To call Hakken misunderstood feels like a stretch. Unlike most public figures, they are not interested in embodying a persona when they are in the spotlight, preferring to present their most authentic, unguarded self to the masses. Still, that is not to say that misinterpretations about them don’t arise. “People don’t believe me when I say I’m an extrovert,” Hakken says over Zoom one Thursday afternoon. They have just returned to Malaysia after a trip to Japan and is on the precipice of another trip. This time, to Singapore for their Vogue Singapore shoot where they will be tackling a different dimension of dress-up as a modern-day version of model and fashion icon, Tina Chow. “I’m just sitting there, chilling,” they continue. “I’m quietly enjoying myself, but no one believes it. They think that I must be an introvert. It might have something to do with me being a Taurus. All that grounded, practical energy.”
There is a likelihood that the stars have something to do with it. The other possibility, however, seems more probable—that is, the misconstruing of Hakken’s personality by mistaking them for the characters they choose to portray. After all, the Malaysian cosplayer has a penchant for dressing up and melding into suave, self-possessed archetypes from their favourite animes and games.
“I love to cosplay as characters that are mature and elegant,” Hakken elaborates. “Like Zhongli from Genshin Impact, for instance. They are assertive and strong, and that resonates with me.” They grin: “And of course, I love my villains as well. They know what they want even though they’re screwed up in their own way, but I think that’s what makes them different and interesting.”
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 2024 من Vogue Singapore.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 2024 من Vogue Singapore.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
As You Like It
Slender new designs to the Tiffany & Co. Lock collection make it a breeze to style and wear. Vogue Singapore's editor-in-chief Desmond Lim takes the jewels for a spin on Aimee Cheng-Bradshaw, Christabel Chua and Lennard Yeong.
In Its Own Way
It’s easy, low-stakes even, to praise a classically beautiful watch. How about trying to appreciate and understand timepieces with aesthetics that challenge?
Fashion's Fresh Slate
As we contend with some of the industry’s biggest shake-ups, fashion experts weigh in on their predictions for the new season.
LAU FEY
After winning her first Grammy, the songbird opens up about her Asian upbringing, body-doubling with her twin sister and how she sends her music through time.
Sasha
With a career spanning several decades, countless runway shows and the record as the longest-serving model for Prada, the Russian supermodel and artist is widely recognised as one of the defining faces of the 2000s. Today, fashion's ultimate muse returns to grace the cover of Vogue Singapore's September issue, channelling the best of '80s kitsch and maximalism amid a flurry of daring silhouettes, striking embellishments and exuberant neon hues.
An Actor PREPARES
Ahead of her new film 7he ustigators, Oscar-nominated actor Hong Chau sits down to talk about her preparation for the role, how her relationship with acting has evolved and what success means to her.
CHYPRE &CHIC
After 71 fragrances in the house's 187-year history, Hermès debuts its first chypre scent. Here's why Barenia, and the whopping 998 tests it took to birth it, matters to perfumer Christine Nagel.
DECORA PLAY
In our local fashion landscape, where style often veers towards the plain and conventional, embracing the kitsch and vibrant world of Decora fashion represents a courageous defiance of the norm. Natasha Aliya Dawson, a local Decora dresser, talks about her journey with this bold style.
On BEAT
H&M Studio's new autumn/winter 2024 collection is an ode to jazz musicians.
A NEW VISION
Daniel Lee's Burberry is at once a profound reflection of the past and a projection into the future. In a photo shoot capturing the essence of the new Burberry, Lee is joined by English supermodel Karen Elson and Thai actor Bright Vachirawit.