8 of Asia’s most glamorous women are captured in a variety of dazzling locations across the continent in our ultimate celebration of style.
8 of Asia’s most glamorous women are captured in a variety of dazzling locations across the continent in our ultimate celebration of style. Hand-picked by Tatler editors in each region, these fashion mavens talk to Nadine Nicolson and Chloe Street about couture, careers and everything in between.
Shabnam Arashan, Singapore
Famously flamboyant fashion adventures, Shabnam Arashan dazzles at society events in her staggeringly original outfits—such as a Björk-inspired white-feathered swan dress with the bird’s neck wrapped around her torso. It wasn’t always the case, however; she says her style has “transitioned” as she has become increasingly aware of how to enhance her natural assets. “I have grown to understand what suits my body shape, and what colours accentuate my skin tone and features. I went from being safe to embracing colour, wearing sneakers and being more adventurous.”
In her everyday life, Shabnam is low-key, something she attributes to being a busy mother to eight-year-old son Raoul, a role she juggles with her job as director of the family shipping firm and her pro bono work at the Legal Aid Bureau. “When you’re running around all the time, you can’t be in heels. Hence, I’m in a pair of jeans with a T-shirt most of the time, except when I’m working—then I’ll wear a suit or a shirt and jacket.” For a quick fix that makes her feel instantly fantastic, Shabnam slips on a fabulous pair of shoes, her Tom Ford sunglasses and a slick of red Chanel lipstick, which she says is “the fastest way to spruce up your day”.
Vikki Liang, China
Describing her style as classic, elegant and simple, vikki liang says she prefers “a cotton shirt, a pencil skirt, a white summer dress, a black nightgown—and I always choose fabrics that make me feel comfortable”. The vice-chairman of the Mayboune Group and managing director of Beijing’s Great Wheel project is also a supporter of numerous charities, a promoter of education and environmental issues, and a mother.
Vikki loves travelling and says she has had a lot of fun discovering her own style through people-watching while she was globetrotting—and not just in big cities. “I sometimes get inspiration from the countryside or small villages, for example, Shanbei in China, Hokkaido in Japan and Èze in France.” Long fascinated with fashion, Vikki studied at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, California, where she was captivated by history. “One of my favourite movies is Marie Antoinette and that is also my favourite fashion era,” she says. “The queen of France used fashion to help her combat her enemies.” Vikki says fashion is creative and culturally important, yet style is not limited to what you wear. “It is who you are—the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you treat others and the way you treat yourself.”
Claudia Shaw, Hong Kong
Coco chanel once stated, “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” Claudia Shaw, the slim, bronzed and effortlessly elegant grand-niece of late Hong Kong media mogul Run Run Shaw, is the epitome of understated Parisian chic. In fact, she has spent the past 19 years working for Coco’s brand. “I feel that my style and Chanel’s are quite synced,” says the mother of three. “So I find it easy to wear their clothes.”
Having cut her teeth working for a local designer in Hong Kong before taking on roles at Cartier and Céline, Claudia has been part of Chanel’s senior team in Asia since 1996. She has worked in a breadth of roles, including visual merchandising, styling and as general manager. Her current position as ambassador and regional adviser involves overseeing the buying process for the entire Asia-Pacific region, hosting in-store events and styling for Chanel’s VIP clients.
“Style is about knowing what suits you and what you are comfortable in,” says Claudia. “Fashion changes constantly—but to have style, you must stay true to your core look, and make small updates and changes all the time.” Beautiful, bright and engaging, Claudia exudes a patrician grace and polish that would impress her with or without their designer garb. Chanel is lucky to have found an ambassador who so neatly embodies the timeless luxury, elegance and intelligence of the brand.
Sabrina Joseph, Indonesia
Sabrina joseph’s stunning beauty, combined with her spirit of fun when it comes to fashion, turns heads wherever she goes. Whether she’s sporting a casual look of torn skinny jeans with a simple T-shirt, a classic Cartier bracelet, Chanel loafers and a black Kelly bag covered in graffiti by an artist friend, or whether she’s sizzling in a sexy ballgown, she never fails to leave a lasting impression.
The co-founder of Catholic Fellowship Jakarta, Sabrina graduated in hospitality from the Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland—but her love of fashion and shopping led her to start an online business selling pre-loved luxury items. Sabrina describes her versatile style as casual, slightly masculine, focused and sophisticated, yet also playful. “It’s quite fun having the chance to dress up differently every day,” she says.
