I-S interrupts the evil plans of the Ugly Step Sisters (don’t tell them we said that!) Precious and Treasure (played by Chua Enlai and Darius Tan respectively) in time for a quick (and quintessentially Singlish and bitchy) chat about… well, you’ll find out.
So Precious, what’s so precious about you?
Precious: I am as rare as the most delicious hairy crab. Treasure, on the other hand, is just hairy.
Treasure: Oi! I am not hairy, OK! Just a few strands here and there! Yeah, you are a rarity so better lock you up far away so no one can see you!
And Treasure? Why do you think your parents named you that?
P: Heavy, mah.
T: So rude, Precious! Mummy and Daddy gave me this name because I am “treasurably” gorgeous!
Do you think you’re very pretty?
P: No, I am like the Suites class in the A380. I am beyond pretty. There are no words to describe me apart from gorgeous, highly attractive, simply irresistible and sedap!
T: Yeah, I agree totally, sister! But I am the gorgeouser, attractiver, irresistabler and sedaper sister!
Describe your Prince Charming.
P: A millionbilliontrillionkerjillionaire. But don't get me wrong; I am very independent. Very vogue to say that now, right?
T: Ooh my Prince Charming must be rich and handsome, and must obey and listen to me all the time! I like to be in control lah.
What will your wedding be like?
P: It will be the grandest ball in the universe. In fact it will be like a Miss Universe pageant, telecast all over the world but with me as the winner. Got national costume, evening wear and even a swimsuit catwalk! Every year, I'll win.
T: Wah Precious, you want to get married every year ah? Mine will be a beautiful and big safari wedding held at Marina Bay Sands! Mummy likes to go there mah!
What do you want to be when you grow up?
P: A tai tai.
T: Hey! Me too!
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I’m a middle child. I’m used to getting bullied and pushed around by my older sister. I’m very much easygoing and free-spirited. Being one of four girls means I have to work harder to differentiate myself.
I used to get sent out of class for all kinds of reasons. I even got sent out for yawning in class. The teachers just didn’t like me, I think. I was a bit rebellious in school. I wouldn’t even draw the way the art teacher wanted us to draw. For the GCE O level examination, everyone had to do a still life piece. I told my teacher I didn’t want to paint; I wanted to sketch with a Pilot V-Tech pen. She said I couldn’t. I showed her the criteria for the O Levels, which clearly stated the mediums allowed and said, “The rules say I can.”
I’ve always liked to ask, “Why not?” Why couldn’t I do things in a better way? If I was better at drawing with a pen, why should I use watercolor?” You have to believe in yourself because even if people tell you it’s not the way it should be done, if you really believe this is the best for you, things will work out in the end.
I belong to an industry where everyone is domineering and wants to be at the top, but all I want to do is bring the industry together and get the job done. I’m not a dominant person but I’m really passionate about making my dream come true. If I wasn’t so easy-going, I wouldn’t be able to meet the challenges of the industry.
Being a woman allows me to be more compassionate and think of everything from others’ point of view. Women are just naturally more prone to listening and wanting to find solutions, compared to just banging on the table and saying, “No, it’s not going to work.” I think I’m a very open person. If someone comes to me and says, “Tjin, there’s a better way to do this,” I will consider it.
When we organized the Singapore Fashion Festival in 2004, I was so amazed. We had a Chanel opening gala and Christopher Bailey came to Singapore. For me, it was a great start. I said to myself, “Wow, imagine where we can go from here.” To my great disappointment, we didn’t get to continue with the festival from 2005 to 2008. The contract was awarded to IMG [Artists] instead. Of course I was upset. I took those three years to nurture my team and develop my connections so that when the opportunity came back in 2008, I was ready. I had only three people in my team then, including me. Now I have 18.
I always say, “Don’t let your setbacks kill you.” I’m the kind of person who will find the best way to do something and make it happen.
The East is the biggest fashion market in the world. We spend US$232 billion a year on fashion and this amount is increasing. In five years, we will overtake the US and Western Europe but we don’t even have a fashion capital!
I submit my leave just like everybody else. Just because you own a company doesn’t mean you can take off as and when you like. It’s very rare for me to exceed 18 days of leave.
Singapore inspires me. We are so small. When people said we’d never make it, I’d disagree. We’ve got some huge things going for us. We’ve got geography and hardworking people and it’s those two things that are going to make us the fashion capital of Asia. Why can’t Singapore be a fashion capital? I’ve looked at it since 2004 and I feel like we can. If anyone is going to bring together the rest of Asia, it’s Singapore.
