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. 

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.

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!

OLD & NEW

Guys, it's not all about side shaved hair these days. Long, waxy hair is da shit! And with that ol' school beret and even ol' school glasses, I'm in love with Ahmad's style.

I was at Paul Smith's Spring/Summer 2013 shop launch last week where I met Ahmed who works as the flagship store's sales assistant. I know it's expected that his clothes are all sponsored from hat to toe (except for his accessories), and looking so awesomely preppy and cool is part of his job (he has two looks a year and gets to keep all of them!), I would very much consider a career change.



So you are entitled to Paul Smith's goodies but how do you stand out from your counterparts? Or so, turning the brand's signature into something of your own? Ahmad's hair, glasses and wrist accessories make all the difference. Berets have such a long history (worn since the Bronze Age) and Ahmad pairs the traditional headwear with his modern clothing so well, it looks relevant even today.

Style Tip: For a casual yet preppy look, wear the unexpected beret and never forget your ol' school glasses.

I am very intrigued by his skull bracelet. Ahmad managed to score a deal (at a very very VERY affordable price) at eBay! Never have I thought that eBay would be a fashion haven but better late then never right?



Here's the roundup: Beret, shirt, pants and shoes are all from Paul Smith, glasses from Haji Lane, skull bracelet from eBay and Balenciaga leather bracelet.

Off to eBay!

BASIC SPACE

I like Jamie. I like her vibe. I like her style. I like what she does - she is half the brainchild of Singaporean unisex label, 20:TWOTHREE and part of the barbering/creative team of Heist.

I first met Jamie at Zouk's Flea more than a year ago. I like how she creates two different seasonal looks thou wearing the same sheer skirt. Black may be Jamie's wardrobe staple but she still explores other styles by matching it with a variety of prints and textures. 

Style Tip: If you must have something black in your ootd, the best way to freshen it up is to add something of a unique print or texture or colour to your ensemble. 

Let's go back to her Fall look. Jamie prefers to go clean and edgy with the essentials such as her structured sling bag and wears no accessories of any sort. I'm a big fan of her oversized coat. It has a very soft and interesting layering at the back (very versatile!) and it looks great on guys too!

Here's the roundup: 20:TWOTHREE coat, thrifted skirt and bag, Cheap Monday shoes, socks from Japan.

BLACK, YOU'RE OUT.

Singapore is indeed a super tiny city filled with loads and loads of people. Running into your ex (or exs), colleagues, school mates, and acquaintances in town, a.k.a. Orchard Road happens all the time. So bumping into one of my street style subjects is like reuniting with an old friend!

The last time I met him was a year ago at the same place, Mandarin Gallery. You know what, there must be some sort of telepathy between us, I'm sure! But I still can't believe I didn't get his name, hence for now, I shall call him Mr. Lecturer.

I must say, sporting an outfit without black is not easy. You can't go wrong with black since it's a very safe colour that goes well with everything. So (almost) everybody wears something black all the time. I love how Mr. Lecturer does it without going overboard. He matches his printed shirt with a pair of military green pants.

Style Tip: A great way to tone down your printed top is to wear it with any plain-coloured bottom or vice versa.

If you take a closer look at Mr. Lecturer's shirt, you can spot his cute yellow zipper pocket. I don't know what I would put inside but it sure looks great! He's also one of the few guys who can pull off a guy's tote without looking too feminine. Now look at his sandals. The colour is amazing! I would never thought a traditional monk sandal can look this modern. Thumbs up!



Here's the roundup: HBNS shirt, Goyard bag, Zara pants, Bottega Veneta belt, Issue sandals and Rolex watch.

SHAKE IT UP!

I'm a fan of black. Well, who isn't? Black is the easiest and most flattering colour for everyone. But even I get sick of an all black outfit sometimes. More often than not, it reminds me of the backstage crew, dressers, ushers, bartenders... you get what I mean? The next time when you look into the mirror and spot a backstage crew lookalike, why not shake it up a little? By that, I don't mean you have to reset your whole styling process, but select one item (top, bottom, bag, shoes or earrings) and replace it with something of a different colour, print or texture like a knitted sweater. Believe me, it freshens up your entire outfit. Look at Miranda.



This is what I'm talking about! Miranda is the editor-in-chief of PoachedMag, a lifestyle news and events site based in Singapore. Instead of a full monochrome look, Miranda opted for a vintage printed skirt that looks simply amazing (it's from her Mum btw). I like how she paired it with the unexpected hardware necklace - hard vs soft. And especially the way she mixes luxury brands with high street favourites. Who says you can't rock a pair of Dr. Martens boots and Prada bag at the same time?



Here's the roundup: Sweater, H&M; Necklace, Topshop; Skirt, Vintage Arthur Yen; Bag, Prada; Shoes, Dr. Martens.

RAD RED GIRL

Red top, red jacket, red bag, red shoes and red socks, Issa's look is red hot like fire! I first met Issa at an event two years back and shot her for a freelance street style feature. I knew I had to meet Issa again to share with you one of her outfits and more importantly, the details that summed it all up.

The lead designer of local lingerie line Les Affaires and a style blogger, Issa not only has an eye for styling but loves to mix luxury brands with high street and travel finds. I like how she balances her red pieces with a striking printed pencil skirt - perfect to prevent a colour overload. With such a bold outfit, Issa chose to wear silver accessories to torn it down a little. Great investment on silver pieces I say, they are classic and so versatile. 

Check out her Comme des Garçons manicure! Thou I may not be a crazy nail art girl (I'm so addicted to peeling them off you won't see mine last for a week) but this is super cute and I would do whatever it takes to make sure my hearts are in perfect condition. 

Here's a roundup: Shades, from Taiwan; Jacket, from online; Top, Kenzo; Skirt, from Korea; Bag, Balenciaga; Bracelets, Hermès H bracelet, other two from Far East Plaza; Manicure, Nails Paradise;  Shoes, Dolce Vita. 

TAKE A BOW

Ribbon bow ties are super rare to spot on the streets, especially in Singapore. But in Japan, school girls everywhere wear all kinds of ribbon bow ties ranging from the short Sailormoon-like to slim long ones, just like what Venetia (who also blogs at Fashion On Your Feet) is wearing. I'm not referring to those cute little ones most guys wear for the preppy look, these are more elaborated pieces with no standard shapes and sizes. They are usually slightly larger, oversized and easily tied using ribbons of varying colours and designs. It's amazing how I managed to spot three guys wearing three different types of ribbon bow ties but unfortunately, none of them are Singaporeans.

I like how Venetia adds prints and textures to her classic black and white look. Her H&M blouse has a feminine yet subtle floral print while her Preen for Aldo Rise graphic peep-toe booties is like a walking piece of art (don't forget your pedicures!). Leather shorts and clutch are great for matching as well. Topping it off, Venetia ties a braid on her fringe. Small details do count to look extra stylish!

Venetia wears bow tie and shorts from Topshop, blouse from H&M, blazer from The Scarlet Room, clutch from Korea and shoes from Preen for Aldo Rise. 

I personally own a black ribbon bow tie and I got it from a gift - it was used as a ribbon for the gift box  How's that for saving an extra buck?