Men's Folio Singapore - April 2018

Working in fashion, we always get asked what is the latest trend one should be buying into. Rambling to friends, and sometimes acquaintances, at parties about the most hyped bags and shoes this season is no sweat. But we cannot say all fashion is all encompassing.
The problem with hype is that it is simply just buzz and it may pass. For this Hype issue, the team was challenged to examine the nature of hype – contributing writer Rachel Ong looked into the elevation of Sichuan cuisine, editor/fashion director Wilson explored modern youth culture in a fashion spread, and features/watch editor Yong Wei Jian considered collaborations in the world of watches. At the end of the day, when the winds of change blow through, are we still going to hold on to the inherent values present in the collaboration or ditch that watch for the new Apple Watch?
In life, it is important to see past the bulls***. Many times, people like to dress up mediocre products with distracting, moving stories. But are they well made, innovative, and actually useful? This applies to individuals too, both Yong and Ong cut through the noise on “basic people” and multi-hyphenates to question their worth and merit. Cover star, Josh Kua also shares with us how he breaks out in today’s pop music-dominated scene as a classical violin virtuoso.
The team wore our hearts on our sleeves for this issue, and I hope you will see that fashion is not just bulls***, but also a form of culture.