F ZINE Street Style: Singapore Art Book Fair 2026 Edition
All the fashionable art book-lovers we spotted at SGABF 2026, and what they bought at the event.
The annual Singapore Art Book Fair has long been a fixture for our local art zine scene. Returning from August 28 to 30, 2026, this year’s fair took over the smaller confines of T:>Works for a more intimate edition this year. But less space didn’t mean less happening, with artists, creatives, students, art lovers and subculture regulars turning up to browse the work of local and international exhibitors. And, of course, the F ZINE team was on the ground to see who came well-dressed for the occasion. Scroll on for the best-dressed book-lovers at SGABF 2026, and peep what they bought during the event.
See also: What Did People Buy At Singapore Art Book Fair?
NAME: Chong Ying Xing
AGE: 21
OCCUPATION: Art Student
The ‘fit: “My top and bottom are both thrifted, and I got my boots from a Korean brand called Sappun.”
Her style inspiration: “My style really depends on my mood for the day but I gravitate towards Japanese cutesy, feminine, and Y2K. I take inspiration from media I have seen like Molly Gunn from the movie Uptown Girls and Tommy February6, a Japanese musician I like.”
Her SGABF 2026 haul: “I purchased a mini zine about people and the knick-knacks that they collect. It even had a cute charm attached to it.”
NAME: Napak Salomon
AGE: 25
OCCUPATION: Freelancer
The ‘fit: “Hat by Slow Down Sonic, dress by Lucy Pearl, jacket from Adidas, belt and bag are both thrifted, pants from Uniqlo, and US7-S Gel-Kinetic Fluent sneakers by Asics x Kiko Kostadinov.”
Her style inspiration: “I don’t have an actual inspiration that much, but I like to remix elements from things I already like.”
How her personal style relates to her work: “I like details and patterns, so sometimes it may look messy, just like my work.”
Her style in three words: “Playful, fun, comfortable.”
NAME: Hayley
AGE: 17
OCCUPATION: Motion graphic student
The ‘fit: “A mix of pieces I’ve styled together. I love playing with bold colours, unexpected colour combinations and quirky details. I always try to make my outfits feel like an extension of my work, almost like I’m wearing my art!”
Her style inspiration: “I’m a motion graphics student and illustrator, so colour is a huge part of how I express myself. I’m inspired by illustration, typography, editorial design and playful colour palettes. I don’t follow one aesthetic. I just love putting together colours and pieces that feel expressive and a little unexpected.”
Her SGABF 2026 haul: “Definitely didn’t leave empty handed. I picked up zines, artist books, prints and independent publications, especially pieces with colourful graphics, experimental type and illustrations. Being a design student at an art book fair is dangerous… everything counts as ‘research’.”
NAME: Iqbal
AGE: 25
OCCUPATION: Independent researcher
The ‘fit: “My hat is from Hat of Cain, the top is a thrifted corduroy piece from Nearestten, and my jeans are Levi’s 501s. Oh, and my best companion, the bag, was a Carousell fIund: a Coach bag for 50 bucks! My boots are some dingy replacements I got back when I was on an academic trip down in Penang, hunting for some old books (and banned ones).”
His style inspiration: “I think the most interesting outfits are usually a result of balancing tension to create a third thing altogether – tailoring with streetwear, masculinity with delicacy, the familiar with the strange.”
His SGABF 2026 haul: “I bought a little steel stencil from Cuspdot. Beyond its utilitarian function of a shitajiki, I’m fascinated by the access to manufacturing that foreign artists and creatives have. This souvenir is an extension of that investigation. Each year you’d find me wandering from table to table, asking all sorts of questions about the manufacturing process. It’s a stark contrast to the arts-and-craft-ification of the sort of things we create here. The conversations are really what I go for each year. It’s too easy to be a consumerist saying all sorts of niceties, like, ‘Wow I love your art’, or “I’m going to follow you guys on your socials”, without actually ever engaging with the people who bare parts of themselves to be consumed voyeuristically.”
NAME: Sonia Tan
AGE: 31
OCCUPATION: Photographer and founder of creative food studio, Salt Salon
The ‘fit: “A dress by Isabel Marant (thrifted from 2nd Street), Muji tank top, and bermudas from Nothing Written. The clogs are from Ramshackle and the bag is from Vivienne Westwood.”
Her style inspiration: “So hard to articulate in a sentence! I’m drawn to very different things, and I like letting them coexist rather than forcing them into one aesthetic. Inspiration comes from everywhere, but I always like to mix things up. if I’m going to be a bit ‘girly’, I like to knock it sideways a bit with something rebellious, or a little bit punk. It’s never anything too singular. I guess these days I’m gravitating quite a bit towards Vivienne Westwood, there’s so much juxtaposition in her design language that resonates with me.”
