A Gentler Spirit, A Steelier Spine

Being a parent of three is already a full-time job in itself, but Shaleen Cheah is a fashion designer who’s back and here to stay, even when the going gets tough

- Koyyi Chin

“Running in six-inch stilettos is my superpower,” says Shaleen Cheah as she slips into said high heels, and stands—easy as you please—with barely a wobble in her step as she glides across the room in her shimmery blue design. Having witnessed her sprinting on the street in albeit lower, less-likely-to-break-your-ankle shoes, we could most certainly attest that it was her superpower.

And while her stint as a national athlete at the age of 15 may have contributed to that skill, her determination was a clear motivator that has carried her (as well as her feet) throughout her extensive career journey; from runner, actress, model, pageant contestant, commercial banker, mother of three and now fashion designer of her eponymous label, Cheah was a force to be reckoned with.

“I do well under pressure. It doesn’t faze me because I’m a pretty meticulous planner and an optimist so if I want to achieve something, I always pursue it with all my heart. Because I believe that if I tried my hardest, even if I failed, I would have still have learned from it and those lessons enable me to move on to my next goal,” Cheah shares. “I’ve always been fiercely ambitious regardless of what I do.”