How Nicole Chin Became Singapore's Leading Thrift Influencer On TikTok

NICOLE CHIN, 29, BRANDING AND SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST, AND CONTENT CREATOR 

TikTok account: @chinchilla.vintage

Started on TikTok: “June 2020.”

TikTok stats as of press time: 62.1K followers, 3.7M likes

Why know her: Want to know where to shop for vintage, thrift and secondhand fashion in Singapore as well as any other burning questions about this topic? Chin’s your ultimate go-to. This lively and hyper-stylish sustainable fashion influencer boasts a wardrobe that according to her, is 90 per cent thrifted. (Heck, she even recently got engaged in Ashitagaaru, the Peninsula Plaza vintage store that we’ve photographed her in for this story.) Her passion for thrift and mindful consumption is unmistakable and so infectious as she dishes out information on her latest discoveries and fits, it’s hard not to be inspired.

Her background and how it’s shaped her content: “I’ve always loved thrifting and been doing so since 2010 – before TikTok even launched. I started on it because I’ve always loved expressing myself through fashion, but didn’t have the budget so thrifting became a fun way for me to indulge in this. At the same time, thrifting allows one to be as sustainable as possible as it reduces the amount of clothing waste that gets sent to landfills… I love sharing spots where people can go and shop second hand, especially those where the prices are affordable and the clothes of good quality. There’s no gatekeeping here!”

Her best talent: “Styling something someone thinks is old and ugly into something cool!”

Her favourite thrift-focused online personalities: “My favourites include Nava Rose, a super talented thrifter and upcycle fashion designer; Wisdom Kaye, whom I think is the king of fashion on TikTok – he wears designer clothes, but he also incorporates thrifted pieces into his over-the-top outfits; and Macy Eleni – I love her estate vlogs and Y2K style! She’s the one who inspired me to start creating thrift vlogs.”

How TikTok has helped her to nurture her creative talent and interest: “There are so many amazing creators each with a different personal style on it so I feel encouraged to explore more and this has really elevated my style. It also allows one to connect with people who share the same interest. The thrifting community on TikTok is like one big Internet friend group that you’ve never met in real life, but are super close to.”

How much of her TikTok personality is true? “I would say that I am 100 per cent me! Whether I choose to share every aspect of my life though is another thing.”

Number of hours she spends on her phone daily: “10, but to be fair I do use it for work as well.”

And how much of that time is spent on TikTok: “Maybe about 30 per cent”

Best thing about TikTok: “Connecting with people who have the same interests as you or are going through the same experiences as you. It makes me feel so seen!” 

Worst thing about tiktok: “It’s so addictive. I spend more time scrolling than I would like to admit.”

If there was no TikTok: “I would still be thrifting – and feeling sad that I have no one to share all my great finds with.”

Now, what are her top thrifting recommendations? “Thrifty Trendz, SSVP, Honsieponsie and Nightingale Thrift.”

THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR CLARITY AND BREVITY.

COORDINATION EMMA ASHLEE GOH PHOTOGRAPHY ATHIRAH ANNISSA STYLING DAMIAN HUANG, ASSISTED BY DANESSA TONG HAIR AND MAKEUP KEITH BRYANT LEE, USING NARS & OUAI LOCATION SPECIAL THANKS TO ASHITAGAARU

This article first appeared in the June 2024 TikTok Edition of FEMALE