VISIONARY OF HIS TIME

IN WORK AND IN PLAY, HENDI WIDODO - HEIR OF THE LARGEST SHIPPING COMPANY IN BATAM, INDONESIA; BASKETBALL FAN AND TEAM OWNER; AND STREETWEAR AFICIONADO-KEEPS HIS EYES ON THE PRIZE.

- LYNETTE KOH

At our photo shoot for this month's cover, Hendi Widodo poses coolly in a mix of outfits from edgy labels like Chrome Hearts and Enfants Riches Deprimes. Many of these looks include plenty of his own pieces, such as a rare leather jacket by Chrome Hearts, an American streetwear brand, as well as more unexpectedly - a sweatshirt bearing the logo of American '50's-style diner chain Mel's Drive-In. The long-time sneakerhead has also brought some of his own footwear along for the shoot, including canary-yellow Nike Air Jordans that were a collaboration with rapper Travis Scott.

Reflecting on his sartorial preferences, Hendi, who is in his 30s, shares, "I'm a fan of subcultures and things that are more OG," he says, using an acronym that is used to describe something authentic and oldschool. "I like things that are rare and difficult to get."

Gazing intensely at the camera while clad in his offbeat ensembles, Hendi looks every inch the long-time fan of fashion and streetwear that he is. What would be less obvious, however, is that Hendi, an Indonesian who studied in Singapore and is based here, is also a shipping heir with an encyclopaedic knowledge of this specialised industry.

RIDING THE WAVE

Days ago, speaking to Prestige Singapore in a Zoom interview - which has become his preferred mode of professional communication since the pandemic - Hendi gave me the lowdown on his family's shipping business back home in Indonesia. His father started the business 46 years ago and today, it is the largest shipping company in Batam, Indonesia.