Renowned international image consultant, Jill Lowe, launched her first two books titled ‘Dressing for Boys’ and ‘Dressing for Girls’ on 4 September, 2009 at her flagship store at Raffles Hotel Arcade. Not just a commercial project, these books will be introduced in the following year in some secondary schools as supplementary materials under the Home Economics subject.

Alongside MediaCorp artiste Edmund Chen, other VIP guests at the press conference included veterans in the education industry such as Marina Ooi, General Manager of Pearson Longman, and Lenie Cho, principal of Saint Francis Methodist School. They took turns to share interesting anecdotes about Lowe and what inspired her to pen these fashion guide books for teenagers.

Ooi, a former classmate of Lowe and the publisher for both of her books, shared that their expertise in different fields — one in beauty, the other in publishing — led them both to collaborate on a project that would benefit teens. In particular, they wanted to change the unhealthy mindsets of youths who associated “slim and thin fashion” as being beautiful.

Targeting youths between 10 to 18 years old, the books provide strong technical analysis on how both genders can dress sharp and appropriately according to their body shape and color personality. It also included content on psychological effects resulting from one’s choice of colors, how not to compromise one’s unique personality, be creative, and yet still make mom happy!

Lowe who is a mother of two teenagers shared, “Because of globalization, today’s youths are easily influenced by what they see in the media and regard celebrities as their role models. By gaining a better perspective of personal style, they can learn to be creative and recognized as a unique individual without alienating their positive Asian values.”

“How we dress affects our lifestyle and kids need to be well aware of this from a young age!” added Lowe.

During the question-and-answer session, an audience member Tiffany who had brought her daughter Gracia to Jill Lowe’s workshops on numerous occasions, shared, “I used to be clueless about dressing right as there weren’t any guidelines on the market. After being persuaded by Gracia to take her to Jill’s class, my problems are now solved! I no longer need to fret about teaching my daughter how to dress right because Jill’s lessons cover that.”

Jill Lowe first took up makeup as a professional skill in the United States in 1984 and set up Jill Lowe International two years later. She eventually made a name for herself in the region, winning Platinum Awards for ‘Best Performing Color Me Beautiful Consultants Worldwide’ for nine years in a row (1991 to 1998). She was also the first Singaporean to establish her own cosmetics and skincare brand, Jill Lowe.

With over 25 years of experience in makeup, skincare and image consulting, Lowe currently oversees 30 specialist consultants in her organization. She has a son aged 15 and a daughter who is 20.

‘Dressing for Boys’ and ‘Dressing for Girls’ (SGD$12.75) is available at all major book stores.

Founder and President of renowned C3 International ministries, Phil Pringle, was in town during the weekend of 29-30 August 2009 to speak at City Harvest Church’s (CHC) English Services.

Phil Pringle, 57, visits the church in Singapore at least twice a year and has never failed to bring fresh messages to the 27,000-member strong church. “(Pastor Phil) never fails to bring a new Word and perspective of God to bless the congregation here at CHC,” says Benny Lin, 24, a facilities officer for CHC. “I look forward to his messages on faith and prosperity and I certainly experience personal breakthrough in my own life when I apply the principles of these messages.”

“God wants to bring freedom and victory to believers,” said Pringle on 29 August 2009, the evening service at the Singapore Expo. His sermon spoke largely of God having a purposeful plan for Christians and how their lives should not be one of fear and destruction.

Pringle added to his point by saying that, “God thinks of many things; but one of the greatest things that He thinks about is His people,” in other words; God will always have a wonderful plan for everyone’s life simply because He loves His people.

PHOTOS: Daniel Poh

Ang Mei Mei, 22, a recent graduate of this year’s City Harvest Bible Training Center (CHBTC) recalls that services with Pringle have always been characterized by a strong “presence of God and His love” felt by the students in CHBTC. “Not only do I come away from the meetings with a new revelation of God’s character, I also feel a renewed and stronger love for Him.”

The next visit to CHC for Pringle would be for the upcoming Asia Conference 2010, a bi-annual conference organized by CHC.

Despite being a biopic on one of the fashion world’s most illustrious figures, it is emancipation, not haute couture, that is the running theme throughout Coco Before Chanel. True to its title, this Anne Fontaine-directed film presents an insightful look into the formative years of the legendary couturier Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.

Abandoned by her father and cloistered in a convent where she first studied the tailoring trade that would lead to her destiny, the young Coco grows up surly and cynical of love.

