SHENTONISTA

“I’ll be turning 21 soon but I honestly don’t know what being a full-fledged adult really means—I still feel like a teen sometimes! I’m looking forward to the new experiences that’ll come my way, but not lesser nap time and paying for bills.”

“I’m a business student from France and I’m currently on a semester abroad in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. I chose Ho Chi Minh as a it’s a good mix between big European cities and the Asian way of life, and it's easy to explore neighbouring countries too.”

“I wanted to be a designer when I was younger and stumbled upon a career in architecture. I love that the industry is so dynamic. Even after 10 years in this field, I’m still learning something new everyday and no two projects are the same.”

“Back in school, I modelled for a friend’s fashion collection and was scouted by a modelling agency. I’ve been modelling on the side ever since—I love being a part of different brands, dressing up in their pieces, and learning what their clothes are all about!”

“My interest in mermaid performance started six years ago and I’ve been pursuing it professionally for two years. I hope to be able to do mermaid performances around the world and then maybe find a prince to sail away with just like Ariel from The Little Mermaid.”

“My children are now 17 and 21. It used to be just us three spending time together but now I hardly see them around. I’m asleep by the time they come home and they’re still in bed when I leave for work, so it gets quite lonely sometimes.”

"I’ve been experiencing sleep paralysis since I was young, and it worsened in my teenage years which resulted in a fear of sleeping and insomnia. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to prevent it by making use of LED lights, ambient sounds, and an air purifier to create a comfortable environment.”

“As a leather crafter, I’d say the most enjoyable part about working with leather is also the most challenging, and that’s designing the actual products. Anyone can learn how to make a wallet, but coming up with unconventional designs is not easy.”

“I feel that many people in Singapore are scared to be creative, so I hold workshops with Vans in collaboration with local artists to encourage people to have fun with customising their own shoes, and be more open-minded about different forms of creativity.”

“As a photographer, I love working with motion and space, but I don’t want to tie myself down to a fixed style just yet. I've noticed that my photos are pretty dark and dull, so I’m trying to step out of my comfort zone and add more colours into my works.”

“It’s not difficult to start practising sustainability in Singapore as there are so many small eco businesses and consignment stores here. I started my sustainability journey like most, with small actions such as reducing the use of plastic bags. And just last year, my family even got into composting!”

“I’m a hairstylist from Tokyo and I run a private hair salon in Singapore. Many of my customers here are cosplayers who go for bright coloured hair, which is my favourite hairstyle to work on as I love the bright and colourful Harajuku fashion culture.”