Evon Chng is a freelance fashion stylist with a sense of style that’s part misfit part chic, and a penchant for putting pen to paper. A detail that stayed with us in our time together was her positivity, and accommodating inclination. The sun came out glaring as we got ready for our first shoot, to which Evon then told us that her eyes were extremely sensitive to the light, instead of asking us to change locations she went inside to grab her sunglasses – and that was that. Even when the morning rain was dripping from the rooftop ledges onto her face, she just laughed it off, joked about how she hoped her makeup wasn’t ruined, and continued on. To top it off, we realized later it was Evon’s birthday and despite her whirlwind of an afternoon with packed schedules and celebration plans, she still made the time for this shoot. In between the chaos of her day, we sat down with her as she shared more about her careers in the past and how that has influenced her career now.
Grunge Glamour | Keep your Easy Dhoti + Indus Arrow Red casual with black accents in your choker, blouse, and loafer sandals. Add some attitude by wearing your top off the shoulder, stacking up on your silver accessories, and finish it off with tinted sunglasses.
13 artisan employment days are required to create the Easy Dhoti + Indus Arrow Red.
What is the best career advice you would offer to someone who wants to pursue their dream job?
I heard a quote once from a movie about an astronaut and it’s stayed with me since: if you don’t believe in yourself, who will? It’s a mantra I carry with me daily and it serves as an encouragement for myself. In the industry I work in, teamwork is such a core essential element. Your mood and the energy you bring to the team affects those around you. With that in mind, I strive for positivity. I believe in myself, in my team, and I will root for those around me. It’s vital that you do something that you are good at, focus on that and refine your skills. There’s a lot of experts out there but who you are and what you can do is unique to you and you alone. For me, writing is something I like but styling is something that I’m good at and so I choose to pursue styling while still writing on the side as a hobby.
IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, WHO WILL?
Deviant Sophistication | Flirt up your Sideswept Dhoti + Handloom Graph Grey with a red cropped bustier top, black choker, and spotlight earrings. Come full circle with the black details by putting on your comfiest strappy sandals.
The Sideswept Dhoti + Handloom Graph Grey takes 10 artisan employment days to be completed.
What was your first job?
I studied mass communication and my first job was an assistant director. I left shortly after 2 weeks there because I wanted to be a writer. I took an an internship in a production company that created media content for TV. After my 2nd day on the job I was already unhappy with what I was doing, but the people I worked under were so kind that I didn’t want to leave. Through that internship, I met a few people who then asked me to come and style their shoots. One thing led to another and I became a fashion assistant. However, writing was still on my radar and still is something I find great passion in.
Glitz Appeal | Stay understated with monochrome loafer sandals and accessories, and let the Modern Monpe + Chambray Black shine with a bedazzled metallic sweater.
It takes 10 artisan employment days to create the Modern Monpe + Chambray Black.
What is your dream job?
When I was younger, I would spend a lot of time flipping through magazines, opening fake shops and selling my sibling’s things. All this accumulated and funnelled towards my desire to work in the fashion industry but logic stopped me along the way. As of now, my dream job is to be my own boss. Currently I’m freelancing and I’ll start working at L’officiel shortly, but I’m still persistent in my goal to become my own boss in the future.
Freedom To Work is a series featuring powerful women who go against the grain by pursuing their creative interests in a culture of tradition and conventionality. We reached out to 4 people in our #MATTERtribe recognized for their confident, vibrant styles, and uncanny ability to mix pieces in surprising combinations. They chose their favourites from our collection and got ready for work and play.
An integral component of our mission here is working with artisans who carry the skills of the generations before them. It is in this partnership that we hope they find their freedom to work; to continue the narrative of their heritage and sustain the craft of their community.
In the same light, we selected these women because in a culture of tradition and conventionality, they go against the grain by pursuing their creative interests and we want to celebrate their Freedom To Work. Each of them share insights into their own lives and work experience as they pave the way for their own legacies to flourish.