We then fast-forward to a grown-up Coco, who, with her sister, juggles a day job as a seamstress and moonlights as a showgirl to survive. While her sister’s exit plan out of poverty involves marriage to a wealthy count, Coco herself meanders through a mix of lucky breaks, alliances (not to mention manipulative dalliances), talent and tragedy to break out of obscurity and come into her own.

French superstar Audrey Tautou is magnificent in the lead role — she has a disarming woman-child quality that captures both the frustration of a young girl trying to find her place in an era that had no room for her free spirit, and the steely resolve of a woman determined to make her mark in the world, one way or another. Her intense screen presence spurs the movie on, especially during moments where the movie slows to a plod. Fontaine alludes to the fashion genius in Coco with a light, subtle hand such that you forget that this is a woman on her way to building the Chanel empire, but more so a woman stacked against the odds, trying to make do with what she has in her two hands.

On the flip side, the stark predictability of the last 15 minutes ruins the credibility Fontaine painstakingly built up in the past one hour plus. The closing scene of Coco perched at the cusp of success, although beautifully rendered, felt like a rush to end the whole outing on an audience-friendly note. Bearing in mind that this was story about a real person, the conclusion felt overly simplistic.

Thus, inspiring as it is, the film falls somewhat short in terms of insight and impact. But as a social commentary on the gender inequalities Coco overcame (all the things the Chanel-clad woman of today would consider travesties) on her rise to the top, it is an entertaining enough watch.

Rating:

The Time Traveler’s Wife tells the tale of Henry DeTamble (Eric Bana) and his weary wife, Clare Abshire (Rachel McAdams) whose love affair is severely marred by his uncontrollable disappearances across time.

Since she was six, Clare knew the man she was going to marry was Henry. One day when she was playing out in the field behind her house, he appeared out of the blue, after telling her that he was a time traveler, he promptly disappeared five minutes later, with the promise that they were going to meet when she grew up.

After many meetings like this, with Clare meeting grown-up Henry behind the same field a decade later, their ages finally catch up to each other and they meet in the library where Henry works at. Clare, who has known Henry since she was six, knows, without a doubt, that they were going to end up together, and tries her best to explain to Henry about their relationship.

They quickly fall in love and get married. Yet Clare suffers during the marriage with Henry constantly disappearing into another time. He can’t help where he goes, when he goes, or how long he disappears from and that frustrates Clare. Then one day while having lunch with their friends in their home, they discover an older Henry dying in their kitchen.

For the next few years of their lives, they live in the fear that Henry would die anytime once he reaches the age of 40. But, they still hold strong and try their best to live as normally as possible.

A romance that stays strong through decades, through pretty much one of the worst afflictions a person could have. The ultimate romance story on sacrifice, and true love. Ladies will swoon over the romance of it all, men will likely groan.

The story of a love-time continuum is interesting to say the least, and the story is heart-wrenching especially at the parts where Clare was left to fend for herself without Henry for weeks on end. Then became even more depressing when Clare suffered through a series of miscarriages. It was hard to sit through the movie with dry eyes.

However, like many films adapted from novels, the movie seemed hurried and jumped through a few important scenes. I started to feel like Clare in the movie, dying to get out of the humdrum cycle as I watched Henry disappear for the millionth time.

Both Bana and McAdams shared a wonderful chemistry, and admirably bring the characters of Henry and Clare to life. But even with their sparkling presence, the depression that hung over the movie never lifted.

If you’re fans of The Notebook (the schmaltzy movie based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel), or simply want to get over a bad breakup, this tear-jerker of a movie might be your thing.

Rating:

City News’ Style File team goes trend-spotting for the most interesting dressers.

Crystal Lim, 18, Republic Polytechnic student

Crystal’s easy style is a combination of sport and funky. “I am wearing a black sleeveless shirt, denim hotpants and white vintage shoes. I bought my gray vest (S$5) from a shop in Jurong Point.”

“I think my fashion sense is a mix of everything. Sometimes I like it wild, sometimes girly. I take cue from how leaders around me dress — the singers on stage, my zone cell group leaders, and especially mine!”

Schumann Tong, 21, student

Schumann’s sense of style has been honed out of necessity. ”Being in the choir and a backup vocalist, I usually take on the style of looking smart and bright. I read magazines and Google Japanese style icons for fashion tips!”

“I’m wearing a red checkered top (S$28) and black vest (S$20)  from Bugis Street. My MEK denim jeans (S$225) are from Skin Couture, whereas my leather sneakers (S$75) are from Levi’s.”

