Spotlight: The Singapore Creative Who Could Just Be The Next Milliner To Watch
Who says Singapore is short on creative talents? In this column, we spotlight the names that are shaping up the scene here. Here, we speak to jewellery publicist and milliner-to-watch Mira Sianipar.
Mira Sianipar
To say Mira Sianipar wears a lot of hats, could be somewhat of an understatement.
Those who follow her on Instagram would already know her for those black-and-white images and her #OOTDS with their sculptural and Kawakubo-esque proportions. "There’s a certain beauty and mystery to black and white images. I’ve always been drawn to vintage, classic photography for example by Peter Lindbergh and Helmut Newton. I guess that interest translates into the images that I shot or posted on my Instagram. They say the things you see and surround yourself with will influence you," she says.
On social media, she plays Numero Uno fan to homegrown designers and labels like Seah Yu Xuan Lisa and Wai Yang. One name she champions: Max Tan. In fact, some still refer to her as the "Max Tan girl" --thanks to her days as the stylist and personal shopper for the designer.
Then there is also her role as one of the experts for the styling app of the Lawo fashion group that connects fashion professions in the industry to everyday people who seek styling advice tips, tips and shopping recommendations.
A teaser of the hat that Mira is launching for her namesake label. Photo: Lina Osman
And if you've been on social media and seen images of Nejia Matam-Finn, the co-founder of vintage e-tailer The Fifth Collection and entrepreneur Tjin Lee sporting gauzy sculptural hats of late, then those have something to do Mira too. The design is the debut piece of her soon-to-be-launched eponymous millinery label. As part of the campaign blitz she has tapped on these women -- with more names in the works -- to engage in a series of interviews called "Mira Hat Conversations" on her website.
"The intention for the Mira Hat Conversations is to inspire and create a movement where ladies will share experiences about a time where they lost confidence and how they managed to gain it back. Each lady is unique and though I may ask slightly similar questions, the answers usually blew me away," she explains. "Certain interviews will resonate with someone more than the rest due to where he or she is at right now in life."
But for now, though, Mira is busy with her new role as the publicist and marketing manager for fine jewellery label State Property. Her next big project: the brand's trunk show Jakarta's Galeries Lafayette that is happening on August 26. For that outing, the brand is debuting a ring, brooch and a pair of earrings that interpret the traditional Udan Liris batik motif.
Here, we get to know the multi-hyphenate millennial a little bit more.
The jewellery designs for State Property's trunk show in Jakarta blend traditional Javanese motifs with an architectural eye.
My name is... Mira Sianipar
My friends and family call me... Mira
My age is... 25.
If I could dress anyone in the world, it would be... Sheikha Mozah of Qatar.
The proudest moment in my professional career… meeting (street style star and fashion entrepreneur) Miraslava Duma.
The last creative thing I did before this interview… planning our upcoming trunk show at Galeries Lafayette Jakarta for Rising 50, organised by Digital Fashion Week. We will be doing the trunk show with Indonesian label, Sav Lavin and presented by stylist and fashion director of Her World Indonesia, Bimo Permadi. It's going to be exciting and we are really looking forward to it.
I'm inspired by… nature, old photography, architecture and people.
My style/fashion heroes are… not anyone in particular, but I definitely get inspired by vintage fashion photography. Some of my favourite photos include an image of Brooke Shields in Claude Montana by Sheila Metzner. You can view them on my Pinterest page here.
One song that gets me going is… anything really. I can go from G-Dragon to Coup d’Etat by (pianist) Ludovico Einaudi. It really depends on my mood that day or my current go-to #onrepeat music.
My spirit animal is… Pegasus.
If I'm not a fashion designer, I would be a… I never see myself as a fashion designer. I am a businesswoman, and that is what I do.
I'm currently working on… taking the State Property brand to another level. locally and overseas, starting with Indonesia and planning on the next phase of Mira Hat Conversations.
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