Rags to Riches

One photographer, one showroom, a motley crew of fashion people, and a really hot day. Those were the ingredients for our shoot with Australian photographer Ben Riches, the young man with whom we worked with on a series of portraits a few weeks ago. He was speedy in getting us the photos; blame me for the slothly update. (Our behind-the-scenes photos, by the way, are here if you missed them).

Thanks for the photos, Ben!


The Geeks play at pensive, in unintentionally coordinated brands. Me in necklace by H&M x Lanvin, FashionGeek in necklace by H&M. Both of us in tops purchased from our pilgrimage to Platinum mall a couple of months ago. Spoooky. She's also wearing my Vionnet cuff and her Jeremy Scott swatch.


Ann Sofie Back top, random shorts, Club Monaco sunnies, awesome PP4E clutch embellished with a bunny figurine (closeup here).


Another Platinum Mall find!


Valerie Soh's blog is adorable; partly because she fearlessly poses in the streets of Hong Kong while everyone passing looks on like she's crazy. RESPECT. The other reason is because her accompanying text reads something like a motivational newsletter -- it draws out the inner Power Ranger in you, goading you to work harder, reach new heights, even sometimes say cheesy things like "carpe diem" and mean it. But beyond this, Valerie claims she is not "freaking hot" as I may have written in our behind-the-scenes post. She's being modest, I think. Modest in a tot trench-cape with removable sleeves, Karen walker sunnies, Sportsgirl floppy hat, Undercover wedges, Cindiddy x Matahari clutch and Friend of Mine shorts from Gizzy & Nacho, our showroom sponsor.


Cindy, of Cindiddy, has the most effortless style, whether it comes to the way she dresses or the tone of her blog. She makes it look easy, and she makes it look cool, and she makes you hate her a little because why can't you be that way too? But she's nice, so you shouldn't. Her style is all about the good drape -- a perfectly hung T-shirt or a piece of artfully hung fabric, paired with really good sunnies. She slipped into this tot dress that Bertha brought and immediately, it was good. Jealous much?


Bertha is one-half of the founding team of tot -- her sister, who cut her teeth designing for Martine Sitbon, is the creative mind, and she handles the business side of things. That sisterly separation of powers comes together in the line, however, which is part whimsy, part practicality -- loose and flowy silhouettes made functional by multiple convertibility. So genius. And so needs to be in Hong Kong -- they only sell in Paris right now! Bertha, of course, is in tot's convertible shirtdress in the first shot, and the "Put your head on my shoulder" top in the second (aptly named for its cushiony exposed shoulder pads) with a PP4E tote.


...and here is Piecco Pang, the man behind PP4E (Piecco Pang for Everyone), a luxury leather-goods line. Before I met Piecco, I saw him with loads of my friends, and came to know him as "the guy with the wide-legged pants and the awesome reptilian clutches." And then I found out he actually makes the clutches, and so I had to meet him properly, of course. So now we finally know each other, and he showed up to our shoot in a Unicef T-shirt. I was about to go all Fashion Police on him when he squealed at the tot shirtdress and converted it into a men's tunic. Voila, problem solved. And I have nothing against Unicef, only children in general. Just kidding. Mostly.


Graphic designer-slash-fashion blogger behind Superwowomg, Denise is really popular with her readers because she hypnotizes them using her epilepsy-inducing animated gifs. Naw, I kid. Her super-accessorized style, down-to-earth tone and humorous antics make for good, approachable reading, so it's no wonder her tumblr is plagued by followers who seek style advice, DIY suggestions and even personal tidbits about her relationship with the boyfriend. Watch out, Brangelina, there's a new celebrity couple in town. Her steeze breaks down into H&M shorts, a Zara blouse, a pair of DIY-ed necklaces and so many bracelets and rings, we don't even have the time, patience or space to write them all down.


Denise's sister Sha used to have a blog, but she never updated it and then the domain name expired, so ohhmyblog is no longer. The next project in their family is to hook their mommy Susan up with her own style blog. I seem to recall she hates it when people call her a pee-wee cutie wootie... but how can you call her anything else? And as part of the elderly generation (I used to tutor her bf in SATs!), I totally have the right to call her that. Anyway, super-stylin' Susan's youngest daughter is in an izzue tee, H&M skirt, her momma's belt and bracelets by David Yurman.


She arrived in Hong Kong not too long ago, but photographer-slash-blogger Carmen Chan has already made a splash on the scene. Instead of taking the already-paved Sartorialist route of shooting street style (which she could have easily done), she and friend Ken put together How I Met Your Style, a series of intimate portraits of your favourite style bloggers around the world. Her editorial work is equally awesome (I've had the pleasure of working with her) but she's also a super down-to-earth sweetheart, even if it took her three years to give me her outfit creds when she posts her own photos on tumblr one hour after she takes them. Just saying! Anyway, she's in a vintage blouse, urban sunnies, H&M belt, A&F shorts and a Cotton On ring.