Zalora Singapore’s managing director Dione Song on her fail-proof travel outfit

SINGAPORE — With Singles’ Day just over and Cyber Monday around the corner (Nov 30), you might also want to prepare your wallet to spend on Dec 12. That is fashion site’s Zalora’s attempt to give South-east Asia a shopping event to call its own.

“There isn’t a shopping event unique to this region, so we decided to spearhead this project last year,” explained Dione Song, managing director of Zalora Singapore, adding that this year’s edition of 12/12 has been expanded from a one-day event to a four-day one, from Dec 12 to 15.

And while South-east Asia is young in terms of e-commerce, Song explained the scene is definitely picking up. “It’s more collaborative here as the online companies are growing together,” she said. “We work to offer complimentary offers and deals, and we’re leveraging off one another’s traffic to promote the event.”

This year, Zalora has more than 60 partners collaborating on 12/12 across different verticals. These include home and technology names such as Courts and Lazada; food offerings from vendors such as Chope, Red Mart and Honest Bee; and also travel options with AirAsia BIG, Krisflyer, Cheaptickets.sg and Skiddoo. “What’s nice is that we also have offline players such as epicentre and NTUC joining us this year, so it’s an event that’s definitely growing,” Song added.

Q: With Zalora in five other South-east Asian countries, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan, are there any significant differences when it comes to what customers in these countries look for?

A: Not really. But we do notice customers tend to shop by “occasions”. We did really well during the Hari Raya period; and Hong Kong and Taiwan do better in terms of seasonal stuff. But we’ve seen how other things matter, such as the style of the photos we use. For example, in Vietnam, the female shoppers seem to like the girlie, more cutesy sort of styling on the models. In Singapore, we appreciate a cleaner, more minimalist sort of aesthetic; while customers in Indonesia go for richer, more vibrant clothes.

Q: What is your go-to outfit when you’re travelling?

A: I’m usually in black anyway, so that translates well. I have my black denim jeans and a pair of flats. Also, I have a utility jacket with a lot of pockets so I can have everything on me — I don’t usually like to carry a bag when I’m walking around a city.

Q: What are some of your travel must-haves?

A: My headphones, two chargers — one for my phone and another for the laptop — as well as the usual toiletries. I pack very light as my trips around the region are short and work-focused.

Q: Which is your favourite city in the region to visit?

A: Bangkok. It’s dynamic and there is a lot to see. But I don’t really have much time to explore it, unfortunately.

Q: So, when’s your next proper holiday?

A: I’d be going to Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo in December. I’m looking forward to it. I can’t really remember the last time I had a real break. Serene Lim