Are we lacking spaces that allow for the expression of individuality and craft, or are we just not looking hard enough? It is often tempting to espouse the notion that creativity is stifled when pursuing the unconventional. Sure, there are barriers to break, but when has that stopped anyone who has truly desired to have their voices heard? Though we are no strangers to the celebration of foreign artists, musicians and athletes, it is no secret that local talent is more often treated with a dismissive levity save for the once-in-a-lifetime achievement on a global scale.
Pictured above: (On Korine) Boots, skirt, necklace, Korine’s own; (On DZAK) Tank top, DZAK’s own; (On Israfil) Necklace, Israfil’s own; (On Lila) Gloves, Stylist’s own; Sneakers, Lila’s own; (On Matthias) Ring, socks, boots, Matthias’ own; (On Charlene) Rings, Charlene’s own; all clothing and accessories, unless stated, Loewe
Facing boundaries that may feel unsurmountable and a public that can appear to be untuned to their craft, it is from this purportedly untended garden that sprouts of individuality become that much more worthy of attention. Paying homage to those who came before and the paths paved for them, the youth tread a precarious road between vying for greater exposure and remaining humble under the spotlight. They have committed to going against the grain and sharing their distinct perspectives through multidisciplinary mediums, including social media, the creative arts, music and sports.
Clockwise from left to right: (On Korine) Boots, skirt, necklace, Korine’s own; (On DZAK) Tanktop, DZAK’s own; (On Israfil) Necklace, Israfil’s own; (On Lila) Gloves, Stylist’s own; Sneakers, Lila’s own; (On Matthias) Ring, socks, boots, Matthias’ own; (On Charlene) Rings, Charlene’s own; all clothing and accessories, unless stated, Loewe
Funnily enough, the “chronically online” quips may hold truth when we consider how pointedly aware we have become of the spheres that our communities lag — whether in terms of culture, creative endeavours or international achievements. However, this has spurred some individuals to prove their mettle not just on behalf of their nation but for themselves as well. They emerge inspired, not just as citizens of their native homeland but also as members of a global internet “nation” — to fly a flag of their own making. For them, “home” exists as an identity marker rather than a category to represent for representation’s sake.
In this manner, Men’s Folio calls on twelve Singaporean youth to consider their experiences pushing the envelope in their respective crafts and to ponder, “How does the notion of home — conceptually, emotionally or spatially — contribute to your craft?”
Charlene Ho, Content Creator, 25
Blouse, Cecilie Bahnsen via Club21; Rings, Charlene’s own
The people of Singapore inspire me. I’m a huge people watcher. Recently, I’ve become comfortable eating by myself. I’ve found that it’s very beautiful to do that, and I encourage everyone to try it. It’s so interesting eating by myself and observing the people around me because I see and notice things that I wouldn’t if I were on my phone or talking to someone else. I do like the solitude I experience. A lot of the observations I see around me are content points for my TikTok or what I talk about with my friends, too, but they’re always with a spirit of curiosity.
Thiruben S/O Thana Rajan, National Athlete
Sweater, Simone Rocha via Club21; Necklace, Thiruben’s own
To me, home is what I feel is my true calling and passion in life. Of course, one of my biggest passions would be to do well in my athletics career and push myself to the fullest potential. But I also want to be more than that. I also want to create something that fits my vision — maybe one day I want to have my own sports business — to have something I can call my own. That feeling makes me feel like home because I am chasing something that feels true to me.
Abielle Yeo, National Water Polo Athlete, 26
Vest, Self-Portrait via Club21
Being a Singaporean athlete and coming from a background where results are always a big thing can definitely be scary but also gratifying to push for results. Taking an untraditional path requires a lot of support — which we’re very lucky to receive — not just from the public of Singapore but also from our family, friends, and even people at work. For my work life, it is a retail business at the end of the day. Understanding Singapore’s fashion industry, scene, and style is very important. Singaporeans have a unique way of expressing themselves, so we’re always taking note of and appreciative of this.
Matthias Selvam, Video Director, 23
Sweater,ALÉMAIS via Club21; Ring, Matthias’ own
I normally go to places of inspiration and then head to places of work. I think it’s very important to have reference points of inspiration. Personally, I like the outdoors and the beach; I like going on hikes, and I try to travel a bit more and get places of inspiration. That allows me to carry that kind of attitude and energy into places. I believe a lot in energy and in how you carry yourself. It’s not easy to find in Singapore, so you have to be intentional about it. I once went to Lazarus Island, and I like the idea that it’s secluded; I feel inspired knowing it allows you to breathe. As tacky as it may be, it clears your mind because Singapore can be very cluttered, but you need to find your place to breathe.
Shye, Artiste and Music Producer, 22
Shirt, Andersson Bell via Club21; Dress, Molly Goddard via Dover Street Market Singapore
For me, home is not a house. Growing up, I moved around a lot, so I don’t necessarily call any specific part of Singapore my home except the country itself. Due to my line of work, my music production is all home-based, so anywhere I can write and record or produce is somewhat of a home because I find a lot of comfort in my music and songwriting. Anywhere that I feel safe, I would regard it as a home. I usually book jamming studios to rehearse whenever I have upcoming live shows. The jamming studio changes depending on availability; my go-to was called 4th Wall, but right now, it’s another called Tumbleweed, opened by two of my friends. I am drawn to these places because live shows are very important to me and my career. Plus, supporting friends is always a good thing; they’ve supported me from the very beginning of my career, so the easiest thing I can do is support them by using their space. It works for both of us, they get paid and I have fun and can work.