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We’ll try most things, especially when they’re potentially good for the body, but acupuncture continues to baffle us and for good reason. Said to be a good form of physiotherapy and effective against a wide range of illnesses (it’s approved by the World Health Organization), the process of this traditional Chinese healing method involves the manipulation of needles into the patient’s skin, and the activation of heat and sometimes even electric currents. Bizarre? Perhaps. But many claim it works. “I have had eczema for a very long time. A few months ago, my condition worsened even though I was applying the prescribed cream religiously. I consulted a traditional medicine doctor, who advised me to fix the imbalance in my body through acupuncture. The situation gradually eased over five to six weeks of treatment,” says flight stewardess Janet Lim. Marathon runner Benjamin Goh also goes for acupuncture to treat post workout pains. “After you get over the ant bite-like pricks, the whole process actually becomes quite relaxing,” he says. Want to give it a try? Pain relief is just a prick away at these places.
Aimin Acupuncture Weight Loss Center
With the rate of obesity in Singapore increasing dangerously, we predict more people will be turning to acupuncture for help. The acupuncture treatments here specialize in regulating the body’s nervous system and hormones to suppress appetite as well as increase metabolic rate simultaneously so that total body weight may be reduced. Obviously, it is essential that you disclose any diagnosed medical conditions, with details of the type of medication you’re taking. Patients weighing over 150kg are also required to produce a recent medical report with at least six months validity. Make an appointment for a free 30-minute trial if you’re wary of the procedure.
#01-05/06 Starhub Center, 51 Cuppage Rd., 6225-2321. Open Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat-Sun 9am-5pm.
Chiang Acupuncture Specialist
Well established in Singapore, this center boasts the services of renowned sinseh Chiang Yok-Wah, who’s had experience treating all sorts of medical conditions using acupuncture. Well-versed in traditional as well as modern techniques, Chiang also teaches acupuncture to aspiring specialists and offers needle-less options in his treatments. What we particularly like is how he incorporates a few minutes of back and neck massage, as well as cupping (another traditional form of healing regularly practiced by the Malay community) into each session. A session here starts from $80.
#17-10 Shaw Ctr., 1 Scotts Rd., 6737-7390. Open Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-1pm.
Fong Acupuncture and Medical Hall
This clinic has been offering acupuncture services and other traditional Chinese methods of healing for the past 15 years. Needle-less acupuncture is also available here, with an electro-simulator machine working in the place of needles. Fong also provides treatments for obstetric patients, optometric as well as stroke patients, and administers tui na massages for muscle injuries. The therapists here often combine acupuncture with recommendations of health food and supplements that may be available at the clinic. Sessions are by appointment only so be sure to book a slot at least a day in advance. A session here (excluding medicine) ranges from $35-40.
#01-270, Blk. 479 Jurong West St. 41, 6563-8619. Open Mon, Tue & Fri 9:30am-1pm, 2-5pm, 6-9pm, Thu & Sat 9:30am-1pm, 2-5pm.
Laser Acupuncture Centre
If you want to experience the benefits of acupuncture but can’t get over your fear of needles, give these guys a call. They were the first in Singapore to advocate laser acupuncture (check the Singapore Book of Records in 2007 if you don’t believe us), which involves the penetration of the body’s deep tissues through laser energy. The power of light is used as a catalyst to jig certain processes in the body and increase blood circulation to promote healing and well-being. Their patients are typically sportsmen, men and women facing the problem of hair loss and even smokers who want to kick the nasty habit. Resident therapist Rodney Lim has been dabbling in the sciences of light transmission and acupuncture for over 30 years, and is often referred to as a “techno acupuncturist” for his specialist skill. Consultations may be on a walk-in basis but make an appointment if you require home care services. A laser treatment here starts from $75.
#05-08 Parklane Shopping Mall, 35 Selegie Rd., 6742-9883. Open Mon-Fri 9:30am-6:30pm, Sat 9:30am-3pm.
Still freaked out? Get an “acupuncture massage” at these spots instead:
Refresh Day Spa
We like this cozy parlor as a one-stop center for all things wellness. If you’re unsure which of the massages is best for your body, you may want to schedule a session with their resident physio director, who will gauge your overall wellbeing and recommend a package to relieve your shortcomings. Our favorites include the Acu Recharge ($98 for one hour), which helps to promote energy flow in the body and the Tui Na ($128 for one hour), which includes cupping to help detox and ease body pain.
#02-08 Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Rd., 6438-7128, www.refresh.com.sg.
Spa Botanica
We haven’t come across a bad review of this place yet, probably because it’s set in such an idyllic location. Their treatments are to die for, too, including the east-west blend massage, which employs a mix of pressure techniques inspired by traditional Chinese healing and modern Western medicine. A one-hour session costs $138.
The Sentosa Resort & Spa, 2 Bt. Manis Rd., 6371-1318.
