurd with a brown wrinkled skin that is commonly found in your favourite laksa but unlike the rest of the tau-poks out there, Tau-Pok King - Deep fried countless times, a True Survivor - is created by Mighty Jaxx and Daniel Yu exclusively for Kult's latest creative project, Unbreakable.

An extension of Kult Magazine's tenth issue (also themed unbreakable), Unbreakable is a range of streetwear, artworks and products (you can buy Tau-Pok King at S$50) created with designs in collaborations with local and international artists.

Kult's social message is clear: highlighting the youths of today, who are often 'depressed, demotivated, and generally confused about life and their future.'



'From the moment we are born, we are faced with pressures and challenges. It's an ongoing battle. Pressure is what moulds us and shapes us into the person we are. To get through it all - and to come out the other side - takes grit, backbone and determination.'

I'm grateful that our generation is spared the tragedy of world wars but in the modern times now, we are faced with a completely different set of problems. We are so sheltered we lose our confidence easily and some are deprived of the drive to achieve greatness. We need a wake up call (or more like 'You better wake up your idea!') for a change of attitude, to be able to dare to dream and fight for the change we want in our society. Big words and dreams indeed. But big things do start small, just like Unbreakable.



Be sure to look out for this larger than life Unbreakable hand sign (hard to miss!), part of their pop up shop, at multi-label boutique Blackmarket. This particular hand sign, drawn by Singaporean artist Russell Ong, was also featured the issue's front cover. I would have never imagine turning illustrations into life size work of art but it's such a dope idea. Don't you think it makes illustrations more alive with greater impact than their original 2D form?



To make limited edition wearable art is one thing (you've got three unisex tees, one dress and one top to choose from in Unbreakable's first collection. Be sure to keep a lookout for their second installment here) but making it unbearably desirable is another. I'm referring to the black aluminium case that comes together with every purchase. Its cover embossed with Kittozutto's 'wired' interpretation of the theme definitely makes it a collector's item. I shall leave it to you to find out!



One does not simply leave you awesome readers with nothing eh? Thanks to the awesome folks of Kult, I'm giving away three of my favourite t-shirt design from the collection - Warrior Tee by Mojoko (S$50)! I can get lost just by looking at all the different types of warriors featured in the black and white collage. That includes really random ones such as a cute unicorn and the main character of the classical Chinese epic novel, Journey to the West, Monkey God, a.k.a. 孙悟空 (Sun Wukong).

All you have to do is to follow these steps:

1) Head down to the Unbreakable pop up shop at Blackmarket (hint: Orchard Central Level 2)

2) Put together an outfit, wearing one of the Unbreakable tees (be sure to bring along your own stash of skirt, pants or shorts coz there ain't many in stores)

3) Take a selfie in the dressing room and make sure your entire outfit from head to toe can be seen like what I did below:



Lastly, 4) Share it on Instagram with tags @unbreakablesg and #VWlovesKult by 7pm on 31st March. (which is also the last day of Unbreakable pop up shop!)

Three winners with the best looks will be announced by Kult two days after. Size request subject to availability. Only 50 tees are produced so hurry down to Blackmarket now!

Here's the roundup: Frill dress (worn as skirt) by blackheart, iPending necklace, thirtyfour clutch and Design&Play crimson tanned leather oxford - all available at Blackmarket.