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Why Ian Fang has plenty of swag

SINGAPORE — Mediacorp artiste Ian Fang tucks into his hearty breakfast of hokkien mee and fresh fruit juice as we settled down for our chat for fashion online portal styleXstyle.

Ian Fang's got swag. Photo: styleXstyle / Hong Chee Yan

Ian Fang's got swag. Photo: styleXstyle / Hong Chee Yan

SINGAPORE — Mediacorp artiste Ian Fang tucks into his hearty breakfast of hokkien mee and fresh fruit juice as we settled down for our chat for fashion online portal styleXstyle.

“Finally… Ian for styleXstyle’s Star of the Month,” quipped the Shanghai-born, Singapore-based actor with a hearty laugh. “Having seen styleXstyle’s interviews — especially the ones with David Gan and Jeremy Tan — I’ve always wondered when it’ll be my turn.”

Just minutes ago, the 26-year-old had breezed through his photoshoot, which took all of 30 minutes — a speedy session by any standards. “I give every assignment my best, because one slip-up from me affects the rest of the team. My mum taught me that.”

DESIGNER DREAMS

Months after creating a hoodie exclusively for styleXstyle two years ago, the self-taught designer launched his own streetwear label, First Attempt. “I’ve been meaning to do it since I was 14 or 15,” revealed Ian. “I was inspired by Japanese style icons such as Takuya Kimura, as well as my favourite K-pop and R&B music.”

Although it hasn’t turned a profit, First Attempt was never about money for Ian. “I celebrated my label’s first anniversary last December — and took the opportunity to release my rap single, also titled First Attempt. These are things I’ve always wanted to do and I’ve gone ahead to pursue my dreams — that’s all that matters. I don’t expect my tees to appear at Paris Fashion Week, or for my rap single to win any award. As long as I’m able to inspire one person, it’s enough.”

Well, if there’s one thing we know about Fang, it’s that he has plenty of swag. “I’ve been told I’m cocky, but I’m really just confident. When I’m sure of myself, I can pull off just about anything, even a skirt. Style it the right way and I’ll walk around town in it, no problem.”

He added: “Some of my colleagues say I dress like Justin Bieber and I’m like, what the ****? I don’t look to angmohs for inspiration. Asians have a different physique, lah. Ultimately, I dress for myself. You’ve got to know what you look good in, and I love black-and-white coordinates. Instead of following trends blindly, I pick outfits I feel comfortable in. I also like doing little DIY modifications to my outfits, like cutting out a sleeve. It transforms an ordinary piece into my very own.”

OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD

With his straight-talking ways and devil-may-care attitude, Fang is an oft-misunderstood young man. He recalled having to serenade his buddy Julie Tan in a scene for the Channel 8 drama series The Journey: Our Homeland. Though he had practised day and night for the short scene, Ian somehow could not muster his usual confidence as nerves got the better of him. And when the episode aired on television, he received much flak on social media for his “horrible vocals”. However, few know he had sustained a throat injury two years ago which permanently affected his voice. He was then filming his movie debut Meeting The Giant when he was elbowed in the throat.

“I often get slammed for the things I say or do. If it’s constructive criticism, fine. But I can’t be bothered with anonymous keyboard warriors anymore. Do they know the full story, or the hard work I’ve put into the things I do? No. Do I get affected? Of course, I’m only human. But I don’t let it get to me for too long. I don’t live for them, I live for me.”

If anything, instances like these have made him thankful for industry veterans such as Chen Hanwei, Christopher Lee, Aileen Tan, and Zoe Tay, who have spoken up for him at one point or another. “Their opinions matter to me,” added Fang. “I respect my seniors a lot as I’ve learnt many things from them.”

FAMILY MATTERS

While he’s normally confident and outspoken, one can see the fire in his eyes soften as he speaks about his maternal grandmother. The eighty-something grandma had raised him as a young child in Shanghai, before his move to Singapore as a 13-year-old. His single mother, who used to be a singer, was shuttling between Indonesia and Singapore for work then. “I was almost kidnapped when I was three or four years old,” confided Ian. “It was my grandmother who saved me. Who knows what could have happened if she wasn’t there?”

“Every time I visit her in Shanghai during the Chinese New Year holidays, I dread saying goodbye. I always try to hold it all together, but end up weeping when I have to leave. I don’t want her to see me crying,. It’s not cool,” he confided. “Treasure and spend more time with your elders. Don’t take things for granted. Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” STYLEXSTYLE

The original story first appeared in http://www.stylexstyle.com.

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