Alvin Low, 26, Programme Executive at City Harvest Community Services Association

Alvin’s look is a cross between classic-dressy and cowboy.

“My white top (S$50) is from Jean Perrie, my gray pants (S$40) is from Graphite and the vest (S$60) from 77th Street. My accessories (like this chain pin) are from 77th Street and they are gifts.

“My fashion icon is none other than Justin Timberlake! Because of the nature of my work, I tend to go for classy, trendy style.”

This year’s annual green transport week campaign drove its message across to Singaporeans in a fun way by kicking off with a mass cycling event on 22 August 2009.

The Green Transport Week 2009 was organized by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and presented by SMRT Corporation Limited as a community initiative that aimed to raise awareness about the need for more environmentally friendly transport habits amongst Singaporeans.

Two groups of cyclists made up of mainly cycling enthusiasts started from the West Coast and East Coast parks simultaneously towards the event venue at the Singapore Management University (SMU) Campus Green.

This mass cycling display of more than 150 cyclists on the road was a public show of support for eco-friendly transport alternatives. Taking part in the mass cycling to show his support for this green cause was well-known local blogger, Mr Brown who regularly commutes to work from his home on his foldable bike.

“It is great that there is such a community initiative to promote alternative greener modes of transport in Singapore. There should be more such events to encourage Singaporeans to go green”, said Mr Brown.

At the SMU Campus green, an exhibition area was also set up to showcase a myriad of green transport options to suit every need and lifestyle from the exhibition of electric and hybrid vehicles to cycling gear.

These wide range of transport options attest to the fact that every commuter can go green, regardless of their budgets, lifestyles and personal preferences.

In his opening address, Executive Director of SEC, Mr Howard Shaw said that it was his dream that Singapore becomes a cleaner and greener transport sector with no more expansion of roads while working with our existing transport infrastructure. He also said that there was a wide range of greener alternatives such as carpooling, hybrid cars and public transport.

Following the official launch, the event culminated with a Formula Green Concert, which featured a star-studded line-up that included comedian Kumar, Jack and Rai, Michaela Therese and Dawn Ho with performances to inspire Singaporeans to take a positive and enthusiastic stance towards greener transport efforts.

For more details, please log on to the Green Transport Week 2009 website at www.greentransportweek.sg.

Contributed by Nikolaus Ong

Following Peter Jackson’s success with The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong, one would expect his new film to have a cast of big names, a story with a myriad of twists and turns and mind-blowing special effects jumping off the screen.

But District 9 is surprisingly devoid of the above. Which does not make it a bad movie — quite the opposite, actually. If one were to put District 9 under a microscope, one would see that beneath its violent surface lies many layers, making it a movie that one could watch over and over again.

District 9 is the slum area in South Africa occupied by an alien race, derogatorily called “Prawns” (thanks to their resemblance to the sea creature). The Prawns came to earth on a spacecraft, but its leadership had been destroyed. After some years on Earth, humans began to abuse the aliens and District 9 became a militarized zone housing the Prawns. The movie opens in the year 2010, and the Prawns’ situation isn’t so different from other illegal immigrants first-world countries across the globe. The humans want their weapons, and in exchange, they give the Prawns canned cat food (which has a catnip effect on the aliens).

The plot is simple, and the delivery, original. Played out realistically, the movie is filmed like a documentary, and opens with a number of “news interviews”. Through these interviews, viewers are told of the history and background of the story. I expected this raw documentary-like quality to fade out and Peter Jackson’s signature slick Hollywood style to kick-in, but this was not the case. Somehow, the beginning of the movie feels like a stolen reel that did not go through Hollywood’s state-of-the-art post-production.

But as the pace picks up, viewers are caught up in the action, following the protagonist, Wikus (Sharlto Copley), through the alien refugee camps.

In the beginning, the aliens are portrayed as low-intelligent, dysfunctional and outcast; bullied and taken for a ride by humans (the South African mafia sell them fake cat food!). Yet the Prawns bear an undercurrent, a hint that they are a higher life form, biding their time until the mother ship becomes operable and ready to take them back to their planet. Ultimately, this is a story of racism and prejudice.

Wikus is tasked to evict the alien refugees from their current area of containment to District 10. What follows is a story of human turning against human, human turning to alien for support, bodies of alien and human alike being blown up and more.

