A Common Thread

In the sea of corporate workers strolling around Raffles Place Park on their lunch break, we spotted Darin sitting in a corner with a friend, hunched over a sandwich, watching people and the world around her go by. Clad in an intricate Hanfu, a type of traditional Chinese dress, and unbothered by the sweltering heat of the afternoon sun, Darin stood out among the crowd. She was rather reserved when we approached her, but gamely agreed to be photographed anyway.

In between shots, Darin tells us quietly that she’s traveling here from Bangkok, Thailand. Serendipitously, we caught her on the very last day of her five-day trip. Hanfus are an uncommon sight on the streets of Singapore, and Bangkok too, we assume, so we took the opportunity to ask Darin more about her striking choice of outfit.

Having fallen in love with Chinese culture and fashion through the Chinese dramas that she loves watching, Darin tells us that she’s grown to love traditional Chinese dresses. She shares that she’s bought quite a number of Hanfus from Taobao, and regularly dresses up in them, even back in Bangkok.

Apart from her appreciation for all things Chinese, Darin also tells us that she’s discovered a love for Indian food after having tried it for the first time on this trip. Back home, she mainly cooks Thai dishes like papaya salad, so tasting food so rich in spices was quite a treat for her. And though it’s only her first time in Singapore, it definitely won’t be her last. “I like it here. Your country is so beautiful,” she shares.

After our quick shoot, we said our goodbyes and let Darin go back to enjoying her last full day in Singapore with her companion, while we went back to wandering the streets of Raffles Place, in search of the next story to tell.