Growing up in Singapore and Malaysia - where advertising is omnipresent - Caucasian and Pan-Asian models were highlighted with razor-sharp focus. The use of Asian faces was scarce in traditional advertising, including fashion advertising. It became even more prominent in the 1980s when Singapore and Malaysia began modernising its society. With Western powers still in complete domination, locals in both countries looked towards them for ways to appeal - as it provided a semblance of an international first-world achievement.
Things only began to change in the 2010s when China, South Korea and Japan grew exponentially in their influence on global cultural movements. The world veered towards engaging a new market in the East. With a region accounting for a demographic that makes up a seventh of the world's population, it swayed fashion and beauty's largest names to include East Asian faces in their global campaigns for the first time. However, the rise of Asian models in fashion only became as apparent as it is today because of the effects of the Black Lives Matter movement. As brands were called out for only using Caucasian and Pan-Asian models, it opened up opportunities for models who did not use to fit in the homogeneous, Western criteria.
Meanwhile, in present-day Singapore and Malaysia, the local modelling scenes have prompted changes to sentiments of diversity. Models from both countries have begun working with fashion and beauty's largest names in New York, Paris and Milan. Although this emphasis on the use of local models has risen in prominence - and is the new standard for the industry - it was not until the intervention of global racial movements that truly incited local industries to acknowledge their worth.
Denne historien er fra March 2023-utgaven av MEN 'S FOLIO Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra March 2023-utgaven av MEN 'S FOLIO Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
An Electrifying Ride
With a pack full of features, the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4MATIC SUV promises luxurious, joyful and fuss-free journeys.
Full Circle
The Macallan travels back in time with the TIME:SPACE to celebrate 200 years of whisky-making mastery.
Maturity in Spirit
The Glenrothes' revamped Core Collection mirrors our human bildungsroman, revealing the artistry behind the maturation process with its latest pop-up.
Benvenuto a Locanda
There is no experience more impactful than an honest meal and earnest hospitality, so Locanda makes for an appealing culinary stopover that should not be missed.
A Genuine Article of Fusion
Quenino by Victor Liong is the resident fine-dining hideout of Artyzen Singapore, its degustation menu showcases the best of Asian cuisine melded with contemporary Western savoir-faire.
The Last Word
As the Official Timekeeper for the Olympics, there is a tremendous onus that comes with the role. After all, the Olympics is the world's stage where human excellence is measured down to the minutiae. By that standard, OMEGA's competence in the timekeeping field is also measured.
From Paper to Metal
Men's Folio visited the Cartier Manufacture and Maison des Métiers d'Art earlier this year to discover the unparalleled craftsmanship and innovation within those wall
Mavericks Amongst Traditionalists
Fashion watch brands are finding their feet amidst century old watchmakers as their maverick approach sets them apart from the current landscape of watchmaking.
The Case for the "It" Watch
As much as watches in popular culture being necessary might be an unpopular opinion, here is why it is crucial to the survival of the passion we all love.
Heavy Lidded
In the masculine world of grooming, the sport (or art) of decorating one's lids with darkened kohl has been practised amongst niche circles, reserved for only a few brave men willing to go - or draw - the lengths of a sharp winged liner. Given the past decade's adoration of the bare-is-best routines, the notion of lined eyes has been mostly cast away. However, as the return of the Indie Sleaze movement returns, confronting the pressing question cannot be put off any longer. Should the world be opening its eyes and waking up for the return of \"guyliner\"?