If anything, the anti-Hollywood, raw and original feel of this movie is what makes it a winner. Highly recommended for its violently gross and wildly enthralling qualities (ladies may not necessarily agree). Above and beyond the edgy plot and delivery, District 9 poses several thought-provoking questions about the state of our humanity and affairs we see in our world today. That’s something you can’t say about many films we watch these days.

Rating:

Ari Wibowo is a household name in Indonesia, and the man is also widely recognized as the most “gorgeous” man in the country. On the weekend of 29 to 30 August 2009, the multiple award-winning model/actor paid a visit to City Harvest Church (CHC) to share a remarkable testimony of God’s grace in his life. Traveling around the world to share with Indonesian communities in various countries including the United States, this was the first time Wibowo has shared his testimony in English.

Born Arianto Wibowo in 1970, to an Indonesian father and German mother, he has more than 20 years of experience in entertainment industry under his belt. From catwalk, to photography model, drama serials, film, and even a short foray into music, the versatile star has practically done it all.

Wibowo’s family lived in Germany up to the time when he was 10, wherein he made his first visit to a Catholic church, and there, had his very first encounter with God. That experience of peace and having his burdens lifted impacted him and showed him the reality of God. He became a believer from that day.

It was in Indonesia where the land of open doors lay, as his father moved the family due to business opportunities. This was when Wibowo’s elder sister first stepped into the world of modeling. On one occasion when Wibowo went to pick his sister up from the dance studio, the tall 17-year-old was talent-spotted for catwalk modeling, and the rest was history.

Wibowo’s first movie role was the main lead, Valentino, in the highly popular film Valentine (1989).

“I was very blessed, that as a relatively unknown actor, I had the opportunity of starring in a major role and also rubbing shoulders with already popular fellow cast members. This further increased my exposure,” said Wibowo of his maiden film which still enjoys screening every year in Indonesia on Valentine’s Day.

“Thankfully, the road to stardom for me was step by step. I didn’t skyrocket to fame, so it was easy for me to adjust over time and not let success get to my head.”

Now in his late 30s and married with two young sons, Wibowo is very selective about the films he does. He wants to bear a good testimony of the kind of values he wants to promote.

“I used to be very involved in action movies, but after realizing that what I did contradicted the values in the Bible, that is, the promotion of violence instead of peace against our enemies, I switched to love related films,” he said.

That certainly has not stopped his steady stream of Best Actor Award wins, among many others. But Wibowo keeps his feet firmly planted on the ground.

PHOTOS: Daniel Poh and Albert Soh

He said, “It was God’s grace and protection that preserved me from not one, but three car accidents, resulting in complete wreckage. As a result of this, I always remind myself to remember God’s hand upon my life.”

It was not always smooth-sailing for the talented thespian. “At the peak of my career, I felt emptiness. I tried to fill it with all kinds of bad habits, such as drinking and drugs, but nothing worked. It was only when I thought back to that time when I was 10, and I remembered the peace of God, that I yearned for it again. That was when I would return to church.”

Wibowo struggled between leaving his old lifestyle and returning to God’s way fully, until a fateful night when God spoke to him a word which greatly convicted him, and changed his attitude forever. Since then, he has been sharing his testimony all over the world, impacting many.

If the actor had to give a piece of advice to aspiring young artists, it would be to always stay humble. “Don’t let the world get to your head, and always remember your roots. People always value humility and will respect you for it.”

He is not worried about his future, instead, preparing himself for whatsoever may come by reading the Bible more and equipping himself with the Word of God. One thing Wibowo would like to see is a more open Indonesia.

“I wish for the continuing freedom for people to attend church, and for any religion to be preached freely in peace. For this to happen, it will require a lot of patience, understanding and open-mindedness from everyone to continue in Indonesia.”

In the meantime, Wibowo is content to enjoy life with its daily joys. “As long as I experience happiness, which to me is being able to feel fulfilled with a life of peace and godly contentment, that, to me, is daily success.”

The meeting of different dialects, the echoing laughters of a single generation and the spirit of youthfulness in the elderly, all bundled up in the flyer capsule, overlooking the view of Singapore. What an uplifting sight to behold on the night of 30 August 2009.

It was the Community Outreach Program for the Elderly (COPE) having an outing to the Singapore flyer for 300 elderly and several volunteers. This outing is one of the many monthly organized activities by COPE.  Through this program, professionals and volunteers aim to establish strong rapport with the elderly, and help them strengthen their relationship with their family members.