Her style in three words: “Eclectic, restless, unexpected.”
Her SGABF 2026 haul: “I got Precious Patch of Sky by Zac Tan from Ppippipress! It’s my friend and photographer Zac Tan’s first photobook ever. I’ve always been a fan of his work and am so glad I get to hold onto a physical copy now.”
See also: Inside Seoul’s Creative Scene With the Salt Salon Sisters
NAME: Sarah Tan
AGE: 33
OCCUPATION: Writer and photographer of creative food studio, Salt Salon
The ‘fit: “The tank top is from Something To Hold and the skirt is from Superyaya. The shoes are Studio Lemels, which was made in collaboration with our friend Jina Erica Han in Seoul. Last but not least, the purse is a Chanel tweed flap bag I bought in the early 2010s when I first moved to New York.”
Her style inspiration: “It’s hard to pinpoint a singular source, but I love looking at old magazines and archives. Even regular people roaming the streets. For example when I was traveling in Milan recently, I really loved people-watching all the sciura in many neighborhoods. But Miuccia Prada and the Sozzani sisters are probably my favourite style icons I always look back to. I love the expressive, eclectic way they dress – their personality really shines through and that’s ultimately how I feel about putting on an outfit every day. As the late Bill Cunningham used to say, clothing is our armour, and it’s in a way how we show up or the world every day.”
Her style in three words: “Bold, expressive, textured.”
Her SGABF 2026 haul: “I didn’t buy anything this round, unfortunately, but I was really eyeing these vintage magazines from the 80s, a French publication called Plages. I spent a lot of time at the Nitesha booth, a Japanese art and rare bookstore with stores in Kyoto and Tokyo.”
NAME: Cheryl Yip
AGE: 28
OCCUPATION: Art Worker
The fit: “The top is thrifted and the bottoms are from Sagittarius.A+. The bag is from Topologie, with a Fuguku bag charm, and I’m also wearing Birkenstocks.”
Her style inspiration: “I’m trying to incorporate more colours other than black into my outfits. I was advised to dress more like my Gemini Venus.”
Her SGABF 2026 haul: “Precious Patch of Sky by Zac Tan from Ppippipress.”
NAME: Amira Azmi
AGE: 32
OCCUPATION: Designer and writer
The fit: “My shirt is from Amomento, my trousers are from Birrot, my bag is from Aesther Ekme, and my shoes are from Mfpen.”
Her style inspiration: “I dress for the weather mostly! I like slouchy, oversized clothing and light flowy fabrics, mixed with some classic tailoring. I like my clothes quite simple, but with interesting textures, textiles or treatment.”
Her SGABF 2026 haul: “So much! Rebordering the Archipelago: Asia Pacific Exchanges and Fruiting Bodies by Ying Ang (Perimeter Books), Serving Suggestion magazine (Further Reading), The Sea is All Highway: Singapore & the Logistical Media of the Global Surface (Temporary Press), The Night Life of Trees (Tara Books), and T-shirts from Birdpit and Cuspdot.”
NAME: Lewis
AGE: 36
OCCUPATION: Artist
The fit: “I’m wearing an Arcade x Reuben Joseph linen boilersuit that I got in Singapore, a Coleman bellows pocket shoulder bag from the MonoMax October 2025 Extra Issue that I picked up from a 7-Eleven in Japan, and a pair of New Balance 2002R shoes that I got in Hong Kong.”
His style inspiration: “I’m drawn to workwear and outdoor clothing, especially Japanese tobi-style workwear. I like the practicality of these clothes, but also their distinctive shapes and silhouettes.”
Other artists who caught his eye at the fair: “I was assisting ICZ at the book fair, so I didn’t have much time to look around. But whenever I did, I found myself looking out for books about mushrooms. Fruiting Bodies by Ying Ang caught my eye.”
NAME: Natalie Seow
AGE: 26
OCCUPATION: Corporate communications
The ‘fit: “My dress and riding boots are from Ann Demeulemeester, my cuffs and bag are from Somafolk — I just realised I’m only wearing things made by two designers.”
Her SGABF 2026 haul: “A lot of stickers, a zine, a postcard and some Goldilocks pages, and an interesting card deck based on Chinese idioms.”
NAME: Kimachi
AGE: 33
OCCUPATION: Editor
The ‘fit: “The tops are from Uniqlo and pants are from Aya Yamanaka. The cap is from Science Noodles and the shoes are Nikes.”
Her style inspiration: “Keeping things relaxed.”
Which artist caught your eye at this year’s fair? “Holycrap, a family art collective.”