Like so many young and silly 20-year-olds, I have colorful and unrealistic dreams for the future. Who the hell doesn’t occasionally daydream about being the head honcho for some Fortune 500 corporation or the ruthless editor-in-chief of an internationally renowned fashion magazine? I have this image of myself: Grown, strutting through New York City streets looking fresh in my fitted blazer and sky-high stilettos towards an unknown, but significant, destination. All the while, my heels are slapping against the imagined concrete to the same rhythm of Chaka Khan’s version of “I’m Every Woman.” This destination represents a place, or the promise of many places, where my skills and talents can be put to good use. I want to one day be someone important. I want to be independent and more than competent at what I do, but most importantly of all, I want to be someone who isn’t afraid of the indiscernible. Esther Quek represents the type of woman I aspire to be when I figure myself out: Unique, focused, smart, and unflinchingly cool, Esther Quek is taking the fashion industry by the horns and riding right into the sunset. She is a respected group fashion director for publications such as The Rake, La Femme and Revolution. It isn’t difficult to understand why this Tumblr star is such a connoisseur of her field – she has an awe-inspiring style that combines menswear with splashes of feminine touches. I can only imagine that when Ms. Quek walks down a street, she DEMANDS everyone’s attention without even trying. Her outfits are incredible! How can someone not stare when a woman with that much style walks by? Needless to say, I am honored that Ms. Quek has allowed me to interview her for Her Campus VCU!
Where are you from? Where did you go to school? What is your family like? What was it like at beginning of trying to break into the fashion industry?
I’m born and bred in Singapore, attended secondary school (high school equivalent, GCE ‘O’ levels) from Anglican High School, and completed college (GCE ‘A’ levels equivalent) in Victoria Junior College, both institutions in my hometown, Singapore.
Having very conservative Asian parents (“Fashion will not help you put food on the table!” mum would often say), I was advised to continue with Business and Finance studies, instead of what I’ve always wanted to pursue – a course in Fashion Design. Hence they sent me to undertake tertiary education in Queensland, Australia, for 3 years. I started working casual shifts as a sales assistant in various fashion boutiques in Brisbane, in order ‘keep in touch’ with my inner fashion curiosity. At that time, my parents could only afford my international school fees and basic expenses. Hence I also started working as a kitchen-hand in an Asian restaurant, to pay off for living expenses. I remembered buying my first desktop with all the money I earned through casual work at the restaurant and fashion boutiques, after using the school’s public computers and roommate’s laptop for almost 1.5 year!
After graduating from The University of Queensland with a B.B.A. in Business Management, majoring in both international business and marketing, I told my parents that I will not be applying for any job in the banking sector, as that was never my interest. They challenged me to find a fashion-related job within six months, if not I will have to move back to Singapore and get a finance position. Due to the sales assistant experience I had before graduating, I was able to clinch my first ‘dream’ fashion job as the department manager of an Australian label ‘Decjuba’. I worked for about a year in Brisbane in this line (doing everything from sales, inventory stock taking, visual merchandising, managing part-timers etc), and moved to Melbourne to work in Decjuba’s flagship store in Chapel Street. Living in Melbourne was an eye-opener. For the first time, I saw how Australian girls dressed up to the nines, despite the weather. They were always cool and uber trendy. I also started noticing how the trends were different from that of Brisbane and Sydney. Having some fashion wholesale contacts at that time, I also started selling women’s clothes online at the side to earn extra cash, and had a blog to maintain the interaction with my regular clients.
Over the initial years of my career, I came to realise I truly enjoyed helping my clients to dress up, choosing the best outfits for different occasions, and loved the fact they actually trust me to help them. I felt honoured and ecstatic when they walked out of our boutique feeling happy and well-taken care of. It was then when I thought of working in a fashion magazine, in order to reach a greater audience. Despite not possessing any formal fashion-related credentials, I was determined to get a job in the publishing industry.
It was pure luck when a friend coincidentally offered me a position as fashion writer/stylist for a women’s magazine in Singapore, hence I moved back home after spending about 5 years in Australia studying and working. The company was a small independent publishing house with three local magazines (‘Smitten’, ‘Lexean’, ‘Playeur’). I started as a fashion writer-and-stylist, and was promoted to style editor after. However due to insufficient cash flow, the company went bankrupt after 2 years. I then started freelance styling for a custom-publishing house that worked on titles distributed in Singapore Changi Airport. Soon after, I was approached by Revolution Press International to work on a new menswear project – THE RAKE. I spent 4 years with the founder and great team of THE RAKE and REVOLUTION magazines building the fashion department. As the company grew over the years, I was also offered opportunities to produce overseas photoshoots and the chances to attend men’s fashion shows in Milan and Paris. Now, I’m based in Dubai, U.A.E., working for THE RAKE and REVOLUTION Middle East editions, for almost a year, traveling frequently between Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai.
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What struggles do you face working for the magazines you work for?
We work with many freelancers in this industry, most are good, but some may not be as professional.
What was something negative you faced but managed to overcome?
My work schedule gets crazily packed with daily photoshoots, attendance of media events, and frequent travel, that I started missing family’s and friends’ birthdays, weddings, new year’s, christmas, important occasions. I have since learnt to lead a well-balanced life.
What advice would you give to someone who is trying to make a name for themselves in the fashion world? Who are your role models and why?
I don’t think I am in any position to give an advice… I personally look up to Anna Wintour, and will continue to do my best to be as successful as her, as a business woman in the fashion industry.
You have such a unique style! Where/How did you come with it?
Working on menswear titles has definitely influenced my style over the years. I love wearing men-inspired women’s suits, but style with very feminine accessories such as stilettos, bracelets, necklaces and drop earrings. The feeling of wearing a woman’s suit is like slipping in a pair of stilettos, it empowers me. Immediately you feel taller, sexier, and more confident.
I actually also enjoy wearing well-fitted structured dresses. It’s all about the tailoring, be it suits or dresses. Every apparel piece needs to be fitted to your body shape and size.
Shoe whore – I have three cupboards full of shoes from thigh-high black leather boots, to stilettos and loafers, in every colour and material you can possibly imagine!
What experiences have shaped you into the person you are today?
My overseas education, my travels, and work experience in both Asia and Europe!
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Like I said earlier, I want to be someone important. I want to be exceedingly amazing at my career, whatever it may be. I mean, who doesn’t want that? I want to be so damn fabulous. But more importantly, I want to be able to help people – my family, close friends, colleagues and maybe even the occasional lost 20-year-old with seemingly impossible dreams. Esther Quek has inspired me to go out and kick some ass in whatever I decide to do, no matter how bleak the odds are. She didn’t originally go to school for what she wanted to do, but look where she is now! She sailed through the treacherous seas, stuck it out and now she’s busy leading the life she worked hard to get. She went through so many obstacles, I can only hope to manage to push through any similar difficulties I may face in my future. Esther Quek has shown me that with a strong will and the dedication to succeed, almost anything is possible. So I’ll work the odd job, handle my parents’ skepticism with grace, and pick myself back up when I feel my resolve beginning to weaken. And I’ll do it all in fantastic heels.
*photo credits goes to pictures provided by Esther Quek and Vogue