House at Dempsey
After you walk up the hill (or out of the cab, if you’re smart), you’ll find a refreshing enclave made up of a spa, beauty emporium, restaurant and bar. The spa provides a wide range of treatments with quirky names, including the House Proud massage, which uses acupressure (without the needles, don’t worry) to untangle knots and cramps in the body. A one-hour session costs $120.
8D Dempsey Rd., 6475-7375, www.dempseyhouse.com.
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Who would’ve thought that the internationally famous production Riverdance started out as an interval show? Since it first opened to a standing ovation in 1994, the dance-theater performance has shown in distinguished venues all over the world, including the Gershwin Theater on Broadway and the Radio City Music Hall.
How did the show get its name?
Riverdance was first shown at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest held throughout Europe. Customarily, whichever country won the contest got to host it the following year. Ireland won in 1993 and we had to host it in 1994. With that came the responsibility of putting together a production we wanted to show the world. John McColgan composed the music for an extended version of our interval show based on a major river in Dublin. He composed the music with a river in mind, taking into consideration how it began, how it ended and how it eventually flowed into the ocean.
Irish dance seems like a patchwork of influences.Is it inspired by other cultures?
When the great famine happened in Ireland, we began witnessing and adapting to other cultures. You can see some roots of American tap dancing, African dancing and Spanish flamenco rhythms in Irish step dancing. Also, if you look at the traditional dances of other cultures, you can pick out some elements of Irish dancing techniques. American tap dancing shoes produce clicking sounds at their tips, which is customarily a trait of Irish dance shoes.
What would you say is unique about Irish dance then?
What’s different about Irish step dancing is the way we hold our arms by our sides and keep our upper body strict and rigid. All our motions come from the waist down. It’s quite difficult. I’ve forgotten how hard it is to do because I’ve been doing it a long time but when I'm teaching someone new, I find it’s not easy to maintain balance.
What else should audiences watch out for?
Many who’ve seen the show before should be able to spot some of the subtle differences we’ve added to the overall performance. For those who’ve never seen it, the energy and myriad movements will capture them. The synchronization of the dancers is also amazing.
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Artists usually say that this was what they’ve wanted to do all their lives but not me. I was this nerd who was busy studying for the PSLE and making sure that I had perfect As. Art was out of the question because I didn’t like it and was always told that I wasn’t any good at it.
I had an epiphany somewhere in 2003. I started seeing a psychiatrist and part of the process was to talk about my likes and dislikes. She wasn’t trying to fix me or anything; she was trying to figure out what defined me as a person. We started talking about art and why I was totally blasé about it. It’s because I had teachers who didn’t really give a damn at that time.
My doctor encouraged me to give drawing a shot. We did this for six months or so and after that, I noticed that while it was nothing fantastic, there was definitely an improvement in my drawing. I guess she did it to prove a point. A lot of comic artists assume that I’m a big comic fan. They’re always asking me what comics I read and what I like. I always tell people that I’m not a comics fan. I do read comics here and there but Marvel and DC? I don’t read those because I don’t like superheroes.
In 2006, I started on comics and I decided that I wanted to draw comics about Singapore. I realized that there was no way in hell that I could draw comics about Singapore in New York. You can’t run a music label and go home to work on a comic; you’ve got to do this full-time.
At that time, I wasn’t thinking of doing this whole comic thing permanently. It was supposed to be like a sabbatical. I thought I’d come back, have my ass handed back to me and that I’d return to New York.
But actually I started a website and put my stuff online and people started reading it and actually liked it. Before I knew it, I’d published a book and now I’m stuck in the whole business. Life always sends curveballs at you.
I managed Elvis’s music when I was working for BMG in New York. I love Elvis! He’s the only guy I know who makes more money dead than alive. We were getting a lot of revenue out of him. I also got to hang out with Barry Manilow and Christina Aguilera; it was fun. But it also became quite a burden because we sort of had to take care of the artistes all the time.
I came back to Singapore because I found a calling here that is far larger than what New York could give me. I have inklings of plans to go back one day but as much as I love it, I also had a lot of down-in-the-dumps moments there. It’s the reason why I ended up having to see a doctor and so I am not really prepared to go there and unlock all those memories.
I’m the perfect example of how people should never underestimate the future. People keep telling you to study as hard as you can so that you can have a really great life. Obviously I screwed that up somewhere along the way. I followed that straight path up the way everyone thinks you should and I got clinically depressed and totally ruined everything.
I’m piss poor right now; this process is brutal. I don’t make any money. In fact, I’m losing money all the time. I have every reason to stop doing this but every night that I feel depressed about not making any money, I wake up the next morning still bent on doing it.
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