Red Carpet Red Alert
Touch Down, Scoop And Run
When I touched down from Bangkok after Speaking At The United Nations Conference Centre, I immediately had to switch gears. Well, not gears perhaps but switch my entire face, hair and costume, for a red carpet event happening in 2 hours. There’s a phrase we use in emergency medicine to describe the paramedics’ actions. If they remain at the scene to render treatment, we say they “stay & play”. If they quickly transport the patient to the hospital for treatment, we say they “scoop & run”. Well, I definitely needed a vehicle to scoop me up and run off to the next stop pronto.
In The Transmogrifier
My poor cabbie from the airport was quite flustered. I barely had time to stop by my house, drop my luggage & daughter off, change shoes and then take the same cab to Orchard Road. During the entire journey, my phone kept receiving photos of the other models backstage looking runway ready; I wondered if I would make it on time. Fortunately, under the authoritative direction of the team from Shiseido and Shunji Matsuo, I was miraculously ready. That backstage tent was like a Calvin & Hobbes transmogrifier machine. I drew a deep breath, ready for the first red carpet of three in three nights.
Jeweluxe World 17 Oct 2019
Theme
The theme for this event set in the enormous white tent at Ngee Ann City was A Coveted Affair.
Red Carpet Look #1
The Gown
All models wore stunning gowns from Covetella. Half of us wore sweet, pastel gowns and the others donned bold ones. The gown that founder, Carol Chen, picked for me was an off-shoulder, regal ballgown that is the stuff some girls’ dreams are made of. But perhaps they are taller girls. Backstage I kept tripping so my buddy, Sara-Ann, helped tape up a few inches. Now relaxed, I felt instantly beautiful.
The Jewellery
I was proud to be the ambassador for Mouawad that evening. They adorned me with rubellites, tourmalines & diamonds, in the form of a modern asymmetrical necklace and opulent rings. Personally, I loved their drop earrings the most. As I usually wear modest studs, these earrings instantly made me feel glamorous. I’m sure they helped me walk a little taller.
Red Carpet Date(s)
Well, I had a bevy of dates. Although we strutted down the catwalk one by one, it felt like we models were doing it as a team. I think it’s because so many of us are good friends anyway. It felt like a girls’ night out. In fact, after the event, several of us went out for dinner & extended drinks.
Singapore Tatler Ball 18 Oct 2019
Theme
A Touch Of Chinoiserie, was the elegantly whimsical theme of the Tatler Ball held at Sentosa’s Capella. https://sg.asiatatler.com/events/the-best-photobooth-moments-from-singapore-tatler-ball-2019
Red Carpet Look #2
The Gown
I took inspiration from the invitation card that had a certain art deco elegance with Oriental hints in the crane & peonies. Hence, I wore a floor length gown that I had carried back from America. The austere black top dropped into an iridescent skirt with a lilac & green floral print.
The Jewellery
For a touch of chinoiserie, I wore a cute little dragon necklace. To match the floral print of my gown, I wore an amethyst ring from Pomellato on one hand & a paraiba ring from Mouwad on the other.
Red Carpet Date (Zero)
Although I went to the ball solo, I met plenty of old friends and made a new one too. One of the ladies on my table had recently awarded the grand prize at the Entrepreneur Summit 2019 For Women. Although we had both been at her awards dinner, this was the first time we were formally introduced. It was a real pleasure to chat with her while being serenaded by the talented Joanna Dong. Later, when the DJ took charge, we all had the best time dancing, some freely on the dance floor, others inside a gilded cage. Now, that’s not a metaphor: there literally was a giant gilded cage in the ballroom. It was truly a night of opulence & fantasy, with just a touch of chinoiserie.
KKH Dinner & Dance 19 Oct 2019
Theme
The final night, I prepared to attend my hospital dinner at the Fairmont. The theme exclaimed Movies Come Alive! Ironically, I was so exhausted that I was feeling far from alive.
Red Carpet Look #3
The Gown
Initially I had planned to come as an elaborately dressed character like Maleficient or Wonder Woman. However, I couldn’t find an ounce of energy to pull it off at the eleventh hour. The easiest thing for me to do was to go as a standard movie princess. Hence I pulled out a white lace top by Jo Kilda and paired it with a gigantic silver silk skirt from Francis Cheong.
The Jewellery
As every respectable movie princess as a tiara, I sure was glad that I had a small one made with padparaschas last year. I teamed it with a mother-of-pearl bangle from Simone Jewels. In fact, I even had the perfect luminous clutch to match: a gift from the recent Prestige Ball, made by Bynd Artisan. Undoubtedly, that has to be the most fabulous (free) gift I’ve ever received. I’ve brought it to so many events since it’s come into my possession.
Red Carpet Date (Hero)
Needless to say, my mini-me, M5 needed no preparation to come as a mini movie princess. She simply reached into her wardrobe, pulled out the blue taffeta dress and glittery tiara that she would’ve worn on any given Saturday. She was ready in under two minutes. What a super-hero. She had the most fun, I think, at the dinner. Not only did she hobnob with nurses dressed as Maleficient and pharmacists dressed as Wonder Woman, she even danced on the chair when the music suited her.
Oh October!
As it turns out, October was like one long festival of events and balls. While it was thoroughly fun being on the go all the time, I must say, it’s a bit tiring doing the ol’ “scoop and run” day in and day out. In fact, I wouldn’t mind a breather. Otherwise, I really might need an ambulance to take me somewhere for respite.
Let’s slow down a little in November shall we? It would be nice to take time to “stay and play”, just in comfy scrubs.
