The life of a top stylist

Karen Ng, stylist, socialite and trendsetter, breezes into the room with all eyes are on her. She sits down with a smile and is personable right off the bat. She begins by getting straight to the point, with a strong affirmation of her love of beautiful things.

“I’m a very vain person, all my life. Every time when I come out, I always look the best, and I just love beautiful things.”

Seeing beauty within

While she clearly has a great passion for her work, it is her palpable love for God which sets her apart in a world that might be otherwise dominated by mere beautiful things. She says she seeks guidance from a higher power, even with the little things, and that is what centres her.

“There was a journey that I went through in life that brought me to the Lord. Every week, if I’m not flying, I will go to church. It is a place I find solace and peace in. Everybody has obstacles in their lives, but with God, you just leave it in bigger hands. In my mind, I constantly say Lord, I will just leave it to You and I’m not going to think about it. And you find peace when you walk out – so it’s like food for the soul.”

She’s private about the details of her childhood, but candid about her journey to success. Fashion was a natural evolution from her passion, and today, she is a stylist whose name is synonymous with taste and trends. The consultant to many high net worth individuals in Singapore, South East Asia and Europe shares that beauty inspires her, and motivates her to pull together looks for her diverse range of clients.

“It’s a niche business, because what I do involves styling and bringing high-fashion trends into the picture. Many stylists in Singapore, they do just the principles of styling, like the do’s and the don’ts. But for me, I input the particular season’s trends into my work as well.”

“When I see a person’s outfit, I scrutinize it, from top to the bottom, so that I can see everything. I mean, I don’t know if this is good or bad – but I don’t judge, you know? I don’t judge people at all. The aesthetics are my only focus. When I look at somebody, I can visualise them fully. So that is my talent, my vision.”

That she loves beautiful things is clear, for she says this several times throughout the interview. But it is stipulated to with the innocence of a child in a toy store, as opposed having a contrived or vacuous mettle. There is no guile with Karen Ng, and what you see is what you get. But make no mistake, she takes her fashion seriously. And her personal style is a reflection of that, she says, calling Balmain, Givenchy and Chanel staples in her collection.

“I’m a very adventurous and experienced dresser, so I can say I understand a lot about dressing up, and how to put pieces together. I am very inventive and I don’t like to stick to a particular look. Instead, I like to play with different styles and looks based on my mood, or the frame of my mind that day. I’m always on the lookout for new silhouettes, new designs, new constructions – and I will experiment with this.”

Drawing inspiration

While she undeniably has a flair that is interwoven into all aspects of her life, she reveals that injecting flair into the lives of others is what makes her tick. And her advice to those on the mission to add a little something to their wardrobe: the devil is in the details.

“Do your homework, go onto the internet. Find someone, maybe a celebrity you watch out for – because that’s usually the kind of style you like. Then keep checking out what this person wears, because this is a great way to start. Look at the different styles and compile it. You can also learn by mixing and matching from the fashion shows and fashion magazines. Do tear-outs and make your own lookbook of the pictures you like. That’s the stepping stone to building a style. Classics are timeless, but you still need to inject trends to make you stand out from the rest.”

In between conducting workshops for brands and companies here, attending the latest season’s runway shows, and continuing with her work as one of Asia’s top image consultants, Karen Ng is certainly spreading her love of beautiful things to anyone she can.

Tips on staples to have in your wardrobe:

The must-haves for women:

- A little black dress (but a fabulous one, Ng says)

- A black jacket

- A nice pair of leggings

- A few (two or three at least) tunic tops of different colours

- A pair of diamond studs

- Some statement bags and shoes

The must-haves for men:

- A few very well-fitted jacket suits, in quality material (Ng says men can wear these over and over again, and no one would be the wiser!)

- A great pair of jeans

- Two pairs of trousers: one light and one dark

- A nice pair of cotton trousers

- Well-made, long-sleeved fitted shirts

- A few well-made t-shirts

- For the casual days, a nice pair of linen Bermudas

Textures and details to look out for:

- Quality materials like silk and linen are good, but Ng points out that material is not as important as fit

- Cotton can be a good material for the tropical climate as well

- Fit is critical, and must be a priority when shopping for clothes

- Gold detailing, brocades and other such embellishments can also add interesting elements to any outfit