HOT DAME!

Meet the chic 89-year-old great-grandmother whose story of family and romantic reunion is as awe-inspiring as her timeless elegance

- Lynette Ow

Being stylish doesn’t necessarily require a keen interest in fashion. And Tatler Asia’s Most Stylish 2024 honouree Ines Maria Reyna, widely known as Maria Musa, is proof. “Fashion has never been a strong love of mine,” the Peruvian-born, 89-year-old great-grandmother says. “Rather, I’ve accommodated it according to my steps in life.” If style is more about confidence, personal expression and knowing what works best for one’s physique and personality than fussing over fashion trends, then Maria is the personification of that concept. Her 27-year-old grandson, Kaelen Isa Aiddie Azhari—her escort at this Tatler interview and photo shoot—describes her style as “timeless elegance,” likening her classic grace and charm to those of Sophia Loren.

“I don’t have a style—it’s very simple and straightforward,” Maria says with characteristic composure. We beg to differ, but with her penchant for tailored jackets, cream-coloured sweaters, and block heels, perhaps we can say she has a quiet luxury sensibility. Maria’s beauty routine, meanwhile, is as straightforward as her approach to fashion as well. “Before I go to bed, the most important thing is cleaning carefully,” she explains. Her simple yet effective regimen has served the perpetual beauty well. It consists of washing her face with plain water and soap, followed by applying a Retin-A cream. It works.