The outing, supported by the Voluntary Welfare Organisation (VWO) and South East Community Development Council (SECDC), materialized after requests from the elderly themselves. Many were highly enthusiastic about the outing because they felt that it was an opportunity to walk and explore memories from their yesteryears.

Irene Ho, the organizer for COPE, felt that this night activity stood out from the other programs as many of the elderly do not get the chance to go out at night.  This was an opportunity to help educate the elderly on Singapore as well as set new boundaries in their outing experiences.

PHOTOS: Cristopher Teh

After enjoying a Japanese meal together, everyone headed to view Singapore’s picturesque night scenery in separate groups on the flyer.  When asked about a phobia of heights, an overwhelming majority brushed away the issue and exclaimed that there was nothing to fear as it felt like the capsule was stationary. Some elderly even started dancing around the capsule.

Although many spoke different dialects, everybody connected through the similar experience of getting to know Singapore’s night landscape.  The elderly are certainly looking forward to their next outing together.

The ballroom at Hotel Intercontinental was abuzz with anticipation on 26 August 2009, as business owners and executives gathered for the Marketplace Luncheon with one of Singapore’s most prominent business figure, Ho Kwon Ping. With a multi-faceted portfolio ranging from media to education, from hotels and property development—Ho is the Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts—the speaker’s thoughts on entrepreneurship and business success proved invaluable.

Ho was a rebellious youth notorious for his vocal opinions in the university, and a journalist with the Straits Times. Since his “colorful” past, Ho has grown in stature and contributed much to society. Most recently, he was awarded the 2009 National Day Meritorious Service Medal for his work in revolutionalizing Singapore’s tertiary education as Chairman of Singapore Management University. Ho is also the chairman of Wah Chang International Corporation and has held directorship for Standard Chartered Bank, MediaCorp and Singapore Tourism Board.

To kick off the session, Ho started by answering the burning question on the minds of all present — what is his secret to success, and what can Singaporean entrepreneurs learn from him when it comes to creating a global name like Banyan Tree.

The success of Banyan Tree lies in the ability to leverage on competitive advantage. Ho shared two advantages in life: proprietary technology and branding. Since he was never a technologist, he learned through his early days of starting his business that there was a need to create his own brand instead of competing merely on pricing. This revelation was a turning point for his business, one that took Banyan Tree up to a whole new dimension. On the importance of brand ownership, Ho shared that this allowed for the business to develop a niche and differentiate itself from others in the market. How does one create a successful brand?

First, be a dominant player that is not just localized but globalized. He challenged the businessmen and executives present to view themselves as not just an Asian brand or icon but as a global brand. Beyond the corporate PR and glitz behind a brand, there needs to be a solid corporate identity and values that drive what the business is about. The entire management infrastructure is carried out based on these values and it filters through the organization, right down to the janitor. Ho is a firm believer of the triple bottom line: one, measuring business success; two, focusing on empowering people; and three, protecting the environment and producing sustainable profits.

PHOTOS: Gabriel Seow

His leadership mantra is a strong set of values which he feels is a necessary business imperative for the 21st century. Working in the hospitality line where “the customer is always right”, Ho explains that he wants to create an organization where his workers come to work each day feeling a sense of belonging and are proud of where they work. This, he feels, is the way to build a business that is both sustainable and competitive. Planting a unique concept in the minds of those present, he shared that sustainable businesses have to think bigger to fulfill the demands of not just shareholders, but all stakeholders. These stakeholders include employees, the community you are doing business in, partners, management, customers, interest groups and even the government.

The new generation of business leaders needs to think about not just impacting the bottom line monetarily, but also about maximizing stakeholder value, above and beyond shareholder value. As Ho encouraged the business owners in the audience and challenged them to start defining the key values that drive their company. On a more personal note, he said that for the upcoming ‘Y’ Generation to be successful, they have to always ask “Why?” It is only by understanding the purpose behind the process that one can identify ways to improve, change and grow.

He encouraged his audience to always be bold and to not be afraid to be inquisitive. Ho’s session left his audience ready to turn their businesses into global giants. “I was very inspired by everything Ho Kwon Ping said! There are few business leaders out there who are able to have such a broad and long-term perspective in viewing business sustainability,” says Sherie Ng, 30s, Vice President of Marketing for Asia Pacific, Invensys Process Systems. “His talk encapsulates what it means to see beyond short-term gain to have a more holistic view of business covering economic development, community impact and social responsibility.”