Lila Tan, Footballer and Model
T-shirt, Heaven by Marc Jacobs via Dover Street Market Singapore
Allowing myself to be part of something special, like playing for my country, is such a prideful thing to be able to wear the flag on my chest. It inspires me to do better; it inspires me to fight for my country in a way. It’s definitely the people, like my dad. He’s Singaporean, and he always supports me through football, as well as my mum and my siblings. It’s a very special experience to be able to represent myself as both an athlete and a model. I love to have this platform and this opportunity to hopefully inspire people to just do what they want and not to feel like they have to categorise themselves.
Korine Tay, GODKORINE, DJ & Musician, 20
T-shirt, Acne Studios via Dover Street Market Singapore; Necklace, Korine’s own
Home is, to me, the friends that surround me. Being trans in Singapore, it can be hard to find safe spaces, at least for now, but I’d say my friends are my safe spaces. I can be myself and do what I want. I got started by playing at my friends’ house parties. That’s the first safe space where I got to practise and be surrounded by people who support me. I started playing more publicly when Endless Return reached out to me. I guess that was another official starting ground for me. I also have this group of friends who live in this really big house in the east with a DJ setup, speakers, and everything. I always go there to practise and hang out, and I feel like that’s my ground.
Dzak, Musician, Designer & Barber, 24
Polo t-shirt, shirt; Thom Browne via Club21; Earring, Dzak’s own
To me, home is energy — energy that reciprocates. There are many places that I call home. I work in a barbershop, and I’ve worked in many, but there is a lot of energy that bounces off the walls in Grease Monkey, the current one I’m working in. For some reason, that feels right; it feels like home. Another place I feel the most connected to is a studio that I usually go to, located in Geylang, Lorong 39. I spent most of my adolescence there, and I think most of my craft, especially music, flourished and developed from that area. The place has evolved into an enclave of creativity, and it’s a place that is very intimate but, at the same time, very important to me. It used to be just one tenant, who was a friend, but eventually, the entire unit was occupied by friends making music and videos, and it became a multidisciplinary enclave when there was no intent to. It seemed convenient for a lot of people and very natural, and everyone just gravitated toward each other.
Israfil Ridhwan, Artist
Cardigan, Molly Goddard via Dover Street Market Singapore; Necklace, earring; Israfil’s own
I feel I have to push the boundaries a bit more to do a little bit of a protest in my art. Singapore is a really good starting ground for making a bit of noise. It’s bad to compare, but when I compare the art scene here to that of Europe or the US, it makes me feel like I want to do more for Singapore, especially. If they can do it, why can’t we? Art is liberal in the sense that you can do anything you want, and I hope that whatever I create will stay in Singapore and become part of the history of art here because it’s ongoing. I’m still trying to figure out how I fit in the narrative, but slowly I’ve been trying to accept that there are ways of shedding light.
Anna Du Toit, Creative Designer & Artist, 23
Blouse, Molly Goddard via Dover Street Market Singapore
When I went to the UK, that was the first time that I really felt I had a group of people who understood my craft and pushed me to experiment within my practice. I was a bit afraid that I wouldn’t have that circle when I returned to Singapore. But since I’ve come back, I’ve been very fortunate to find two jobs that have also pushed me to go against many of my previous creative thinking and try different things. They gave me the creative freedom to explore, which is quite rare for many jobs nowadays. So there’s been situations where she’d say, “Okay, we want a sculpture outside the store”, because I work for Rye, and then we’d think about it, and I’d spitball ideas and suggest “, Why don’t we make a lamp?”. In most situations, people would be worried about budget constraints, and usually, your idea gets flushed away. But my boss, Bessie, who is super cool, said, “Yeah, just do it. Go and make that lamp.” It’s the same as my other job. Being able to just do what you want and still being paid for it and recognised for it is very rare, so I think that’s where I really feel comfortable, and I didn’t expect that when I came back.
Josh Makazo, Singer-Songwriter and Music Producer, 21
acket, ADSB Andersson Bell via Club21
I produce all of my music, and I record everything myself. That’s actually in my basement. It’s very secluded. I feel very isolated and alone, but to me, that’s not a bad thing. I think for a musician you have to be retrospective, you have to reflect. Having that time for myself is essential for writing music. I live all the way up north, which is very far away from all the events and shows I need to do, and it’s sort of an escape, actually, to get away from the busyness of the world. The other studio I frequent, Homeground Studios, is in the east, where my community is located. Not only do they teach me production values, production techniques and how I can master my craft, but also how I can master myself. I tend to overlook that in the past, but my mentors have taught me to embrace it. Together with Jason Gelchen, I co-founded No Saints Allowed, a label I’ve been releasing music under ever since.
Claudia Koh, Artist
Jacket, Loewe; Earring, grills, Claudia’s own
Being a Southeast Asian female painter, especially coming from Singapore is very special to me. Focusing on self-portraits is very empowering because I grew up in a more conservative society. The female nude is not always a common topic. There’s a lot of power that can come from depicting the female nude, let alone yourself. I think it is very liberating to look at yourself in that way. I think it’s beautiful that I can morph myself into anything I want in my paintings. I could resemble a frog or different environments, allowing me to make myself more comfortable. I can take as much space as I want within my paintings if I can’t in real life. That has been very therapeutic for me. That is what self-portrait means to me.
Photography Zantz Han, shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max
Creative Direction Izwan Abdullah
Interview Jon-Patric De Mello
Styling Manfred Lu & Vanessa Grace Ng
Grooming Sha Shamsi and Niki Lee | Makeupartist.inc Hair Grego
Production Assistant Charmaine Tan
Photography Assistant Michelle Yap
