Meet Singapore's female Instagram stars

Meet Singapore's female Instagram stars

Call them part of the Kylie Jenner generation - women whose social media followings rival that of street-style stars, thanks to their good looks, come-hither outfits and sexy photographs. Keng Yang Shuen meets three such agent provocateurs, here for a deeper expose.

RACHEL WONG

Photo: Instagram/rchlwngxx

IG: @rchlwngxx

Following: 162K

Wong, 23, calls Kylie Jenner a role model ("She's young, so smart for her age, and a great businesswoman"), and could also be Singapore's closest answer to her. With a penchant for experimenting with makeup, her strong #lipgame is one of the first things you'll notice on her Instagram account - from metallic blue to amethyst lipstick, she's tried them all. It's little surprise then that she's become a hit influencer with beauty brands like Dior, Urban Decay and Kat Von D Beauty. Meanwhile, her Hypebae sense of style (think trendy streetwear labels like Supreme) have caught the attention of sponsors like Kenzo and Zara.

The one thing she wished people knew about her:

"That I really enjoy a good game of poker."

What you'd actually be surprised to know about her:

"I did ballet till grade 7, before I hurt my back (and was forced to quit)."

Why she labels herself A dreamer:

"I find it very hard to concentrate, and people have said that it seems like I'm always daydreaming. (Many other Instagrammers call themselves dreamers too.) It's probably because it's a dream to be able to post photos for a living."

If social media didn't exist:

"I'd still be taking photos because I love doing so. They might not be so much of myself though, but of others."

ISABEL TAN

Photo: Instagram/Prettyfrowns

IG: @prettyfrowns

Following: 206K

The number above says it all.Tan, 21, is bonafide Instagram royalty. Her account's a heady brew of risque, lingerie-inspired looks (she's got thebod to go with the territory) coupled with a tight curation of wanderlust-inducing pictures from her extensive travels. According to her, her career as an infl uencer took her on the road approximately 50 times in 2016 alone. Among them, a trip sponsored by British makeup house Rimmel to London in November, where she got to hobnob with supermodel/brand ambassador Cara Delevingne.

How her sexy persona has affected her in real life:

"It's helped me be more comfortable in my own skin. Naturally, with that comes confidence and, in turn, having more fun at work and in life. Nothing negative has come out of it. Everyone likes being around people with good energy."

"One popular misconception ne popular misconceptionabout her:

"People always think bout her:I'm older than I actually am."

On being an Instagram star:

"I hate labels. I'm just someonehaving fun being creative onmy account, and then lucky enough to work with somecool brands that I love."

The most significant project of her career thus far:

"Netflix sent me to Bogota, Colombia, to interview Wagner Moura and Boyd Holbrook from the cast ofNarcos (season 2). It was incredible to get a little peek at how the show comes to life,and how talented the team is. It was also my first interview ever. Hopefully, there'll be many more."

KATE YONG

Photo: Instagram/Katepurk

IG: @katepurk

Following: 33K

In terms of number of active years as an influencer, Yong, 23, is the fledgling of the trio here (she only really started getting into curating her account in April 2015). Still, it's hard to deny her social media clout. Between last October and press time, her following doubled. (She puts it down to conscientiously updating her profile daily.) And the list of big brands that have tapped her for collaborations include Adidas, Superga and trendy Los Angeles-based e-commerce retailer Revolve (think Nasty Gal, but bigger.) Like street style's brightest stars, she's now working on her own clothing line that'll launch later this year. "Expect simple clothes - staples essentially - but with an edge. Like ripped jeans."

Who she thinks are sexy:

"Megan Fox (for obvious reasons), but also Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961), where she showed off her vulnerable side. I think being unafraid to do so is sexy."

Her social media role model:

"(British-born Chinese beauty blogger/Youtube star) Lindy Tsang aka Bubzbeauty, because she's funny and always very positive."

Why she labels herself a dreamer:

"Because (before Instagram) the idea of being able to reach out to people so far away was a dream."

Her profession of choice:

"A doctor... or a babysitter. Babies are so cute and I've never minded cleaning up their mess."

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.