Taking Cover

Asri wouldn’t be caught dead without outerwear, even though he admits that it can be a bit ridiculous for Singapore’s climate. “My style is very simple, and what I play up is my outerwear. For example, a statement jacket with everything else kept clean. Otherwise, I feel like my outfit would look very plain.” Asri’s been in the fashion industry for approximately five years now, and tells us that while it might appear to be glamorous to outsiders, that couldn’t be further from the truth. “There’s a lot of grunt work to be done, especially when you’re just starting out.” Speaking from personal experience, he gives this piece of advice to anyone thinking of joining the industry: “You have to be open-minded, and open to criticism, because you might think you know everything, but there’s much more to learn from your mentors and seniors,” he says. “Fashion is very subjective anyway, so try not to take things personally.” Asri likes that his job allows him to make people look good, educate readers and meet a lot of interesting people; one person that stands out in his memory is K-Pop star Jay Park, whom Asri and his team photographed for a cover. “It was cool to see how big his entourage was, and he had a lot of assistants, so it was interesting to see him interacting with them. But, at the same time, there were no airs about him.”