Her current preferred designers include The Row, Victoria Beckham, Alexander McQueen and Rag & Bone, and she loves quality department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Selfridges and Harrods. The daring 25-year-old loves to mix and match brands to create her own unique look. “Wearing all haute couture sometimes makes me look older than my age, so mixing streetwear with haute couture gives me a little more edge.” But she cautions that everyone should stay true to their own style. “You don’t want anyone thinking you’re someone you’re not.”
Sabrena Dani, Malaysia
To sabrena dani, fashion is a journey of discovery. She has a strong desire to be adventurous and experimental. “You won’t know until you try it—a bit like life, really,” she says. However, she admits her experiments haven’t always been successful. “I always think I’m fashionable, but when I look at photos I often think someone should have called the fashion police. At least I tried; I guess that’s how you learn.”
As a proud mother to baby daughter Adinda Adreana Dani, Sabrena says these days she dresses for functionality and comfort. Her daily look is “hair up, singlet, shorts, sneakers, and hardly any make-up, just a touch of pink lipstick”. But she still pulls out all the stops for special occasions, when she likes to be elegant, sexy or edgy, depending on her mood. “I like to try everything. It depends on how I feel on the day.” Her husband, Wira Dani, is her biggest fashion critic. “He’ll say, ‘Change shoes; change bag.’ I trust his judgment 90 per cent of the time.” Sabrena’s preferred outfit is something simple, such as a low-cut black dress worn with a piece of statement jewellery. Her favourite fashion items are her Chanel bags.
Stephanie Kienle-Gonzalez, Philippines
Stephanie kienle-gonzalez works for her family’s interior design firm, Philux, alongside her sister Jessica. This smart, stylish woman majored in economics at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, then studied political science at Sciences Po in Paris and took a marketing course at the London School of Economics. “Since my schedule involves dropping off my daughter at school, visiting our furniture workshop and doing the rounds of our showrooms, I stick to a casual-chic look—fitted trousers, pretty flats, or something with a small heel and a light blouse,” Stephanie says. “If my day takes me to the more corporate side of our business, I enjoy dressing up a bit more with dresses and higher heels.”
Stephanie prefers wearing feminine pieces that flatter her silhouette and says she’s not one to be consistently on-trend, but instead admires the effortless style of Parisians. “I love their flair—how they can be put together while not overly contrived,” she says. While fashion is important to her, Stephanie acknowledges that her first love is interiors. She was surprised to be included on this year’s Asia’s Most Stylish list. “I’m completely and utterly flattered. It’s an honour to be selected among a group of incredible women of style and substance. I just hope I can live up to it.”
Shannon Tang, Taiwan
Former news anchor shannon Tang says her focus on attaining optimum health and peak physical fitness means she feels good in any kind of outfit. “A healthy body, mind and heart are sexiest, so I do my best to keep myself in good physical condition,” she says. “I love yoga, swimming and other kinds of exercise, as I believe that being healthy has an impact on my appearance; it gives me confidence and a glow.” Now the CEO of Green Field School and married to Ma Wei-chen of Yuanta Financial Holdings, Shannon says she has an active life with many responsibilities and commitments, so she likes to dress simply during the day. As she is “a tiny woman”, she chooses Christian Dior for formal wear, because she never has to have the clothes altered, and Valentino, which always makes her feel elegant.
One of her biggest style influences is her mother. “My mum is a famous movie star and back when she was working, she needed to make her own costumes. She always knows how to mix and match and create something unforgettable from simple elements. I don’t have her magic, but I’ve been deeply influenced by her.” Shannon says her style mantra is summed up in the title of her Facebook fan page: “Live, Laugh, Love!”
Sittharmanin Poonsapmanee, Thailand
Known as pam, sittharmanin poonsapmanee is the managing director of Superrich Thailand, the country’s leading currency-exchange company. It’s not only Pam’s success in business that attracts attention, but also her sharp fashion sense. Always smartly dressed and chic, she counts elegant monotone blazers, jackets and signature buttoned-up shirts are among her favourite looks.
When picking an outfit for the day, busy Pam always chooses one that’s perfect for work—and one that can be easily adapted for evening events. She describes her look as minimalist and masculine, which she believes conveys the “strength and seriousness” necessary in her role. “And, of course, a pair of high heels to go with the outfit always gives me an extra boost of confidence,” she adds. Her focused attitude towards work and her calm, quiet character are very much reflected in her low-key look. Her favourite brands include Saint Laurent, Lanvin, Stella McCartney and Acne. With her hectic schedule, Pam usually only finds time to shop when she’s overseas. Paris and London are her top shopping destinations, and she can get her retail kick anywhere from flea markets to high-end stores. “It’s not only about fashion and style—it’s also about personality and character,” she says.