Somewhere Out There

Nathalie is deliberate in her choice of clothes and style; she tends to stick to a particular colour scheme each day, and gravitates towards a very muted aesthetic. “It’s all about light coloured hues paired with primary blacks, whites, and greys. Especially grey. I love grey,” she says. “I appreciate that whole nonchalant look.” She usually looks at brands like Céline for silhouette inspiration, but when she finds herself in a dressier mode, she finds her cues from brands such as Elie Saab. “I feel like you can tell that so much effort and pure craft has been invested in each intricate design,” she says. “I do subscribe to the view that what you wear can change how you feel. Dressing for work is basically the most fun I have in the morning!” Nathalie is currently reading law in Oxford, and says that while she had considered studying philosophy or literature when she was younger, she realised that she had to be more realistic in finding a career that supported her financially. “Law has been good to me, and surprisingly, I do enjoy it immensely.” Despite being pragmatic, Nathalie says she is still a firm believer in adages that a lot of people think are idealistic, like ‘do what you love’. “A lot of Singaporeans don’t believe that anymore, or it’s treated as something that doesn’t happen to us. It’s quite sad that people treat a corporate life as a rite of passage, or something they have to do, when it’s really not,” she says. “I’ve been struggling with it for awhile now, because I’ve just started working, but I don’t think its healthy for a nation to be brought up thinking that they were made to join the corporate world, or that it’s the pinnacle of your achievement. I would like to believe there’s something more out there, outside societal constructs like jobs and careers. It’s important to retain a healthy sense of your own mortality before you give your life to a profession. Make sure it’s something you love.”